Sydney rivals meet in the finals for the first time in the BBL with a spot in the decider on the line
Sydney Sixers v Sydney Thunder: Challenger preview
Match facts
Who: Sydney Sixers v Sydney Thunder
What: Challenger, KFC BBL|14
Where: SCG, Sydney
When: Friday, January 24. Bat flip at 6.30pm AEDT, first ball at 7.15pm AEDT
How to watch: Channel Seven, 7plus, Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports
Listen: ABC, SEN
Buy tickets: Limited tickets remain, buy here
Live scores: Match Centre
Highlights, news and reactions after the match: cricket.com.au, the CA Live and Big Bash apps
Officials: Sam Nogajski and Donovan Koch (field), Phil Gillespie (third), Shawn Craig (fourth), Steve Davis (match referee)
Match squads
Sydney Sixers: Jafer Chohan (England), Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Lachlan Hearne, Moises Henriques (c), Hanno Jacobs, Hayden Kerr, Ben Manenti, Kurtis Patterson, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, Lachlan Shaw, Jordan Silk
In: Hanno Jacobs
With just 13 players to pick from for their last match following the departure of their Test stars Steve Smith, Todd Murphy and Sean Abbott, the Sixers have added ACT and Western Suburbs allrounder Hanno Jacobs as a local replacement player for the Challenger.
While unlikely to play, Jacobs – who hit 61 for the Prime Minister's XI against India last month – adds depth to the depleted Sixers with veteran quick Jackson Bird still unavailable with a hamstring injury.
Sydney Thunder: David Warner (c), Wes Agar, Tom Andrews, Sam Billings (England), Daniel Christian, Ollie Davies, George Garton (England), Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Muhammad Hasnain (Pakistan), Nathan McAndrew, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, Hugh Weibgen
Ins: Dan Christian, Jason Sangha. Outs: Toby Gray, Blake Nikitaras
The Thunder have made two changes to the squad that beat Melbourne Stars to qualify for the Challenger – veteran allrounder Dan Christian returns alongside batter Jason Sangha, with Toby Gray and Blake Nikitaras making way.
Christian played in the most recent Sydney Smash, which ended in a washout at the SCG last Friday.
What they said
Club news
Sydney Sixers
Sydney Thunder
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Top performers
Most Runs
BBL|14 BKT Golden Bat
| Player | Total |
|---|---|
1
Cooper Connolly
C Connolly
|
351 |
|
2
David Warner
D Warner
|
346 |
|
3
Mitchell Owen
M Owen
|
344 |
|
4
Glenn Maxwell
G Maxwell
|
325 |
|
5
Marcus Stoinis
M Stoinis
|
311 |
|
6
Matthew Renshaw
M Renshaw
|
280 |
|
7
Max Bryant
M Bryant
|
259 |
|
8
Alex Ross
A Ross
|
256 |
Most Wickets
BBL|14 BKT Golden Arm
| Player | Total |
|---|---|
|
1
Jason Behrendorff
J Behrendorff
|
17 |
|
2
Tom Rogers
T Rogers
|
16 |
|
3
Mark Steketee
M Steketee
|
15 |
|
4
Lance Morris
L Morris
|
15 |
|
5
Lloyd Pope
L Pope
|
15 |
|
6
Ben Dwarshuis
B Dwarshuis
|
14 |
|
7
Spencer Johnson
S Johnson
|
13 |
|
8
Riley Meredith
R Meredith
|
13 |
Most sixes scored
BBL|14
| Player | Total |
|---|---|
|
1
Glenn Maxwell
G Maxwell
|
27 |
|
2
Mitchell Owen
M Owen
|
25 |
|
3
Cooper Connolly
C Connolly
|
19 |
|
4
Tim David
T David
|
17 |
|
5
Matthew Renshaw
M Renshaw
|
17 |
|
6
Max Bryant
M Bryant
|
14 |
|
7
Josh Brown
J Brown
|
12 |
|
8
Jake Fraser-McGurk
J Fraser-McGurk
|
12 |
Local knowledge
Rapid stats
- Sydney Sixers have won their last six BBL matches against the Sydney Thunder – a seventh consecutive win in this game would equal the Sixers' longest winning run against the Thunder in the history of the competition (won seven from January 2012 to January 2015).
- Sydney Thunder have won their last three BBL matches in NSW – a fourth consecutive win in this game would be the Thunder's outright longest winning run in their home state in the history of the competition (also won three in January 2020).
- Sydney Sixers have a catch success rate of 85 per cent (52/61) in BBL|14, the best of any team in the competition while the Sydney Thunder (69 per cent – 38/55) are ranked last in this category.
- Sydney Sixers' Moises Henriques (95) is closing in on registering 100 sixes in the Big Bash League.
- Sydney Sixers fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis (148) is two away from reaching 150 wickets in the Big Bash League.
- Sydney Sixers' Jack Edwards (49) will make his 50th appearances in the BBL in the Challenger.
- Sydney Thunder's Chris Green (24 per cent from 50 balls faced) and Sydney Sixers' Jordan Silk (24.6 per cent from 118 balls faced) have the best batting dot ball rates of any players in BBL|14 (minimum 45 balls faced).
- Ben Dwarshuis (Sydney Sixers) has taken eight wickets during the death overs (17th-20th) in BBL|14, two more than any other player in the competition.
What's on the line?
It doesn't get any bigger than this for a Sydney Smash! The Sixers and Thunder meet in the BBL finals for the first time with a spot in the decider against Hobart Hurricanes up for grabs.
The Sixers are going for their fourth men's title and the Thunder their second after lifting the trophy way back in BBL|05.
KFC BBL|14 finals schedule
Qualifier: Hobart Hurricanes beat Sydney Sixers by 12 runs
Knockout: Sydney Thunder beat Melbourne Stars by 21 runs (DLS)
Challenger: Sydney Sixers v Sydney Thunder, SCG (Friday, January 24, 7.15pm AEDT)
Final: Hobart Hurricanes v winner of Challenger, Ninja Stadium (Monday, January 27, 7.15pm AEDT)