Perth Scorchers have definitely turned a corner in the ongoing season of the Big Bash League (BBL), winning their third match in a row, by beating Sydney Sixers, who are at the top of the table, by a big margin – 87 runs.
The domination of Scorchers, playing on their home surface, can be gauged by the fact that they bowled out the Sixers for just 97. Andrew Tye bowled magnificently to pick up four wickets while Jhye Richardson took three.
It were the Sixers that won the toss and decided to put the Scorchers in. The opening pair of Jason Roy and Liam Livingstone didn’t fire as expected. Livingstone was out in the fourth over while Roy took his time today. Colin Munro, batting at no. 3, though, was in full flow and batted in an attacking manner.
Still, the run rate after the first 10 overs was just over 71. After the drinks break, Roy and Munro decided to speed up but both got out in the process. Munro scored a half century, 50 off 34, while Roy, surprisingly, took 31 balls for 27. At 99/3 in 14 overs, the situation looked a bit worrying for the home side.
But then, local boy Mitchell Marsh stepped up to the challenge. His big hits provided just the impetus needed in the power surge, taken in the 15-17 overs. Overall, 30 runs were scored in these two overs. Marsh kept going and the bowlers were either missing the yorker length or pitching short without getting the extra bounce expected on the Perth pitch.
Marsh ended up with 57 off just 27 balls, taking his team to a very impressive score of 183/4.
In reply, the Sixers were never in the game. Early wickets prevented any momentum and they never regained it. Both Richardson and Andrew Tye were in great form. Tye, especially, was bowling with venom, getting good bounce of the wicket. Same was the case with Richardson.
Mitchell Marsh also bowled well. He did get a little away swing but mixed it up with good bouncers. Even Fawad Ahmed, who has been underwhelming this season, bowled nicely today, flighting his deliveries nicely and bowling good googlies also.
The first two wickets fell for the Sixers inside three overs, Josh Phillippe and James Vince, being dismissed by Jason Behrendorff and Richardson respectively. A partnership of sorts developed between Jack Edwards and Daniel Hughes but was broken by Tye when a shortish delivery was cut to the point fielder by Hughes. Then, wickets came like a torrent.
Jordan Silk and Daniel Christian were both dismissed for a duck. Steve O’Keefe tried to fight back but was done in by a tremendous yorker by Tye. The collapse was unabated. Only Edwards offered some resistance, scoring 44. Eventually, the visitors were dismissed for 97 with Tye having figures of 4/20 and Richardson finishing with 3/15. Fawad’s figures of 1/17 in three overs are also very encouraging.
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