Josh Philippe’s huge batting partnership with marquee international signing Babar Azam inspired the Sixers to victory in the Sydney Smash
Marquee man Babar Azam has hit form as Josh Philippe came agonisingly close to a first BBL century in the Sydney Sixers’ 47-run defeat of rivals the Sydney Thunder.
The perennial heavyweights had been staring down the possibility of a 0-3 start to the summer before Philippe (96) and Azam’s 140-run stand kickstarted their season on Saturday night.
Set 199 runs for victory, the Thunder were left to rue a collapse of 3-17 inside the powerplay that included losing superstars Sam Konstas (2) and David Warner (2) in the same Jack Edwards over.
Edwards finished with career-best figures of 5-26 as the Sixers (5-198) skittled the Thunder, who had won the toss, for 151 with five balls remaining.
The defeat leaves last season’s runners-up winless through two games, despite some stiff resistance from No.5 Sam Billings (51 runs off 28 balls).
Azam failed to crack double digits in either of his first two knocks after arriving at the Sixers as one of the highest-profile signings in BBL history.
But the Pakistani opener (58 of 42 balls) looked comfortable on an ENGIE Stadium deck more batter-friendly than that of previous summers.
Azam, who has scored the most T20I half-centuries of any player, passed 50 for the first time in the BBL with a single off Nathan McAndrew (2-41) in the power surge.
He eventually gloved English paceman Reece Topley (3-41) to wicketkeeper Billings, ending the fourth-highest partnership in Sixers history on review by the Thunder.
An umpire review cruelly denied Sixers wicketkeeper-batter Philippe the chance to kick on to a first T20 century in his 104th BBL game, with Daniel Sams’ catch judged to be clean and not kissing the turf.
Batting at No.3 this summer, former opener Philippe clubbed four sixes on his way into the nineties to continue a great start to the tournament. But just as Philippe looked ready to become the third male Sixers player to notch a ton, he sent McAndrew to Sams at backward point.
Sams had endured a sloppy night on the boundary rope at the ground’s southern edge and replays cast doubt as to whether his hands were under the ball.
But the third umpire ruled a fair catch and Philippe missed out, also left to rue a feat of fielding brilliance from Konstas in the ninth over. The former Test opener flew high to hit the ball back into play and reduce what would’ve been a six to two runs; Philippe ended up four shy of 100.
But Philippe was busy again during the Thunder’s stay at the crease, stumping Matthew Gilkes (12) off Todd Murphy (1-15) in the first over.
The hosts were in deep trouble when Konstas and Warner both picked out fielders in the space of three Edwards deliveries.
Shadab Khan (41) skied Edwards to reliable Jordan Silk at deep midwicket to hand Edwards his first T20 five-wicket haul and put the Sixers within reach of victory.
KFC BBL|15 standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Total points
PTS
1
STA
1
1
0
0
0
2.037
0
2
2
REN
1
1
0
0
0
0.7
0
2
3
SIX
3
1
2
0
0
0.569
0
2
4
SCO
2
1
1
0
0
0.365
0
2
5
STR
1
1
0
0
0
0.326
0
2
6
HEA
2
1
1
0
0
-0.277
0
2
7
HUR
2
1
1
0
0
-0.906
0
2
8
THU
2
0
2
0
0
-1.24
0
0
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
