The Sydney Sixers secured a convincing victory over the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League (BBL) derby, defeating their rivals by 47 runs at ENGIE Stadium on March 15, 2024. Set a target of 199 runs, the Thunder faltered under pressure, collapsing to 151 all out with five balls remaining in their innings.
The Thunder’s early struggles were highlighted by a dismal powerplay, where they lost three wickets for just 17 runs. Notable dismissals included the departures of key players Sam Konstas and David Warner, both bowled out in the same over by Jack Edwards. Edwards delivered a standout performance, claiming a career-best 5 wickets for 26 runs. Reflecting on his achievement, Edwards commented, “I didn’t really bowl that much when I was 18 or 19 but I quickly realised how hard batting was at this level, worked on the bowling. It’s nice that it’s starting to come together.”
The Sixers, having batted first and scored 198 runs, capitalized on their early momentum. Despite the Thunder winning the toss and opting to bowl, they struggled to contain the Sixers’ batting lineup. The defeat left last season’s runners-up, the Thunder, winless after two matches.
The Thunder’s innings saw some resistance from Sam Billings, who managed to score 51 runs off 28 balls. Billings expressed disappointment in his team’s performance, stating, “I felt they were 20 runs over par probably. We just weren’t quite at the races.” His innings provided some hope, but ultimately, the Thunder failed to capitalize on their chances.
A key highlight for the Sixers was Babar Azam, who marked his BBL debut with a solid performance, scoring 58 runs off 42 balls. Azam’s arrival at the Sixers was highly anticipated, and he proved his worth on a pitch that favoured batters more than in previous seasons. Edwards noted, “We weren’t able to give him his hat in Perth because the game was rushed so we pretended tonight was his debut. He started the tournament brilliantly tonight.”
Azam reached his half-century with a single off Nathan McAndrew, who finished with figures of 2 for 41. However, Azam’s promising innings ended when he gloved a delivery from English paceman Reece Topley, who took 3 wickets for 41 runs.
Another close call for the Sixers involved wicketkeeper-batter Philippe, who was nearing a century at 96 runs when he was caught off McAndrew. Replays suggested that the catch may not have been clean, but the third umpire ruled it a fair catch, denying Philippe his first T20 century in his 104th BBL match.
Throughout the Thunder’s innings, Philippe was also active behind the stumps, stumping Matthew Gilkes for 12 runs. The Thunder’s woes continued as Edwards secured his fifth wicket by dismissing Shadab Khan for 41 runs, marking a significant highlight in his career.
The Sixers’ all-round performance, particularly Edwards’ exceptional bowling, ultimately secured a decisive victory in this high-stakes derby. The Thunder will seek to regroup as they face challenges ahead in the tournament, while the Sixers will look to build on this momentum in their upcoming matches.
