Right then, that is all we have from this game. Perth Scorchers become the first finalists of this year's tournament but who will join them? We will get one step closer to the answer after Sunday, the 23rd of January when Sydney Thunder square off against Adelaide Strikers in the Knockout. That match begins at 1345 IST (0815 GMT). The winner of that match will then take on Sydney Sixers for a place in the final a few days later. Do join us for that match and make sure you tune in early for the buildup which begins well in advance. Till then, take care and goodbye!
Josh Inglis is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH. He says that it was a good night and the boys played really well. Tells that he has not played much cricket this year and he tried to keep things simple. Mentions that Kurtis Patterson took the pressure off him and credits him by saying that he was awesome. Tells that he was looking forward to this game and wanted to put in a good performance. Says that he backed himself tonight and played some good shots.
Revenge is a dish best served cold! Perth Scorchers were defeated twice in the knockouts by their opponents, the Sixers in the last edition and after already doing the double over them, the Scorchers have become the first team to make it through to the finals. Jhye Richardson and Jason Behrendorff set the tone early on with those wickets and created dot ball pressure too. Ashton Agar and Peter Hatzoglou then kept things tight and they too got wickets. They will be disappointed though with the way they somewhat failed to close out the innings a bit earlier and their frontline pacers were both poor at the death. Tye too got hammered towards the end but the game was already in the bag. One huge drawback from tonight was the niggle Mitchell Marsh picked up and that could make a huge difference in the final. All in all a brilliant all-round performance from the Scorchers.
Sydney Sixers lost Daniel Hughes before the match started and given the poor form of Josh Philippe, they surely needed Hughes tonight. Philippe and Avendano were sent packing in a jiffy and that put the Sixers on the back foot. With being 5 down for 33, they were already out of the contest and the skipper Henriques tried his best to put some runs on the board. After being 7 down, a nice little partnership brewed between Kerr and Dwarshuis worth 41 runs and that saved them from an embarrassing defeat. Ben Dwarshuis then just kept going and provided some hardcore entertainment as he smoked it to all parts of the ground. He finished with 66 off 29 balls and got the margin of defeat to under 50 runs. The Sixers will now look to make the necessary adjustments and be ready for the Challenger in a few days time.
DONE AND DUSTED! Perth Scorchers have made it to the finals and they have done so in fine fashion. The final score flatters their opponents a bit but the Scorchers were certainly head and shoulders above the Sixers tonight. The Sixers though still have one more shot to make it through to the finals and will look to regroup.
In over# 20
0W
1
Peter Hatzoglou 28/1(3.2)
19.2
W
OUT! STUMPED! Peter Hatzoglou has the last laugh and finally, he gets rid of Ben Dwarshuis! What an innings this has been from Dwarshuis though! Hatzoglou serves a wider delivery, outside off. Ben Dwarshuis skips down the track to slog but he misses. Josh Inglis behind the sticks collects the ball cleanly and whips the bails off in a flash. Ben Dwarshuis is well short of his crease and Sydney Sixers are bowled out! Perth Scorchers win by 49 runs!
19.1
1
Tossed up, around middle. Steve O'Keefe drags it towards deep mid-wicket for a run.
Who will bowl the final over of the game? It's going to be Peter Hatzoglou.
In over# 19
4
0
4
6
4
6
Andrew Tye 38/2(4)
18.6
4
FOUR! CRUNCHED! Length ball, around off. Ben Dwarshuis stays back and hoicks it through the deep mid-wicket region for a boundary.
18.5
.
Full ball, around middle. Ben Dwarshuis drags it towards deep mid-wicket and does not take the single.
18.4
4
FOUR! Fuller and wider, outside off. Ben Dwarshuis reaches out and carves it over the cover fielder for a boundary.
18.3
6
SIX! BANG! WOW! This is insane from Ben Dwarshuis! Length ball, around off. Ben Dwarshuis stays back and tonks it over the deep square leg region for a maximum.
18.2
4
FOUR! STREAKY! A half-century nonetheless for Ben Dwarshuis! Length ball, around off. Ben Dwarshuis looks to heave it away but it goes off the thick inside edge past the short fine leg fielder for a boundary.
The search for the ball is still on. Ben Dwarshuis has sent another ball into the empty stands and the Scorchers players are trying hard to find it and they have finally found it.
18.1
6
SIX! CLOBBERED! A length ball, around off. Ben Dwarshuis clears his front leg and smokes it over the long off region for a maximum. What an innings he is playing for his side. But it is all too little, too late for the Sixers.
In over# 18
0
1
1wd
4
1wd
1wd
6
1
1
Jason Behrendorff 31/2(4)
17.6
.
Full ball, outside off. Steve O'Keefe prods and drives it to the fielder at extra cover.
17.5
1
Good-length ball, outside off. Ben Dwarshuis pushes it through the off side and takes a single.