The Sydney Sixers have produced an excellent bowling performance to defend 142 against the Melbourne Stars at the MCG on Friday night. The victory inflicts the fourth straight loss on the top of the table Stars and sees the Sixers host the Big Bash final next Saturday evening.
After being sent in by the Glenn Maxwell, the Sixers were watchful in the opening couple of overs before young star Josh Philippe got the ball rolling for the visitors, taking to Daniel Worrall and Haris Rauf with multiple boundaries.
At 0/46 after the powerplay the openers were looking to build on the decent start but Adam Zampa came into the attack with immediate effect removing the dangerous James Vince.
Philippe didn’t last much longer either, skying one back to Haris Rauf as he fell for 34 from 28 balls.
The experienced Steve Smith and Moises Henriques came to the crease and after steadying the innings looked to ramp the run rate as Smith smashed Stoinis back over his head for six. Skipper Henriques then made an error in shot selection scooping a lap sweep straight to the man at short fine leg and when Adam Zampa found a bottom edge from Smith the Sixers were in a bit of trouble.
Stars keeper Seb Gotch showed his classes with the gloves with some lightning quick work to find both Daniel Hughes and Sean Abbott out of their crease. Zampa finished his 4 overs with 3/21 as the visitors were restricted to 7/142 from their 20 overs.
The Sixers were unable to find the boundary in the final eight overs and plenty were left wondering if the total would be enough.
Blink and you’ll miss it! 👀
Outstanding work from Seb Gotch behind the stumps #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/9ZoZ6bx8G3
— #7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 31, 2020
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Despite chasing down 140 totals on two occasions at the MCG this season, the Stars have shown in previous seasons that they aren’t very steady under the pressure of finals.
As the Sixers did, the Stars started watchfully but played some questionable shots as Marcus Stoinis and Nick Larkin both picked out fielders to hand the visitors their wicket.
Josh Hazlewood produced a beauty to knock over Peter Handscomb and when Nic Maddinson spooned one straight to gully off Nathan Lyon the Stars were in trouble early.
BOWLED! The Sixers strike again! Hazlewood too good for Handscomb and the Stars have lost three for 11
LIVE: https://t.co/jWy1ApRs41 #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/uQz6qFkotk
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 31, 2020
Seb Gotch dragged on a delivery from Steve O’Keefe the very next over and once Glenn Maxwell holed out in the deep it look unlikely the Stars would be able to recover at 6/55.
The home side crashed to be all out for 99 and will have to go back to the drawing board to bounce back against the winner of tomorrow nights ‘Knockout’ between the Adelaide Strikers and the Sydney Thunder.
Time to recycle this one? Whatta you think? #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/9NJJe1neBQ
— Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) January 31, 2020
