The top two face off for a spot in the KFC BBL|13 Final with the Heat hosting the Sixers in a sold-out Qualifier on the Gold Coast
All you need to know: Brisbane Heat v Sydney Sixers
Match facts
Who: Brisbane Heat v Sydney Sixers
What: The Qualifier, BBL|13
Where: Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast
When: Friday, January 19. Bat flip at 5.55pm local (6.55pm AEDT), first ball at 6.40pm local (7.40pm AEDT)
How to watch: Channel Seven, Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports
Live scores: Match Centre
Highlights, news and reactions after the match: cricket.com.au, the CA Live and Big Bash apps
Officials: Mike Graham-Smith (field), Sam Nogajski (field), Bruce Oxenford (third), Simon Lightbody (fourth), Kepler Wessels (match referee)
Match squads
Heat: Nathan McSweeney (c), Xavier Bartlett, Josh Brown, Max Bryant, Jordan Buckingham, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mitch Swepson, Paul Walter (England), Charlie Wakim, Jack Wood
Sixers: Moises Henriques (c), Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Todd Murphy, Stephen O’Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, Jordan Silk
Form guide
Heat: LWWWD (most recent first)
Was it the loss they needed to have? Heat coach Wade Seccombe doesn't believe so, but he says his side will take a "few learnings" from their trip to Perth last Saturday and despite dropping their last game of the home-and-away season to the Scorchers, Brisbane enter the BBL|13 finals as the team to beat. "The drawings from that loss are huge that we're going to implement this week going into the conditions on the Gold Coast and then hopefully we don't see that happen again," Seccombe said.
But after seven wins on the bounce to start the season, the Heat's depth will be tested if they're to claim the club's second Big Bash title. With overseas stars Colin Munro and Sam Billings unavailable for the finals due to UAE T20 league commitments, the Heat brought in local stalwarts Jimmy Peirson and Max Bryant for the match against the Scorchers with the pair getting some valuable time in the middle as their side's two top scorers in the 35-run loss. They'll also keep Matthew Renshaw for the clash who has been released from the Australia Test squad to play in the Qualifier.
Sixers: WWWLD
The in-form Sixers enter the finals on the back of three huge wins to secure second spot and a double chance, none bigger than their thrilling final-ball victory over the Scorchers in Perth on Tuesday night that ensured they avoid another trip west if they're to take out the BBL|13 title.
They've lost James Vince to the Gulf Giants in the UAE and Tom Curran to injury, but all the Sixers experienced guns are firing at the pointy end of the season with skipper Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Josh Philippe and Jordan Silk in the runs, and Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis and Steve O'Keefe all claiming multiple-wicket hauls leading into the playoffs.
KFC BBL|13 standings
| Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | NRR | Ded. | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
HEA
|
10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.972 | 0 | 16 |
|
2
SIX
|
10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.339 | 0 | 14 |
|
3
SCO
|
10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0.725 | 0 | 13 |
|
4
STR
|
10 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0.331 | 0 | 11 |
|
5
HUR
|
10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -0.268 | 0 | 8 |
|
6
STA
|
10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -1.051 | 0 | 8 |
|
7
REN
|
10 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | -0.288 | 0 | 6 |
|
8
THU
|
10 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | -0.652 | 0 | 4 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
Players to watch
The Heat will be looking for Josh Brown to step up in the absence of regular opener Colin Munro and captain Usman Khawaja. Brown's average of 26.33 in BBL|13 is up on his output from last season (18.42) but he is striking at 23 runs fewer per 100 balls in his second Big Bash campaign (125.39 in BBL|13 compared to 148.27 in BBL|12). With Munro and Billings both striking at 140 this season but unavailable for finals, the Heat will be hoping Brown can recapture his form from last season's finals to get them off to a fast start against the Sixers.
Xavier Bartlett has been massive for the Heat this season, finishing the home-and-away campaign as the joint leading wicket-taker with 16 alongside Jamie Overton. His versatility to bowl with the new ball, in the Power Surge and at the death has been a huge factor in the Heat winning seven games in a row to seal top spot.
After a lean campaign by his lofty standards, Josh Philippe has come to life since moving to No.3 in the Sixers' past two games, hitting 79 runs striking at 136. The Sixers will be tempted to leave him at first-drop too despite the departure of James Vince with Philippe's strike-rate higher (136.2) and dot ball percentage (31 per cent) significantly lower in his past two knocks that his first seven games this season (130.4 strike-rate and 44.3 dot ball percentage), which yielded 150 runs at 21.43.
It'd be the fairytale finish for Sixers legend Steve O'Keefe if he was to bow out after winning his fourth Big Bash title, and with the best economy rate for his side this season (6.08), along with six wickets from his seven games, he's certainly doing his part to make it happen. Often the barometer of the Sixers, who are up and about when O'Keefe is firing, the wily left-armer enters the finals following an outstanding performance in the Sydney Smash where he claimed the huge wickets of David Warner, Cameron Bancroft and Alex Hales in his 3-13 from four overs.
Head-to-head
Overall: Heat (6 wins), Sixers (13 wins), no result (2)
At Carrara Stadium: Heat (0 wins), Sixers (2 wins)
Most runs: Daniel Hughes (356), Chris Lynn (322), Moises Henriques (293), Jimmy Peirson (260), Josh Philippe (255)
Most wickets: Sean Abbott (28), Ben Dwarshuis (16), Mark Steketee (12), Steve O'Keefe (12), Josh Lalor (10)
The venue
Rapid stats
- Brisbane Heat have won their past three completed matches against the Sydney Sixers (two washouts), which is as many wins as they achieved across the two sides first 16 meetings in the competition. The Sixers last beat the Heat exactly two years ago in BBL|11 when Daniel Hughes hit 59 and Hayden Kerr took three wickets to seal a 27-run win at the Gabba on January 19, 2022.
- Sydney Sixers have now qualified for the past six BBL finals series, winning the competition twice in that span (BBL|09 and BBL|10). The Sixers have reached the knockout phase in 10 of the tournament's 13 editions, with only five-time champions the Perth Scorchers (11) qualifying more times.
- Veteran Sydney Sixers tweaker Steve O'Keefe (97 wickets) is three away from claiming 100 BBL wickets. O'Keefe, who announced last week he was calling time on his decorated 19-year professional career at the end of BBL|13, claimed a sensational 3-13 in his last outing and has five wickets at 15.2 in his last three matches against the Heat.
- Max Bryant (Brisbane Heat) has the third highest strike-rate (183.33) of batters to have faced more than 20 deliveries this season having hit four of his 24 balls faced in BBL|13 to the rope and another two over it. However, his career strike-rate against the Sixers (123.2) is the third slowest of his seven Big Bash opponents.
What's on the line?
A spot in the BBL|13 Final! The winner of this clash will secure direct passage through the decider, which they'll also host on Wednesday, January 24. However, the loser will get another crack at reaching the big dance on Monday when they host the winner of the Knockout between the Scorchers and Strikers.
KFC BBL|13 Finals Schedule
The Qualifier: Brisbane Heat v Sydney Sixers. January 19, 7.40pm AEDT, Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast
The Knockout: Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers. January 20, 7.40pm AEDT, Optus Stadium
The Challenger: Loser of the Qualifier v winner of the Knockout. January 22, time, venue TBC
The Final: Winner of the Qualifier v winner of the Challenger. January 24, time, venue TBC