Broad is going to get some stick from the crowd: Doug Bollinger

Sydney Sixers fast bowler Doug Bollinger, who has undergone a terrifying makeover with a bald head and full grown beard, has intimated England bowler star Stuart Broad of some unfriendly welcome to Australia. Bollinger states that he should expect to be singled out by the SCG crowd, but denies the Sixers will make him a target.

“Absolutely,” Bollinger said when asked if Broad would cop some stick. “You’re a bowler down on the boundary then you’re going to get it. But it’s awesome, it’s great. Twenty20 is hard, it’s great to have him over and I hope he goes well.”

Stuart Broad who earned the ire of Australia cricket fans for his refusal to walk during the 2013 Ashes series in England when he edged Ashton Agar to Michael Clarke but was given not out., will be the Hobart Hurricanes’ star attraction during the tournament. He took 8-15 to help rout Australia for 60 at Trent Bridge last year. Broad comes to Australia fresh off England’s tour of India where he struggled with a foot injury.

“I think it’s great to have a guy like Stuart Broad in the BBL. He’s a wonderful guy. Things happen in the Ashes and that’s what you’re talking about, Bollinger said.”

The Sixers, last year’s wooden spooners, have made one change to their squad following their first-up win over their cross-city rivals Sydney Thunder, with Harry Conway coming in for Henry Thornton. The defending champions Thunders hosted their Sydney Sixers for the second straight year to kick off the Big Bash League 2016/17 in grand style. The ‘Sydney Derby’ gave a perfect start to the year – end T20 blockbuster as the Sixers beat the Thunders by commanding 9 wickets margin in front of the majority crowd at the Sydney Showground Stadium.

Set 160 runs to win, the Sixers needed only 18 over to overhaul the target and go back home as the victors. Skipper Moises Henriques did the bulk of the scoring, scoring 71 off just 41 balls while opener Daniel Hughes played a relatively calmer knock of 54 off 499 deliveries as the duo set up the win for their team.