Familiar foes to write new chapter in BBL decider

For the fifth time in 11 summers, the Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers will meet in the final of a KFC BBL season.

Both clubs are seeking their fourth championship – the Sixers are chasing an historic three-peat – but the ledger sits at two wins apiece from their meetings in the BBL decider.

In anticipation for Friday night's blockbuster at Marvel Stadium, let's take a look back at the history of finals between the Scorchers and Sixers.

BBL|01: Sixers won by seven wickets

Scorchers 5-156 (Mitch Marsh 77*, Paul Collingwood 32, Brett Lee 2-21) lost to Sixers 3-158 (Moises Henriques 70, Steve O'Keefe 48, Ben Edmondson 2-30)

It was the Sydney Sixers who claimed the inaugural BBL title, with a young Steve Smith captaining his side to victory and hitting the winning runs with seven balls to spare.

A 20-year-old Mitch Marsh stuck five boundaries and four sixes in the first innings on his way to 77 not out, while Sixers spearhead Brett Lee took two first-over wickets and a raw Mitchell Starc two crucial late ones to restrict the Scorchers to 156.

Moises Henriques and now veteran left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe opened the batting for the Sixers in reply, with their 110-run opening stand largely putting the game to bed, before Smith steered his side home with 22 not out.

BBL|04: Scorchers won by four wickets

Sixers 5-147 (Moises Henriques 77, Ryan Carters 35*) lost to Scorchers 6-148 (Shaun Marsh 73, Michael Klinger 33, Brett Lee 3-25)

In what is perhaps the most memorable game in BBL history, it was the Scorchers who prevailed in a final-ball thriller.

Brett Lee's final over, the last of his career, lives long in the memory of Australian cricket fans, with the legendary fast bowler falling agonisingly short of the perfect send-off.

Requiring eight to win off the final over, the Scorchers were all but assured victory after Englishman Michael Carberry ramped the first delivery to the fine leg boundary for four, and then scampered back for two on the next, leaving just two runs needed.

A single followed to level scores with three balls remaining, only for Lee to crash into the stumps of Nathan Coulter-Nile and Sam Whiteman in the next two balls.

Lee's well-executed yorker on the last ball could only be squeezed out to short mid-wicket by Yasir Arafat, with the Pakistan fast bowler well short of his ground, but Moises Henriques fumbled the run out chance for a Perth win.

It was a harsh ending for Henriques who had earlier made sure the Sixers posted a competitive total, with his brilliant 77 coming off just 57 balls.

But it wasn't to be for the Sixers, as Shaun Marsh's player-of-the-match performance with 73 in the run chase ultimately securing a second consecutive title for the Scorchers.

BBL|06: Scorchers won by nine wickets

Sixers 9-141 (Brad Haddin 38, Jhye Richardson 3-30, Tim Bresnan 3-40) lost to Scorchers 1-144 (Michael Klinger 71*, Sam Whiteman 41)

The Scorchers were utterly dominant in the final of the sixth edition of the BBL, restricting the Sixers to a below-par 141, before veteran Michael Klinger and Sam Whiteman comfortably chased down the target.

Mitchell Johnson was unplayable in the Sixers' innings, going for just 13 runs off his four runs, while Jhye Richardson announced himself on the domestic stage with his three wickets.

Klinger and England legend Ian Bell were at the crease when the Scorchers claimed victory, still with 25 balls remaining, as Perth made it three titles in six seasons and three out of the past four at that stage.

BBL|10: Sixers won by 27 runs

Sixers 6-188 (James Vince 95, Andrew Tye 2-29) defeated Scorchers 9-161 (Liam Livingstone 45, Cameron Bancroft 30, Ben Dwarshuis 3-37)

It was all the Sixers in last year's final, with James Vince making a blistering 95 and taking a stunning catch at cover to remove Mitch Marsh, to set-up victory for his side.

Dan Christian was the only other Sixers batter to reach the 20s, however it was small contributions from all batters alongside Vince's innings that helped them reach 188, an imposing total in a final compared to scores historically posted in the deciding game of the season.

The Scorchers were well in the chase with Cameron Bancroft and Liam Livingstone at the crease, however after the two openers departed wickets fell at regular intervals as the Sixers claimed a second consecutive title.