South Africa great likely to be fit for Sunday's final, but fill-in Henry Nicholls is ready for action
Kallis a chance for BBL decider
Sydney Thunder expect South African great Jacques Kallis to play in Sunday's KFC Big Bash League final.
Kallis has been sidelined by a groin injury and didn't play in the Thunder's eight-wicket semi-final win against Adelaide Strikers on Thursday night, replaced by New Zealand international Henry Nicholls.
But Thunder captain Mike Hussey says Kallis should be fit for Sunday's title decider, against the winner of Friday night's semi-final between Melbourne Stars and reigning champions Perth Scorchers.
"Hopefully," Hussey told reporters in Adelaide on Friday.
"He was actually pretty keen to play the semi-final, wasn't quite 100 per cent so we erred on the side of caution.
"But yeah, I'm pretty confident he will get himself right."
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Kallis looms as a straight swap for New Zealand batsman Henry Nicholls, who is returning to his homeland for regional duties with his club Canterbury.
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However, should Kallis not be deemed fit, Nicholls will be clocking up some more frequent flyer points.
"Henry Nicholls has got to go back to New Zealand ... that was part of the planning in giving Jacques this game off as well, to give him a few more days to get right for the final if we were good enough to get there," Hussey said
Nicholls, part of a match-winning partnership with Usman Khawaja on Thursday, said he was content with the uncertainty.
"I’ll just take it day by day with Jacques and see how he is and come back if I have too which would be good," Nicholls told Crocmedia.
"We are in the middle of our one-day competition in New Zealand at the moment and we’ve got a home semi-final on Saturday so I’ll fly back for that.
"Hopefully we get through and if required I’ll fly back Sunday for the final so it could be a busy weekend."
Despite only playing two games for the Thunder, Nicholls has been impressed by the culture within the group and the strong desire to drag the club away from their abysmal record in the first four years of the competition.
"They had really targeted changing that perception this year and it was great for them to come out of the blocks so well with early wins," he said.
"We had to win the Sydney derby and we carried that into here so momentum is certainly with us and hopefully that helps us with whoever we play Sunday."
The Thunder camp will remain in Adelaide on Friday before knowing where the final will be played - either in Melbourne or Perth, depending on which franchise wins Friday night's semi-final.