The Big Bash season will be decided on Sunday night in Perth when the Scorchers face the Sixers for the sixth time in a final.
Head to Head
The Scorchers have been the standout side in the second half of the tournament and look well placed to claim their sixth Big Bash title.
Their record against the Sixers in Perth is outstanding, winning eight of their last nine home matches and all six finals played between the sides at Optus Stadium. The Sydney team’s only victory at the venue came via a dramatic last-ball finish in BBL 13.
Perth’s run into the finals has been impressive, winning seven of their last eight matches. Their powerful batting has been complemented by a rebuilt bowling attack featuring young guns Mahli Beardman and Cooper Connolly alongside experienced campaigners Jhye Richardson and David Payne.
The Sixers have also finished the season strongly, winning six of their last seven games. Their batting, however, has been heavily reliant on the red-hot Steve Smith. The Australian great is averaging 69 from his five innings this season, while the next best starter in this match, Joel Davies, averages just 29.5 (boosted by three not outs). Regular contributors Moises Henriques, Dan Hughes and Josh Philippe are all averaging under 25 in BBL 15.
The Sixers’ bowling attack provides some hope, with Starc, Abbott and Dwarshuis all well suited to the pace and bounce of the Perth wicket, while Davies has emerged as a breakout spinner. However, their finals record away from home remains a concern, having won just one of their last six.
Batting first has become a major advantage during finals, going against the regular season trend. The team setting the target has won nine of the last eleven BBL finals, so confidence levels will be raised if the home side win the bat flip.
The Scorchers at home remain one of the most reliable bets in the competition and, short of another Steve Smith masterclass, the Perth team’s superior batting depth should be enough to secure them some more silverware.
Best Bets
Steve Smith continues to be an ATM for punters in the Big Bash and there’s no reason to step away now. He has scored 37+ runs in six straight matches, posted fifties in five of his last six innings and top scored for the Sixers in six consecutive games. He simply must go large for the Sixers to have much hope here, so $5.00 for player of the match looks a good play too.
Value Bets
Allen shapes as clear value in the top runscorer market after leading Perth’s batting in three straight matches, including a 49 in his most recent outing against the Sixers. He has scored 38+ runs in four consecutive games, including a century against the Renegades, and enters the final in top form.
The Sofa is no superstar, but he does have a knack for taking wickets against the Sixers, finishing with the most or equal-most wickets in three of his last four matches against this opponent. He also won’t have to face Smith early as a depth bowler, meaning he could spend most of his overs targeting the Sixers’ flimsy middle order. Just looks a big price.
This is a real left-field bet and one only worth taking if the Sixers are chasing, but we’ve consistently seen teams batting second fold under pressure in Big Bash finals, including the men in magenta just five days ago at this venue when they were dismissed for 99. As mentioned, the Sixers’ batting has largely struggled, so if Smith fails to fire, a lower-order bat could easily steal this market with a quick 20 or 30.
Same Game Multi
Scorchers H2H / Smith & Allen 20+ Runs / Starc & Payne 1+ Wicket
