Josh Philippe’s ‘technical changes’ pay dividends as Sydney Sixers register record total in Big Bash opener

After being axed from the Australian T20 side, Josh Philippe has quickly set about showing the national selectors what they’re missing.

It felt appropriate that the first boundary, the first six and the first half-century of the Big Bash League’s eleventh season were scored by none other than Josh Philippe.

The Sydney Sixers young gun was anointed Player of the Tournament last summer, and early signs suggest he’ll once again rank among the competition’s best talents this year.

Philippe has kicked off his Big Bash campaign with a classy 83 off 47 balls against the Melbourne Stars during Sunday evening’s tournament opener in Sydney.

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The 24-year-old made a “few little technical changes” to his batting technique following a forgettable winter with the national squad, and those minor adjustments were immediately evident at the SCG.

His backlift was less accentuated, and his feet looked steadier. Because he was less busy at the crease, he could adjust quickly to variation deliveries from the hapless Stars bowlers.

Philippe’s batting technique didn’t need a mass overhaul, rather a tinker – he worked on making his preliminary movement a bit shorter and a bit sharper, and the technical changes have seemingly paid dividends.

Josh Philippe top-scored for the Sixers on Sunday. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

After soaking up a few balls to get his eye in, Philippe started accelerating towards the end of the four-over Powerplay. His boundary off left-arm seamer Sam Rainbird early in the fourth over, where he charged down the deck and flicked a good length delivery over mid-wicket, is an early contender for shot of the tournament.

The introduction of spin made no difference – Philippe crouched down and powerfully swept Pakistan recruit Syed Faridoun’s first delivery of the season past deep square leg for another boundary. He looked to be in complete control.

But the pièce de résistance came during the Power Surge in the 14th over – the underwhelming home crowd went into a frenzy as Philippe cracked a Rainbird delivery onto the roof of the heritage-listed Members’ Stand.

He struck another six into the same stand’s bottom tier two balls later, where a middle-aged gentleman donning a leather jacket pocketed the maiden crowd catch of the summer.

That is huge from Josh Philippe!

Our first BKT Golden Moment of the season #BBL11pic.twitter.com/MA2rKCC71p

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 5, 2021

Josh Philippe is a serious player .. !! #BigBash@FoxCricket !!

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) December 5, 2021

Philippe’s masterclass came to a disappointing end in the penultimate over of the Sixers innings, with the right-hander pulling a short delivery directly towards the boundary rider at deep square leg.

He once again fell agonisingly short of becoming the first Sixers player to score a century in the Big Bash League – Philippe has passed 80 on six occasions in the T20 tournament, but is yet to convert any of those starts into triple figures.

Regardless, the damage had been done – the Sixers registered a formidable team total of 4/213, the franchise’s highest score in Big Bash history. It was also the largest BBL score at the SCG.

It got even better for the Sixers, bowling the Stars out for the third lowest score in the history of the competition — 61 — and claiming the biggest ever win by 152 runs.

Last summer, Philippe accumulated 537 runs in 16 matches as the Sixers claimed its second consecutive Big Bash title, becoming the second franchise to achieve the feat.

National selectors rewarded the young gloveman by including him in Australia’s T20 squad for February’s tour of New Zealand – but he struggled to translate his Big Bash form to the international arena, finishing the five-match series with 105 runs in five knocks and a high score of 45.

Australian stalwarts David Warner, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis withdrew from winter tours of Bangladesh and the West Indies, opening the door for Philippe to cement his place in the national T20 side.

But the blonde phenom again failed to prove his worth on the international stage, registering scores of 1, 13, 0, 39, 16, 10, 9 and 10 across white-ball formats.

He subsequently missed selection for the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, where West Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh flourished in the No. 3 spot that Philippe held in New Zealand.

Josh Philippe was striking them very nicely at the SCG on Sunday. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“There were some challenging conditions, but I certainly learnt a lot about my game,” Philippe told reporters at the SCG on Saturday morning.

“I came back with some key things that I wanted to work on, and I felt like I’ve worked really hard on them.

“They’ve helped me to date this season, so I’m looking forward to putting them in play for the Big Bash.”

After returning home, Philippe set about showing George Bailey and the national selection panel what they were missing.

In September, he smacked 137 off 116 balls to claim Player of the Match honours in Western Australia’s Marsh Cup opener against South Australia in Adelaide.

Philippe’s Sheffield Shield form has also been impeccable this summer, with 434 runs in 10 knocks at an average of 54.25, making him Western Australia’s most prolific run-scorer of the first-class competition to date.

He’s repeatedly been touted as a “rising star” over the past 24 months, but it’s fair to say he’s well and truly surpassed that epithet.

The Sixers will next face the Hobart Hurricanes in Launceston on Wednesday evening, with the first ball scheduled for 6.35pm AEDT.