Philippe dazzles as Sixers trounce Scorchers
Josh Philippe played a starring role with an unbeaten 81 from 44 balls as Sydney Sixers got their Big Bash League campaign off to a superb start with an eight-wicket thrashing of last year's bottom side, Perth Scorchers.
Champions in 2016-17 and 2017-18, the Scorchers endured a miserable campaign last term, winning just four games as they picked up the wooden spoon.
There was more pain for Perth at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday as they were limited to 131 all out after losing the toss and Philippe hurried the Sixers to victory with five overs to spare.
Tom Curran (3-32), Ben Dwarshuis (2-15) and Ben Manenti (2-21) were chiefly responsible for keeping Perth to a score that looked well below par, while wicketkeeper Philippe produced an eye-catching piece of work to stump Cameron Bancroft off a Steve O'Keefe wide.
If the Sixers were strong favourites at the change of innings, their victory soon became inevitable as Philippe took the Scorchers attack apart, dominating a first-wicket partnership of 73 in 7.4 overs with Daniel Hughes (22)
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Hughes and James Vince (13) both fell to Chris Jordan, who was comfortably the pick of the visiting attack with 2-13 from three overs, but it mattered little as Philippe finished with 11 fours and three sixes to his name, his last maximum over deep midwicket providing a fitting end to the contest.
A comprehensive victory for the @SixersBBL!
Josh Philippe (81no) and Tom Curran (3-32) lead the way at the SCG #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/dnGwY4mTvV
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 18, 2019
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DISMAL START SETS TONE FOR SCORCHERS
Virtually nothing went right for Perth from the moment opener Liam Livingstone was given lbw to Dwarshuis for a duck in the first over, despite the ball pitching outside leg stump.
Philippe's smart stumping sent Bancroft packing two deliveries later and, although Josh Inglis thumped four eye-catching boundaries, two further wickets in successive overs left the Scorchers 29-4.
Skipper Mitch Marsh and Cameron Green made 32 and 36 respectively, but it was nowhere near enough and an end-of-innings collapse followed.
FAWAD'S CAMEO TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE
There was a glimmer of hope for Perth when number 11 Fawad Ahmed responded to being dropped at the end of the 19th over by clattering two sixes and a four off Curran in the innings' final set of six.
Yet a total of 131 was soon shown to be woefully inadequate as Philippe took centre stage.
PHILIPPE PROVIDES PERFECT FINISH
Having smashed Perth bowlers to all parts and enjoyed particular success over cover, Philippe finished the match in style.
A mighty blow over midwicket off Jhye Richardson saw the ball end up on the roof of the Ladies Pavilion and summed up the Sixers' dominance of the contest.