Twitter Reactions: Perth Scorchers start title defence with a 5-wicket win

Big Bash League (BBL) season six’s winner Perth Scorchers open their title defence against their opponent in the finals, Sydney Sixers. Sixers were thumped in their first game when they faced Shane Watson led Sydney Thunders. Scorchers skipper Adam Voges opted to bowl first after winning the toss at the SCG. His bowlers got into the act and proved him right as Jhye Richardson accounted for the opener Daniel Hughes in his first over and the scorecard read just 13 after 2 overs.

Jason Roy looked good for his 19 off 11 balls but became Richardson’s 2nd victim after playing a poor shot. Nick Maddinson was looking good but continuous wickets from the other end were doing no good for him and the Sixers. England fast-bowler David Willey accounted for Sixers skipper Henriques just for 1 to make the situation worse for the Sixers. The next two overs brought another couple of wickets as Sam Billings couldn’t open his account and got out to Andrew Tye while Willey picked up the wicket of Johan Botha for 4.

Maddinson and Nevill managed to consolidate the Sixers innings with ones and twos. Willey’s third over saw two boundaries hit by Nevil. Johnson returned and picked 2 wickets in 3 balls to put the Sixers under pressure one more time. Sean Abbott along with Steve O’Keefe scored some quick runs in their 46-run partnership to take the score to 132 runs.

With two set batsmen in the middle 150 was looking possible but Tye picked up a hat-trick to finish the innings of the Sixers with 7 balls still to play. This was his hat-trick in T20 cricket this year.

Chasing a comparatively small total, Scorchers opener Boisisto hit 3 fours in Doug Bollinger’s first over. After tight bowling from Daniel Sams and Steven O’Keefe, Sean Abbott had the opportunity to do his bit with the ball. The all-rounder sent back the openers in two balls of his first over to make the run chase a tougher contest.

Abbott returned for his 3rd over and picked the wicket of Willey and the game was just getting interesting. Cartwright hit a four and a six and eventually get out after that.

Turner and Voges take the side over the line

Scorchers’ most experienced player, skipper Adam Voges along with Ashton Turner anchored their run chase with a lot of singles and doubles. In the final over of O’Keefe’s spell Turner hit 2 sixes and a four to get rid of the added pressure of the asking rate. He hit two massive sixes of Sean Abbott to demolish any chance of Sixers winning the game.

He eventually hit a four in the 19th over to complete his half-century in just 27 balls with 5 sixes and sealed the opening game for the reigning champions.

Here is how Twitterati reacted during the course of the high action game: