BBL10 final: Andrew Tye wide sets scene for fiery clash between Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers
This was the fallout from one of the most controversial moments of BBL10 — and it’s set the scene for a heated final between Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers.
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A week ago the Scorchers’ Andrew Tye denied James Vince a fairytale century for the Sixers with a controversial last-ball wide.
Vince was sitting on 98, with the Sixers needing just one run off 21 balls to win last week’s Qualifier in Manuka Oval.
But Tye’s final delivery — intentionally or not — soared above the bewildered batsman’s head and it was all over, with Vince stranded two short of what would have been the first BBL century in the Sixers’ 10-year history.
On Saturday night, Sydney and Perth will face off in a BBL final for an astounding fourth time and the dust has largely settled since Tye’s controversial play.
But surely it has added fuel to their fiery rivalry?
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“I’ll say yes, so you can write about it and create some hype,” Scorchers skipper Ashton Turner said.
“But there’s so many factors that come into creating tension in a game. There’s probably no more motivation than being able to lift the trophy.
“Anyone who knows AJ Tye knows that he plays the game in the best spirit. That was an unfortunate end to the game … I hope it didn’t take away or detract from how well James Vince played on that night.”
Turner said that his side has moved on and are ready for another exciting showdown.
“To watch AJ bowl (against Brisbane Heat), he’s back to his best, he bowled brilliantly. “We’ve certainly taken lessons out of losing to the Sixers at Manuka a couple of nights ago, hopefully we can make some changes in the big game” Turner said.
The Scorchers are high on confidence after thumping Brisbane by 49-runs without their formidable opener Jason Roy, who withdrew late due to an ankle problem.
Former Australian Test batsman Cameron Bancroft had no issues stepping up in Roy’s absence and anchored the win with an unbeaten 58.
Medical staff are yet to make a call on Roy’s match fitness for the final, but if the Englishman is ruled out, Turner said Perth had the depth to still triumph.
“The nature of being a successful team is that you’re going to have guys who are quality cricketers sitting on the bench and running water for a portion of the tournament,” Turner said.
“We’d love to have Jason come back, he’s been a superstar of international cricket for a number of years and has been brilliant for us. But should he not pull up and take his place, Cam Bancroft has shown over a number of years that he’s capable of playing a match winning innings as he did last night.”
While the Sixers have had a week off to prepare for tonight’s clash, the Scorchers are still pumped from their Thursday night victory over the Heat.
Turner believes that the momentum will work in their favour.
“Once we start to play well, we’ve gotten on some rolls. We won five in a row at one stage, we’ve won three in a row coming into finals. Momentum has definitely been an important factor for us” Turner said.
That said, the all-rounder knows Sydney will throw everything at them tonight and said that taking early wickets will be key.
“It’s pretty easy to sit back and say to throw out all plans we’ve had for Josh (Philippe) the last couple of games, because they haven’t worked that well for us. He’s been playing beautifully,” Turner said.
“The flip side of that is that their middle order haven’t had to face our bowlers. We’ve had a couple of off nights against the Sixers.
“In this tournament, our bowlers have been brilliant. We have a lot of confidence in them, particularly in these big games.”
SIXERS CHALLENGE ENGLISHMAN TO BACK UP TAUNT
— Julian Linden
The Big Bash is living up to its combative moniker with the Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers openly trading insults with each other ahead of Saturday’s grand final.
There’s never been any love lost between the bitter rivals after squaring off in three previous grand finals but Saturday’s fourth title bout at the Sydney Cricket Ground has an added edge to it.
The Scorchers have accused the Sixers ‘of running scared’ and Sydney’s veteran skipper Moises Henriques has fired back by labelling the trash-talking Western Australians as a team that plays ugly cricket and has no superstars.
“If they want to come at it that way, that’s fantastic,” Henriques said.
“But I feel like for our guys it’ll be water off a duck’s back.”
Tensions have been simmering since Scorchers paceman Andrew Tye bowled an unplayable wide that denied Sixers’ opener James Vince a shot at completing a century in last week’s qualifying final, won by the men in magenta.
Tye insisted it was accidental but the bad blood between the teams is about to boil over after the Scorchers booked their place in the final by beating the Brisbane Heat and their explosive opener Liam Livingstone claimed the Sixers were frightened of them.
“I’m not sure where we’re running to but it’s an interesting comment,” Henriques said.
“I’m sure he’s just trying to get a rise.
“He actually played really well (against Brisbane Heat) and it’ll be up to him to do that against us.”
The Sixers have played the Scorchers three times this season and won twice, but in grand finals, the Western Australians lead 2-1.
Henriques has played in all three previous grand finals against the Scorchers and experienced the ultimate highs and lows.
He was man of the match in the inaugural BBL title match in 2012 when he scored a majestic 70 in Sydney’s seven-wicket romp at the WACA.
Three years later, Henriques made 77 in the Sixers’ second final against the Scorchers but ended up on the losing side when he fumbled what should have been a routine run out off the last ball of the game, allowing the Scorchers to get the single they needed to avoid a super over and claim victory.
In 2017, the Scorchers beat the Sixers in the grand final again, but Henriques said the lessons from winning or losing were often the same.
“Even in the throwback, I seem to remember batting really well and bowling really well,” he told reporters.
“But you don’t remember that so I’ll just remind you of that one.
“A lot of teams just gloss over the wins and think that’s not a learning opportunity but I feel like the wins provide really good learning opportunities as well.
“And the losses, well, obviously sometimes it’s not always great to keep digging up the losses as your learnings because you’re using a lot of negative feedback.”
Henriques and the Sixers won a second BBL title last year, beating the Melbourne Stars at home on a wet and wild night that the triumphant skipper said was proof they don’t go to water in the big games that matter.
“We’re confident that we know we’ve got the tools that can beat them but equally if we don’t play well they can beat us,” Henriques said.
“We’ve had a lot of great battles ever since BBL01 … and I feel like we’re very similar in the way we set up and play cricket.
“They’re just fighters in terms of the way they scrap around.
“They might not always play the most attractive cricket and there’s not a great deal of superstars from 1-11 but they’ve got 1-11 guys who contribute a lot in games.
They’re a lot like us in some ways.”
THE HISTORY: PAST SIXERS-SCORCHERS FINALS
BBL01 – Jan 28, 2012 at the WACA
Perth Scorchers 5-156 from 20 overs; Sydney Sixers 3-158 from 18.5 overs. Sixers won by 7 wickets.
Mitchell Marsh belted an unbeaten 77 off 57 deliveries to help the Scorchers recover from a disastrous start and post a competitive total.
But the Sixers pulled a surprise by promoting Steve O’Keefe to open with Moises Henriques and it proved a masterstroke.
O’Keefe made a BBL career-best 48 while man of the match Henriques belted 70 to steer the Sixers to a comfortable win.
BBL04 – Jan 28, 2015 at Manuka Oval
Sydney Sixers 5-147 from 20 overs; Perth Scorchers 6-148 from 20 overs; Scorchers won by 4 wickets.
Henriques carved out a defiant 77 to give his team a fighting chance only to go from potential hero to zero with a botched run out attempt.
The Scorchers were cruising to victory after man of the match Shaun Marsh laid the foundations with 73, needing just one run-off the final three balls.
It was game on when retiring paceman Brett Lee took two wickets in succession but the Scorchers stole victory with a single off the final delivery when Henriques fumbled an inbound throw that would have forced a super over if the run out had been completed.
BBL06 – Jan 28, 2017 at the WACA
Sydney Sixers 9-141 from 20 overs; Perth Scorchers 1-144 from 15.5 overs; Scorchers won by 9 wickets.
The most one-sided grand final in BBL history.
The Sixers were shot ducks after losing three wickets inside the first three overs. Only three batsmen made double figures and none made at least 40, as man of the Jhye Richardson (3-30) wreaked havoc on the visitors.
The Scorchers’ reply was as brutal as it was swift with Michael Klinger finishing unbeaten on 71 (49 balls) as the home side secured the trophy with more than four overs to spare.
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