Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe is viewed by his teammates as the Sixers’ best player of spin, as the side seeks to maximise his abilities with the bat
Sydney Sixers are weighing up keeping Josh Philippe at first drop this Big Bash season as they attempt to get him into the game more against their opponent’s spinners.
Philippe has batted at the top of the order in 83 of his 97 innings for the Sixers and is the most prolific men’s opening batter in the club’s history with 2,187 runs at a strike rate of 137.
But the 28-year-old finished last season at No.3, scoring 16 from 12 balls before he was run out in their Challenger final loss to crosstown rivals Sydney Thunder.
It was just the fifth time in his seven seasons at the Sixers that Philippe had arrived in the middle at the fall of the first wicket. The previous four occurrences came in BBL|13 when a combination of Steve Smith, James Vince, Daniel Hughes and Jack Edwards opened in their final four games, which included their loss to Brisbane Heat in the final.
Philippe’s average of 24.60 at No.3 for the Sixers is only marginally below his mark of 28.40 opening up, and captain Moises Henriques is considering leaving the wicketkeeper-batter at first drop in KFC BBL|15.
While English stalwart Vince is not part of their squad this summer and Smith won’t be available until after the Ashes, the Sixers snared the highest ever run-scorer in men’s T20 internationals with Pakistan superstar Babar Azam joining the club this season.
Babar, who recently overtook India’s Rohit Sharma to reach No.1, has scored 2,973 of his 4,429 T20I runs opening the batting.
The return of veteran batter Daniel Hughes after he missed all last season with an elbow injury gives the Sixers another option at the top of the order.
“We’ve got some competition (for top order spots) with Dan Hughes, Babar and Josh – it will depend on some fitness and what’s going on balance-wise,” Henriques said ahead of the Sixers’ season opener against the Scorchers in Perth on Sunday.
“I want ‘Flip’ (Philippe) to face a lot more spin this year because he’s probably our best player of spin.
“The last year or two with the Powerplay (fielding restrictions permitting only two fielders outside the circle at the start of the innings) coming down to four overs (from six overs), he may have not had the same impact opening the batting that he has in the past.
“So I’d like to keep him for when there’s five players out a little bit more often because he’s such a good player of spin.”
Philippe’s average and strike rate facing spin (35.77 and 151 respectively) in the Big Bash is indeed higher than when facing pace (24.56 and 130).
The right-hander also enters the new BBL campaign in fine form having broken back into Australia’s white-ball teams already this summer with ODI and T20 international appearances against India, while he also hit 123 not out for Australia A in September.
“I feel like my game is in a really good place and it was nice to be back around that Aussie set up for a little bit and getting some experience there,” Philippe said ahead of their clash with the Scorchers.
“I’m pumped for the BBL, it’s a great time of year and hopefully I can get plenty of runs.
“Babar’s awesome, I’m really excited to play with him and he’s here the whole time. He’s a world-class player so I’m looking forward to watching him go about his work … hopefully there will be some big crowds at the SCG coming to support him and us.”
