Brown to unleash at SCG as Heat bat first in BBL|13 Final

Big Bash sensation Josh Brown will get first crack at repeating his epic batting feats in tonight's KFC BBL|13 Final with the Sydney Sixers winning the toss and asking the Brisbane Heat to bat first at a sold-out SCG.

Brown has recovered from a hip complaint that prevented him from fielding after his stunning 140 off 57 balls that included a record 12 sixes on Monday night to take his place in the Heat XI, and he'll be joined at the top by Jimmy Peirson with Australia-capped leg-spinner Mitch Swepson recalled for the decider.

Swepson – who has eight wickets and an economy rate of 7.07 in nine games this season – replaces Tasmanian batter Charlie Wakim who made seven in his debut for the Heat in their 54-run win over the Adelaide Strikers on Monday.

The Sixers have named the same side the defeated Brisbane by 39 runs on the Gold Coast last Friday to secure a home final, with captain Moises Henriques to play despite testing positive to Covid on Monday.

Sixers XI: Daniel Hughes, Jack Edwards, Josh Philippe (wk), Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Joel Davies, Hayden Kerr, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Todd Murphy, Stephen O'Keefe

 

Heat XI: Josh Brown, Jimmy Peirson (wk), Matthew Renshaw, Nathan McSweeney (c), Max Bryant, Paul Walter, Michael Neser, Xavier Bartlett, Spencer Johnson, Mitch Swepson, Matt Kuhnemann

Allrounder Jack Edwards will again open alongside veteran Daniel Hughes with Josh Philippe to remain at No.3 followed by Henriques at No.4.

Reserve Test squad batter Matthew Renshaw has also been given the green light to suit up in the Final ahead of Australia's second Test against the West Indies at the Gabba beginning tomorrow.

The left-hander (6) put on 65 runs with Brown for the third-wicket in 5.2 overs against the Adelaide Strikers, expertly rotating the strike to allow his destructive partner to face the bulk of the bowling.

The Heat have qualified for their second straight Big Bash decider, topping the standings following the regular season after winning their first seven games and they'll be looking to avenge their five-wicket loss to the Perth Scorchers in last summer's BBL|12 Final.

They also won their previous match at the SCG to get into that final, with their two fixtures against the Sixers this season in Coffs Harbour and on the Gold Coast.

While Brown grabbed the headlines on Monday night, much of their success this season has been down to the stability and potency of their six-member bowling attack.

While Xavier Bartlett has topped the wickets chart with 18, they have two others in the top six – Englishman Paul Walter (16) and Spencer Johnson (15) – with everyone except Walter (8.61) conceding fewer than eight runs per over.

Johnson has also been outstanding in their two finals with five wickets at an economy of 4.25, including 30 dot balls in his eight overs.

But the Heat's batters will also come up against a Sixers attack that has exceptional this season, with spinners Todd Murphy (6.23) and Stephen O'Keefe (6.25) conceding the fewest runs per over of any bowler to have sent down more than 10 overs.

Sixers left-armer Ben Dwarshuis also destroyed the Heat with 5-21 in the Qualifier last Friday, including the prized scalp of Brown for 15 off 22 balls.

Tonight's decider will be the last match of O'Keefe's decorated career after announcing his retirement earlier this month, and he'll be hoping to bow out with a fourth BBL winners medal after playing in the Sixers' BBL|01, BBL|09 and BBL|10 titles.

"I still look back to that game against the Thunder (at the SCG on January 12), we had no right to win that game after the Powerplay and he just spun us to a victory," said Henriques, who is aiming to become the first captain to lead his side to three BBL championships.

"He completely changed that game and we've not really looked back since that game either.

"We've been able to win a lot of close and low scoring games this year and obviously his skill is a big part of that the way that he can just suffocate batters and suffocate partnerships as well as taking wickets.

"He's going to be a big loss for us, there's no hiding that."

It will be a fourth BBL title for the Sixers should they be crowned champions tonight – one behind the Perth Scorchers with five – while the Heat will become just the third club to win multiple men's BBL championships if they're able to break an 11-year title drought.

KFC BBL|13 Finals Schedule

The Qualifier: Sydney Sixers beat Brisbane Heat by 39 runs

The Knockout: Adelaide Strikers beat Perth Scorchers by 50 runs

The Challenger: Brisbane Heat beat Adelaide Strikers by 54 runs

The Final: Sydney Sixers v Brisbane Heat, January 24, 7.15pm AEDT, SCG