BBL 2016-17, Match 21 Review: Hughes, Dwarshuis shine as Sixers win 3rd straight match

Hosts Sydney Sixers continued their winning run in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) and completed their 3rd consecutive win of the season by defeating Melbourne Renegades by 6 wickets at the SCG today. Ben Dwarshuis was the pick of the Sixers’ bowlers and finished with figures of 3/35 in his allotted 4 overs. All the batsmen in the top 5 made useful contributions during the stiff run-chase which eventually helped them win the match with 3 balls remaining. Daniel Hughes was the top-scorer for the hosts with 29 balls 41.

Melbourne Renegades captain Aaron Finch won the toss and opted to bat. The ploy of opening with Sunil Narine for the 3rd consecutive time didn’t work as the spin wizard was dismissed in the 5th ball of the innings of the bowling of Jackson Bird. It was a surprise short delivery by Jackson Bird and Narine failed to middle it. It was a top edge and the bowler completed an easy catch in his follow through.

Cameron White joined Finch in the middle and struck a delightful square drive for a boundary in the first ball of his innings. White was timing the ball pretty well and even struck Jackson Bird for a huge six in the 3rd over. But after hitting a boundary of Dwarshuis in the first delivery of the next over he flicked a half volley in the leg stump straight to the short fine leg fielder who was stationed on the circle.

With the score at 27/2, Tom Cooper joined Finch in the middle and struck two delightful boundaries in his first 3 balls. There was no respite for Jackson Bird either as he smashed him for a six and a four in the next over. The duo kept the scoreboard ticking and struck boundaries whenever the pressure mounted. Cooper was eventually dismissed by Dwarshuis in the 12th over after the former played a good hand of 39 in 24 deliveries.

Also read- Twitter Reactions: Daniel Hughes leads Sixers to second consecutive win

Callum Ferguson was the new man in and he looked in good touch from the onset. Finch was dismissed in the 17th over followed by Thisara Perera’s wicket in the next over which slowed down the Renegades to a certain extent. Callum Ferguson added some late impetus to the innings by striking two lusty blows in the final over of the innings of Sean Abbott. Courtesy his heroics in the final over, The Renegades reached 170/6 in their allotted 20 overs.

Chasing a tricky 171 to chase, the Sydney openers began very well. Both Daniel Hughes and Michael Lumb played some delightful strokes in the beginning of the innings to set the things rolling for Sixers. Hughes was severe on any loose delivery and struck a hat-trick of boundaries in the 5th over of James Pattinson.

Hughes was dismissed by Sunil Narine in the 8th over of the innings but by then he had set a solid platform for the hosts to overhaul the target with relative ease. He again attempted a slog sweep but only managed to top-edge it straight to Thisara Perera placed at deep backward square. Lumb too fell in the 10th over of Thisara Perea while attempting a wild heave over the mid-on region. Despite the fall two wickets, Sixers were comfortably placed at 85/2 at the end of 10 overs. Nic Maddinson struck a four and a six during his impressive innings of 27.

The swashbuckling southpaw was dismissed in the 14th over of Sunil Narine as he stepped out to hit him over the boundary ropes. Seeing him advance Narine bowled a quicker delivery and he missed him completely only to be stumped by Peter Nevill behind the wickets. Captain Moises Henriques also struck some lusty blows during his innings of 30 but it was Brad Haddin who remained till the end and ensured the Sixers reached the target without further hiccups.

The Sixers eventually chased down the target in the 3rd delivery of the final over and the winning shot was fittingly hit by Brad Haddin who remained unbeaten 31 of 23 deliveries.

Brief Scores:

Melbourne Renegades: 170/6 in 20 overs (Aaron Finch 65, Ben Dwarshuis 3/35)

Sydney Sixers: 171/4 in 19.3 overs  (Daniel Hughes 41, Thisara Perera 2/26)

Sydney Sixers won by 6 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)