Cricket, football derbies to engulf Sydney

SYDNEY will be split down the middle as massive local derbies in cricket and football divide the Harbour City.

BRACE yourselves, Sydney, it’s derby day.

The Harbour City will be divided as A-League rivals the Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC battle it out for bragging rights in Parramatta, while across town at the SCG the Sydney Sixers host the Sydney Thunder in a crucial Sydney Smash.

It’s a double-header too at the SCG, with the women’s Sixers and Thunder teams getting the massive day underway in the last round before the finals.

In what has to be a rarity, there will be sellouts at both stadiums on the same day, at the same time.

Pirtek Stadium, which seats just 19,900, will be heaving as the Wanderers aim to get back to the top of the A-League table with victory over their rivals, while a crowd of 40,000 is expected at the SCG for a must-win game for both the Sixers and Thunder.

Fans are also encouraged to get to the cricket ground early to watch the WBBL match and beat Melbourne’s record of 12,000 who filed into the MCG for the women’s derby between the Melbourne Stars and Renegades.

Just don’t bother pitching up at the SCG without a ticket because there won’t be any available on the day. If you do miss out, both cricket clashes will be broadcast live on Channel Ten.

It’s a fantastic day for sport in Sydney and, despite the rivalry that exists between the A-League and Big Bash, it just goes to show that there’s room for it all.

Yes, the Big Bash figures in this breakout season for the tournament have been staggering — crowds average just over 27,000, with an average of one million people tuning in for each session nationally — but the A-League is building some momentum of its own, and without anywhere near the same kind of marketing and star appeal.

Sydney FC will take on Western Sydney and the RBB.

Any match at Pirtek Stadium is an experience, but when the Wanderers’ fiercest rivals visit it’s an atmosphere like no other in Australian sport.

It’s also the last derby there before the stadium undergoes redevelopment, which is just as well because the Wanderers have well and truly outgrown their home in record time.

But if neither Big Bash cricket nor A-League football appeal, there’s also tennis on offer at Sydney Olympic Park. The rain has played havoc with the scheduling at the Sydney International, but with none forecast for today some of the game’s biggest stars will be in action as they prepare for the Australian Open.

There’s something on for everyone, so get out there and support a massive day of sport in Sydney.

Originally published as Cricket, football derbies to engulf Sydney