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Game on! Rain clears for Big Bash League Final

Tournament decider reduced to 12 overs per side as Sydney's wet weather clears at the SCG

Despite record downpours and flood warnings across Sydney, the KFC BBL final is remarkably set to go ahead as a 12-over-a-side game between Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars at the SCG.

Stars captain Glenn Maxwell won the bat flip and elected to bowl after the covers that had sat on the pitch for most of Saturday came off at about 7.10pm local time when torrential rain finally relented.

SCORECARD: Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Stars, BBL Final

The visitors have dropped left-arm wrist spinner Clinton Hinchliffe for specialist batter Ben Dunk, while the Sixers have named an unchanged XI from the one that defeated the Stars at the MCG last week.

The Power Play will only last for three overs, while two bowlers will be permitted to bowl three overs each and three will be permitted to bowl two overs each.

Teams arrived to the ground with semi-regular squalls continuing to dump water on the SCG outfield, but the rain has held off long off for curators to get the surface ready.

Sixers scythe through Stars to fly into BBL final

"The groundstaff have done a magnificent job getting the ground up," said Maxwell at the toss.

Each side must have at face at least five overs for a full game to be constituted.

As hosts of the final, the Sixers will be awarded the trophy by default if a result is not achieved.

The Stars finished first on the regular season standings but squandered top billing to second-placed Sydney after being bowled out for the lowest score in club history (99) in last week's Qualifier final.

Stars one win away from their first ever BBL title

Under the revised BBL finals system, they received a second chance and won through to the decider after beating the Sydney Thunder on Thursday night at the MCG.

The Sixers are aiming for their second BBL title and their first since the inaugural season of the competition in 2011-12 when the Steve Smith-captained side defeated the Perth Scorchers by seven wickets.

The Stars are searching for a maiden title having made the finals every season bar one and finishing runners-up twice.

Sixers XI: Josh Philippe (wk), Daniel Hughes, Steven Smith, James Vince, Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Steve O'Keefe

Stars XI: Marcus Stoinis, Seb Gotch (wk), Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell (c), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Dunk, Adam Zampa, Daniel Worrall, Haris Rauf


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