Adelaide Strikers 160 for 7 (Scott 51, Overton 30, Edwards 2-27) beat Sydney Sixers 159 for 9 (Philippe 46, Edwards 32, Wood 3-26) by three wickets
Overton claimed 2 for 22 from four overs to help restrict Sixers to a middling total in good batting conditions before making an invaluable 30 off 20 balls in a tense chase. Strikers reached the 160-run target with four balls to spare to notch their first win at the SCG since 2017.
After Sixers were sent in to bat, all eyes were on Babar who made just 2 from five deliveries in Sixers’ season-opening loss to Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium. But he fared only slightly better with 9 off ten balls after hitting tamely to midwicket in a similar mode of dismissal to his BBL debut.
Sixers’ total appeared under-par, but they have a knack of defending smaller totals at home. Matt Short and Chris Lynn blazed away in the early overs, but the dangermen fell in consecutive overs in the backend of the powerplay to lift Sixers’ spirit.
Overton was calm and collected before falling with six runs needed off seven deliveries. There were no late wobbles, however, as Strikers clinched an impressive opening victory while powerhouse Sixers slumped to 0-2.
After struggling to handle the bounce in Perth during his brief innings in a tough BBL initiation, Babar hoped to hit back in his home debut on a good batting surface.
Having not yet faced a delivery, Babar had a nervous moment when he was almost run out on the second ball of the innings but a shy at the striker’s end from Scott at backward point narrowly missed the stumps.
The smattering of fans garbed in magenta made plenty of noise when Babar whipped through midwicket on his second delivery to register a maiden boundary in the BBL.
But Babar only lasted until the third over much to the disappointment of those in the terraces. There were shades of Marnus Labuschagne’s wicket earlier in the day in the third Ashes Test when Babar meekly jabbed a hard length delivery from Wood straight to midwicket.
Sixers had initially done well to recover from Babar’s early dismissal. Having played in the ODI and T20I series against India recently, Philippe was a shining light against Scorchers and carried over his form with three early boundaries.
Hasan entered the attack after the four-over powerplay, but made an inglorious start to his BBL career when Hughes whacked a half-tracker into the stands over deep backward square leg.
Even though Hughes holed out on 11, Sixers appeared well placed at the halfway point as Philippe rolled towards a half-century. Philippe’s eyes lit up on 46, but he could only hit Pope straight to long-off.
Pope can be expensive but has been relied upon in recent seasons to be a strike weapon for Strikers. He furthered his reputation by rattling the stumps of veteran Jordan Silk on the very next delivery.
Sixers rallied somewhat through allrounder Jack Edwards, who backed up his big-hitting efforts against Scorchers, but their total ultimately proved not enough.
There was a moment of silence before the game to honour the victims of the Bondi terror atrocity, with increased security measures put in place at the venue.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth