END OF OVER:
20 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | SS: 117/10 (39 runs required, RR: 5.85)

  • Izharulhaq Naveed1 (1b)
  • Andrew Tye4-0-26-2
  • Jhye Richardson4-1-9-4

7.20 pm So the Scorchers continue their home field dominance. Few visiting teams have been able to find a winning formula at this venue. Sixers have lost their first two matches of this season to start behind the eight ball.

Player of the Match is Jhye Richardson with his 4 for 9: "It's really nice to be back home. Traditionally we've started the tournament quite slowly. And to get a win like this in front of a home crowd after not having been here for a couple of years feels great and these are the nights that we cherish forever. I definitely haven't had as much prep as I would have liked. Missing out on some Shield games, not playing Marsh Cup. It was a bit of a race against time to get ready for the first game dealing with this heel niggle, but thankfully enough it got good enough back end of this week. So I'm very happy. With the pace of the wicket, hitting a hard length for as long as possible is key and keeping it simple. We spoke a lot about not necessarily how we're gonna bowl but more our attitude in the field and I think the guys really supported the bowlers. We took all of our catches bar mine. We want to be the best fielding team so that's how we're going about it. [Speaking on Aaron Hardie's half-century] I just think it's confidence in his own game. He's worked so hard over the last couple of years and I think now he's reaping the rewards of that. He's becoming a player that everyone loves and everyone knows that can step up in that situation."

That's it for tonight's live coverage. Come back tomorrow for more live BBL action. Until then, I'm Peter Della Penna. Take care!

19.6
W
Tye to Naveen-ul-Haq, OUT, slower length ball on middle and leg, Naveen miscues a drive trying to clear mid-on and instead picks out the man on the ring. Simple catch to end the match. Sixers all out for 117. Scorchers begin their title defense with a 38-run win.

Naveen-ul-Haq c Hardie b Tye 2 (6m 6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

19.5
0
Tye to Naveen-ul-Haq, no run, goes for slower ball yorker and floats a thigh high full toss just past off stump as Naveen misses backing well away from leg stump for a heave.

Sky: "How good has Jhye been! It's a shame he doesn't get selected more often for Australia".

19.4
1
Tye to Izharulhaq Naveed, 1 run, yorker on middle, jammed out into square leg and Naveed gets off the mark.
19.3
1
Tye to Naveen-ul-Haq, 1 run, yorker on leg stump jammed out into midwicket for one.
19.2
0
Tye to Naveen-ul-Haq, no run, Naveen charges a fullish length ball on the legs and mishits this into the pads.
19.1
0
Tye to Naveen-ul-Haq, no run, good length ball on middle, defended.

Naveed enters off strike with the wicket falling last ball of the over.

END OF OVER:
19 | 3 Runs 2 Wkts | SS: 115/9 (41 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 6.05, RRR: 41.00)

  • Naveen-ul-Haq1 (1b)
  • Jhye Richardson4-1-9-4
  • Matthew Kelly4-0-31-1
18.6
W
Richardson to Bird, OUT, bullseye! Full and straight on middle stump, Bird backs away for a big heave and misses. Middle stump is pegged back halfway up. Another 50 pointer.

JM Bird b Richardson 2 (8m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 40.00

18.5
1
Richardson to Naveen-ul-Haq, 1 run, missed runout! Low full toss on an attempted yorker sears in toward middle stump and is patted out to mid-on for one. Naveen took his time to get going and a throw to the non-striker's end misses or he'd have been gone.

The two Afghans have been kept to the end. Naveen enters first.

18.4
W
Richardson to Abbott, OUT, bullseye! Shuffles across his stumps premeditating a scoop over fine leg. Winds up swinging over the top of a shin high full toss. Can't really call this a yorker. It hits off stump 1/4 of the way up without pitching.

SA Abbott b Richardson 6 (13m 8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 75.00

18.3
1
Richardson to Bird, 1 run, length ball on middle, slapped to mid-on for one.
18.2
0
Richardson to Bird, no run, back of a length on fourth stump, Bird backs away to cut and misses.

Sixers chase sputtering out to a tame finish after they threatened to rally for a victory with a solid start to the Power Surge.

18.1
1
Richardson to Abbott, 1 run, full on leg stump, follows Abbott backing away as he drives inside out to the cover sweeper for one.

END OF OVER:
18 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | SS: 112/7 (44 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.22, RRR: 22.00)

  • Sean Abbott5 (6b)
  • Jackson Bird1 (2b)
  • Matthew Kelly4-0-31-1
  • Jhye Richardson3-1-6-2
17.6
1
Kelly to Abbott, 1 run, yorker on leg stump, Abbott backs away and jams this into the covers for one.
17.5
1
Kelly to Bird, 1 run, short on the stumps, pulled flat to deep midwicket for one.
17.4
0
Kelly to Bird, no run, short ball on middle and leg, goes to pull and is beaten for pace.
17.3
W
Kelly to Silk, OUT, stupendous from Agar! Length ball on middle, heaves this toward Agar at deep midwicket, he charges 20 yards to his left and comes in off the rope 10 yards as well on a diagonal route to the ball before sliding forward and reaching his hands in front of his body to pluck this inches from the turf at ankle height.

JC Silk c Agar b Kelly 41 (63m 32b 5x4 2x6) SR: 128.12

17.2
1
Kelly to Abbott, 1 run, short on sixth stump, pulled flat to deep midwicket for one.
17.1
0
Kelly to Abbott, no run, back of a length on middle, can't flick this away off the back foot.

END OF OVER:
17 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | SS: 109/6 (47 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 6.41, RRR: 15.66)

  • Jordan Silk41 (31b)
  • Sean Abbott3 (3b)
  • Jhye Richardson3-1-6-2
  • Matthew Kelly3-0-28-0
16.6
0
Richardson to Silk, no run, length ball a touch wider on fifth stump, another big swish misses.
16.5
0
Richardson to Silk, no run, length ball on fourth stump, goes to smash this through the off side but misses as the ball skids a touch low.
16.4
3
Richardson to Abbott, 3 runs, length ball on middle, backs away from leg stump to slap this through cover but it dribbles short of the rope for three.
16.3
0
Richardson to Abbott, no run, back of a length on fifth stump, Abbott plays well inside the line of the ball and is beaten.

Sixers 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st5KR PattersonJR Philippe
2nd4JM VinceJR Philippe
3rd0MC HenriquesJM Vince
4th19JM VinceJC Silk
5th3DT ChristianJC Silk
6th75JC SilkH Kerr
7th4SA AbbottJC Silk
8th4JM BirdSA Abbott
9th1JM BirdNaveen-ul-Haq
10th2Naveen-ul-HaqIzharulhaq Naveed

Big Bash League

TeamMWLPTNRR
PS14113221.205
SS14103210.846
MR147714-0.027
ST147714-0.716
BH146713-0.483
HH146812-0.34
AS145910-0.151
MS143116-0.287