BBL 2020-21 finals qualifier: Sydney Sixers beat Perth Scorchers – as it happened | Sport

17 overs: Sydney Sixers 168-1 chasing 168 (Vince 98, Hughes 21)

Oh yes for the Sixers but oh no for Vince as first ball Tye concedes a leg-side wide to hand the Sixers victory but keep Vince stranded on 98. Vince glares down the pitch, Tye apologises, but all the same that is a huge win for the Sixers, who are through to a home final.

17th over: Sydney Sixers 167-1 chasing 168 (Vince 98, Hughes 21) Richardson returns. The Sixers call for the Power Surge and Vince does the rest, driving down the ground to move to 97 before moving to 98 with a single. Hmmm. That leaves Hughes with potentially four balls to face. First ball he hooks for four, leaving the Sixers with just one run to win. Hughes keeps out a yorker, then blocks another and then lets one through to the keeper to see out the over!

16th over: Sydney Sixers 158-1 chasing 168 (Vince 93, Hughes 17) Livinstone returns to the attack. About the only imponderable now is whether Vince can get his hundred. Hughes is doing what he can to ensure he does, taking singles whenever he is on strike. But Vince can’t do any better himself as five singles precede two for Hughes through deep extra-cover. Good batting. The end is nigh.

15th over: Sydney Sixers 151-1 chasing 168 (Vince 90, Hughes 13) Four more for Vince – his 12th of the innings – and it’s another beautifully timed shot, this time driven down the ground. Now make that 13 boundaries as Livingstone bungles a save in the deep his really should have made. Livingstone then gets it right to keep Vince’s cover drive to two. This has been an almighty knock by the Englishman.

14th over: Sydney Sixers 139-1 chasing 168 (Vince 79, Hughes 12) Vince’s timing and placing has been 10/10 tonight and this time he beats cover and splits the two fielders in the deep for four more. This is now Vince’s highest BBL score and what a time to do it. Ones and dots follow but that’s just fine for the Sixers. They can take the foot off the pedal.

13th over: Sydney Sixers 132-1 chasing 168 (Vince 74, Hughes 10) Richardson returns. Hughes gets nowhere near his attempted pull as the ball flies off the top edge and straight onto his helmet, ricocheting over the keeper’s head for three more. The better the Sixers bat, the luckier they get. Some casually hit, and casually run, singles follow before Richardson gifts the Sixers a free run with a short wide down leg. This is all a bit too easy for the Sixers.

12th over: Sydney Sixers 124-1 chasing 168 (Vince 72, Hughes 5) Behrendorff on but it could be anyone to Vince, who is seeing them like beach balls now and steers the ball with exquisite placement to the third-man fence. Vince ends the over as he started it, this time flicking one off his tows to find the fine-leg rope. Twelve from the over. Scorchers are seemingly without answer to this onslaught.

11th over: Sydney Sixers 112-1 chasing 168 (Vince 61, Hughes 4) Tye returns to the attack with the Scorchers in desperate need of another breakthrough. Normal service is soon resumed, however, as Vince helps himself to a brutish boundary pulled through midwicket. The Sixers can more ort less get there in singles now if they choose.

10th over: Sydney Sixers 104-1 chasing 168 (Vince 54, Hughes 3) Turner on now as the Scorchers decide pace off the ball is the way to go. The part-timer raps Hughes on the front pad and appeals, but it looks to be sliding down leg. Vince then registers his very hasty fifty, going high over mid-on for six and just evading the extended hands of Hardie on the rope. Time for drinks.

9th over: Sydney Sixers 93-1 chasing 168 (Vince 38, Hughes 1)

Now it’s Livingstone and Vince presumes, correctly, that it’s still open season on the Scorchers attack, helping himself to four more driven through extra cover. Twos and ones follow as the batsmen explore all areas of Manuka before finally … FINALLY! … the Scorchers strike, Fawad taking a neat catch diving forward at leg gully to get rid of Philippe. My, did the Scorchers need that.

8th over: Sydney Sixers 84-0 chasing 168 (Philippe 44, Vince 38) Fawad continues. Back in his crease, Philippe waits on a shortish one and cuts through the covers for a well-placed boundary. If that was finesse the next shot was brute strength as the Sixers opener uses his feet and carts the spinner over deep extra cover for a massive six. These runs are flowing ridiculously fast, and a little too easily, for the Sixers.

7th over: Sydney Sixers 71-0 chasing 168 (Philippe 32, Vince 37) Hardie on now. Dropped catch! Vince dances down the pitch but doesn’t get a great deal of the shot as Tye runs back from mid-off and spills the tough, but very catchable, chance. Vince then rubs salt into the wound with three successive boundaries, the latter of which zooms just past the keeper of a thick outside edge. The Sixers race to 71 without loss. The platform is very much laid.

6th over: Sydney Sixers 56-0 chasing 168 (Philippe 31, Vince 23) Fawad on now as the Scorchers opt for spin. It’s a searching first over from the leggie, who keeps the batsmen back in the crease and is caressed around the ground for ones and twos. The Scorchers need a breakthrough here.

5th over: Sydney Sixers 49-0 chasing 168 (Philippe 25, Vince 22) Richardson returns but if he’s refreshed after that costly over it doesn’t show as Vince pulls his first offering over midwicket for four. But Richardson recovers to find his proper line and length, conceding just two runs from the over’s remaining five deliveries.

4th over: Sydney Sixers 43-0 chasing 168 (Philippe 25, Vince 16) Behrendorff again. Another straight drive, this time off Vince’s blade, earns three more down the ground before Philippe collects one more with a sweetly struck pull. The opener is then guilty of his first false shot, popping one up but safely out of reach, before making it 10 from the over with a boundary backward of point.

3rd over: Sydney Sixers 33-0 chasing 168 (Philippe 19, Vince 12) Tye on for Richardson. Philippe misreads the pace of the ball and is through his shot by the time the ball slams into his midriff. He winces in pain but recovers in time to whip Tye through midwicket for three, a shot that would’ve been for if not for Munro’s athletic save on the rope. Philippe then stands and delivers, driving Tye hard on the crease for four down the ground. Such clean hitting. Good start by the Sixers.

2nd over: Sydney Sixers 23-0 chasing 168 (Philippe 14, Vince 9) Behrendorff from the other end. His first offering is decent enough but Vince soft-hands a cute edge past the keeper to get off the mark with a boundary. Another boundary follows two deliveries later but it could easily have been a catch had Richardson picked up the flight of the ball earlier at leg gully. It did go to him very fast, mind.

1st over: Sydney Sixers 13-0 chasing 168 (Philippe 13, Vince 0) Richardson opens for the Scorchers and if anyone needed reminding of his smarts with the new ball, first ball he beats the outside edge of Philippe with one that nips away from the right-hander. But Philippe responds as very few others can, driving over mid-on for four before picking up the length very early and flicking his wrists to collect six more over deep square. Nice finish from Richardson to beat Vince’s bat but that’s still 13 from the over.

The Scorchers really tucked in late, scoring 69 runs off the final five overs to post a total that looks more than competitive. The Sixers bowled well for the most part but lost their way in the rush home as Inglis (69 off 41 balls) and Ashton Turner (33 off 22) undid the early good work of the Sixers attack. It’s a good total, but the Sixers are a (very) good batting side. Game very much on.

20th over: Perth Scorchers 167-6 (Inglis 69, Hardie 8) Henriques could have gone to Abbott but he goes to Bird. Hardie likes what he sees, hoicking the paceman high over square- leg to get off the mark with a six. Inglis then gets every bit of a slower one from Bird, leaning forward swatting over midwicket for another six. Big runs late for the Scorchers and that’s 16 runs from the final over.

19th over: Perth Scorchers 151-6 (Inglis 61, Hardie 0)

Richardson comes and goes in an instant, picking out Christian at long-on for a first ball duck. Inglis then completes the penultimate over with a big six.

Turner gives himself acres of space, stepping well inside the line, but Dwarshuis overcorrects and bowls a wide down leg. Silk then shows why he is the most aptly names cricket going around, showing balance, poise and crispy clean hand skills on the rope to send Turner packing. What marvellous skills. Silky.

18th over: Perth Scorchers 143-4 (Inglis 54, Turner 33)

Turner takes Brathwaite for three before Inglis plays an audacious reverse scoop and earns three over the keeper’s head to register his well-deserved fifty. A single and a two follow before the batsmen scurry through for two down to fine-leg and a desperate dive from Inglis sees him just survive as Philippe breaks the stumps.

17th over: Perth Scorchers 131-4 (Inglis 47, Turner 28) Dwarshuis returns. Four runs flow from the first delivery but it is a bizarre shot from Inglis, who premeditates a scoop but times it poorly as the ball ricochets off the back of the bat and beats the keeper. Dwarshuis then loses his radar – bowling two off-side wides in three deliveries – before Turner cuts smartly but is kept to two runs by some sharp fielding on the rope by Abbott. A couple of singles completes the over from Dwarshuis, whose three wicketless overs have gone for 32 runs. Good surge from the Scorchers.

16th over: Perth Scorchers 121-4 (Inglis 42, Turner 25) Power Surge taken, Abbott returns. His first offering is too short by some way and Turner doesn’t need asking twice with the field up, swatting over point for six. Next ball goes for four and the ball after that goes for six over deep point. Great batting, and equally good fielding by the bloke on the outer who takes a catch with his right hand while his left holds his beer. Doesn’t spill a drop. Later in the over Inglis hops into another short one from Abbott, cutting high over gully for four.

The Sixers then surely have their man as Inglis skies one high into the sky, but Philippe perhaps loses it in the lights in a costly dropped catch. Twenty-three runs from the over.

15th over: Perth Scorchers 98-4 (Inglis 36, Turner 9) O’Keefe to conclude his spell. The left-arm spinner races through his over and the batsmen can’t get settled as the over goes for a two and five singles. Excellent return from O’Keefe, 1-20.

14th over: Perth Scorchers 91-4 (Inglis 32, Turner 6) Brathwaite on for his third over. Turner collects a couple of twos either side of the wicket. Chatter continues after that controversial Marsh dismissal. No sign of the surge.

13th over: Perth Scorchers 86-4 (Inglis 32, Turner 1)

Big wicket. It’s a crude delivery from O’Keefe, wide down the leg side, but Marsh chases it and feathers an edge into the gloves of Philippe, who takes a very smart catch. Marsh glares down the pitch at the umpire and is not happy. Hmmm. Looks like he might have actually missed it. But the umpire’s finger is up and that is out. Sixers on top.

12th over: Perth Scorchers 83-3 (Inglis 31, Marsh 0)

Bird back for his third over. A single and two dot balls puts the Scorchers into a mini-rut and the pressure, or perceived pressure, shows as Munro goes aerial but doesn’t get all of it and picks out Silk at deep mid-wicket. Timely breakthrough for the Sixers.

11th over: Perth Scorchers 80-2 (Munro 30, Inglis 29) Brathwaite returns after the drinks break. Inglis picks up two runs behind square and it’s a good over after that – just two singles from four deliveries – before Brathwaite errs wide down leg and concedes a no-ball. Six from the over.

10th over: Perth Scorchers 74-2 (Munro 29, Inglis 26) Abbott again. Inglis glances fine fore one before Munro flashes hard, feet planted, and is lucky to just evade the outstretched fingers of Dwarshius at short third-man. For good measure, the ball runs away for four. Inglis then pulls for a quick two and it’s time for drinks. These two now going along nicely for the Scorchers.

9th over: Perth Scorchers 65-2 (Munro 24, Inglis 22) Christian on for his roll of the arm for the evening. Inglis pulls through midwicket for two before pouncing on a slower ball and driving for four. He’s looking dangerous, Inglis.

8th over: Perth Scorchers 56-2 (Munro 23, Inglis 14) Bird is back for more. Inglis greets him back by hitting a boundary with a scoot that he couldn’t have telegraphed earlier if he tried. Bird actually put it in the right spot, offering a half-volley, and Inglis did the rest. Later in trhe over, Inglis relaxes his hands to one outside off and sends a very deliberate edge to the fence. Clever, classy batting. Bird has the last word, however, fairly well cutting Munro in half with a leg-cutter that beats the lot.

7th over: Perth Scorchers 45-2 (Munro 23, Inglis 3) O’Keefe continues. It’s more of the same from the probing left-armer, who keeps both batsmen between two minds and concedes just three singles in the over.

6th over: Perth Scorchers 41-2 (Munro 21, Inglis 1)

Brathwaite on now. Deep gully in place to Livingstone, who square cuts to that very fielder – on the bounce – before driving again … and perishing as he picks out Henriques at short extra-cover. The bowler celebrates with a jig, a shimmy and a shake. The Scorchers are getting a move-on but the Sixers are on top.

4th over: Perth Scorchers 30-1 (Livingstone 10, Munro 16) Six! Awesome timing from Livingstone, who uses his feet and clubs Dwarshuis back over the bowler’s head. Munro then gets in on the act, pulling for six before inside-edging an attempted drive that beats Philippe and runs away for four. Good comeback in the power play by the batting side.

3rd over: Perth Scorchers 11-1 (Livingstone 2, Munro 5)

Abbott on and he strikes second ball. It’s just an average delivery but it’s a nothing sort of shot from Roy, who chip-drives the ball back to the bowler. Nice trouser from Abbott but a soft dismissal. Maybe the deck is a bit slower than first thought?

Munro makes an immediate impact, clearing mid-off for the first boundary of the match.

2nd over: Perth Scorchers 4-0 (Roy 3, Livingstone 1) Bird from the other end. Over the wicket. One gets a bit big on Livingstone, who hangs his bat in wait and collects a single to short mid-on before Bird is a bit fuller and beats Roy with swing away from the right-hander. Try as they might – and they’re trying: Roy dead-set cross-bats a mishit slog back to the bowler – the Scorchers openers can’t get a handle on this new-ball pair. Nice start from the Sixers.

1^st over: Perth Scorchers 1-0 (Roy 1, Livingstone 0) Dwarshuis with the new white ball. Movement inwards to Roy straight from the off. Dot ball to begin with. Second ball, Roy charges down the pitch and misses his cross-bat slog as the ball flies over middle stump. A Roy single nurdled to midwicket gets the scoring under way before Livingstone straight out misses with his forward defensive prod. Good over from Dwarshuis, excellent length.

ICYMI last night. Seriously, how good is this catch taken by Ben Laughlin in last night’s eliminator. It’s right on so many levels. Gets better every time you look at it.

It’s quite incredible how Dan Christian keeps on keeping on at such a high level. Age shall not weary the Sixers all-rounder, who wouldn’t look out of place back in an Australia limited-overs side.

For sure, I’d still love to be playing in that Australian side,” Christian said this week. “If the opportunity arises, great. But one of the things I’ve focused on is just win games and competitions.”

And he’s done plenty of that. But precisely how many Big Bash titles has he won?

Sydney Sixers: Josh Philippe (w), James Vince, Daniel Hughes, Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Dan Christian, Carlos Brathwaite, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Steve O’Keefe, Jackson Bird
X-Factor subs: Lloyd Pope, Hayden Kerr

Perth Scorchers: Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone, Colin Munro, Josh Inglis (w), Mitch Marsh, Ashton Turner (c), Aaron Hardie, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, Fawad Ahmed
X-Factor subs: Joel Paris, Cameron Bancroft

Both teams are unchanged.