Sydney Sixers have been dealt a huge blow with Josh Philippe ruled out of their home BBL Challenger against Adelaide Strikers on Wednesday night after returning a positive Covid test and they are set to have an assistant coach behind the stumps.
Philippe returned the positive test on Wednesday morning and has been forced into isolation for seven days, meaning he has been ruled out of the Challenger and will be unavailable for Friday night's final against Perth Scorchers in Melbourne if the Sixers progress.
Philippe becomes the third Sixers player to test positive in the last week after Jack Edwards and Mickey Edwards both tested positive on the eve of the Qualifier against Scorchers in Melbourne.
Former Sydney Thunder wicketkeeper Jay Lenton, who has been part of Sixers' coaching staff, has been called into the squad as a local replacement player. Lenton had to be formally added to the BBL's local replacement player pool on Wednesday before he could be added to the Sixers squad as there were no available wicketkeepers in the original pool of players.
Sixers were still not able to call in Steven Smith despite being available and keen to play after the BBL ruled him ineligible having not been originally contracted by the Sixers and not been placed on the local replacement list which would have made him available to all clubs.
Daniel Hughes has been named in Sixers' 14-man squad but will need to pass a fitness test to play after he missed the Qualifier against Scorchers when he twisted his ankle standing on the boundary rope while taking outfield catches in the warm-up.