‘We play through worse in Shield cricket’: Decision to call off BBL game due to rain slammed by Sixers

Sydney Sixers batter Jordan Silk said his captain Moises Henriques was upset his side’s BBL clash with Sydney Thunder was called off six balls shy of the five-over mark which would have garnered a result.

Rain dampened the Sydney Sixers’ push to maintain cross-city supremacy in the BBL when the Sydney Smash was called off without a result due to persistent rain on Saturday night.

The Thunder had posted 7-151 in its 20 overs at the Sydney Showgrounds when the men in green seemed destined to reach 170-plus.

The Sixers had reached 1-34 and were comfortably ahead of the required scoring rate when the heavens opened and the umpires led the players off.

Sixers skipper Moises Henriques wasn’t due in to bat when he strode out minutes after the rain delay had been called, but clearly he felt a statement needed to be made.

Rain caused the Big Bash League game between the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder to be abandoned just short of the five over mark. Picture: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images.

With light raining falling, Henriques was demonstrably not happy – given the Sixers needed just six balls to make the Sydney Smash a game.

“Moises said, ‘We play through worse than this in Shield cricket,” Sixers batsman Jordan Silk told Fox Cricket.

When the rain kept falling, play was called off at 10:02pm in a disappointing end to a game that attracted a record sold-out crowd of 22,102 fans.

Earlier, the Thunder won the flip and elected to bat first. Alex Ross (44 off 39 balls) and Daniel Sams (30 off 25) helped their side to 7-151.

Young Sixers all-rounder Jack Edwards was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3-24 off his four overs, including the crucial wickets of Sams and English opener Alex Hales.

In a minor controversy, Ross was given out caught in the deep in the 15th over and was walking off before replays showed the ball wasn’t taken cleanly by Sixers outfielder James Vince and the decision was overturned.

Sydney Sixers captain Moises Henriques was left seething after umpires called players off for a rain delay just six balls before the match would have garnered a result. Picture: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images.

It’s not the first time the Sixers have been involved in a controversial decision over a catch, with Henriques awarded a catch against the Melbourne Stars despite questions over whether the ball had touched the ground.

On that occasion, opener Tom Rogers was given out after the on-field umpires sent the decision upstairs.

Thunder captain Chris Green said he understood opposing skipper Henriques’ frustration at the no result, but insisted the umpires made the correct call to take the players off.

“I think his reaction would have been very different if they were 2-20,” Green said.

“For us it was too heavy, too wet, they were ahead of the eight-ball and would have been happy to push through.

Play has been suspended due to rain. #BBL13pic.twitter.com/pKORd6lvKC

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 30, 2023

“Everyone here and all the players would have liked to have seen the full fixture but it wasn’t to be, that (rain) radar just sat there slowly and things got a little too wet.”

Green agreed the fans were the real losers from another rain-affected game in BBL13, but his side was now focused on a clash with the Hurricanes at Blundstone Arena on New Year’s Day. “There’s so much hype around the game, it’s a sellout, but we split the points and go to Hobart in a couple of days,” he said.

The Sixers will head north the take on the Brisbane Heat, also on January 1.