Perth Scorchers quicks Jhye Richardson and Jason Behrendorff have struck early form to guide the reigning champions to a season-opening 38-run win over the Sydney Sixers
Match Report:
ScorecardDéjà vu as Perth start season how they finished the last
Perth Scorchers have launched their KFC BBL title defence in style, keeping the Sydney Sixers winless with a 38-run victory in the clash of last season's finalists.
Potent new-ball pairing Jhye Richardson (4-9) and Jason Behrendorff (2-22) returned in hot form at Optus Stadium on Saturday night as the defending champions bowled out the Sixers for 117 in response to their 9-155.
Richardson's miserly death bowling snuffed out any chance of a Sixers comeback, while Behrendorff had the visitors reeling at 3-9 after dismissing Josh Philippe then having Moises Henriques caught behind for a golden duck.
The hat-trick didn't eventuate but it set the tone for a miserable start for the Sixers, who soon also lost James Vince and Dan Christian in single figures.
Jordan Silk (41 off 32 balls) and Hayden Kerr (42 off 35) steadied the ship and managed to bat deep into the innings.
Ashton Agar with an AWESOME sliding grab! #BBL12 pic.twitter.com/LBp8C6tqhj
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 17, 2022
But Richardson's return to the attack accounted for Kerr before Silk was brilliantly caught in the deep by a diving Ashton Agar off the bowling of Matthew Kelly.
Silk should have been caught on four when he top-edged a Behrendorff delivery but Richardson badly mistimed his run from the deep fine-leg boundary and it sailed over his head.
Wily veteran Andrew Tye (2-26) and Agar (1-27) also returned in form, both striking in their first overs.
It leaves the Sixers winless after their first two games following Wednesday's 51-run loss to the Adelaide Strikers.
The Scorchers had earlier been in trouble at 5-49 off seven overs before Agar (24) and young gun Aaron Hardie (55 off 32) combined to repair the damage.
Hardie paced himself before releasing the pressure valve with three sixes during the Power Surge to bring up his half-century.
Perth's first glimpse of high-profile import Faf du Plessis proved short-lived after the Scorchers won the toss and elected to bat.
The former South Africa captain crunched his first ball faced past mid-off for four but chopped on to debutant Afghanistan seamer Naveen-ul-Haq Murid on 14.
With Sean Abbott conceding 28 runs in the second over of the Power Surge, evergreen seamer Jackson Bird was the pick of the Sixers' bowlers.
The 36-year-old dismissed Scorchers skipper Ashton Turner and maintained impeccable lengths to finish with 3-26 and 13 dot balls.
Afghanistan leg-spinner Izharulhaq Naveed snared 2-22, including the wicket of Hardie.