Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder: match preview & more related news here

Mitchell Starc returns to Sixers colors for the first time in a decade in the Sydney Smash against the Thunder at the SCG

Match details

WHO: Sydney Sixers vs. Sydney Thunder

That: Match 37, KFC BBL|15

Where: SCG, Sydney

When: Friday, January 16. Bat toss at 6:30 pm AEDT, first ball at 7:15 pm AEDT

How to watch: Channel seven, 7plus, Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports

Hear: ABC, SEN Radio. Listen in standard and in real time without delay to play live through Cricket Radio on CA Live app. Find out more here

Buy tickets: Tickets are on sale here.

Live results: match center

Highlights, news and reactions after the game: cricket.com.au, CA Live and Big Bash apps

Officials: Drew Crozier and Gerard Abood (field), Roberto Howard (third), Claire Polosak (fourth), David Gilbert (match referee)

Match teams

Sydney Sixers: Sean Abbott, Babar Azam, Sam Curran, Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques (c), Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Ben Manenti, Josh Philippe, Lachlan Shaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc

Tickets: Daniel Hughes, Mitchell Starc. Departures: Todd Murphy (omitted), Jordan Silk (omitted).

Mitchell Starc will make his long-awaited return to the Big Bash after last wearing the magenta in BBL|04. Daniel Hughes also returns to the Sixers after missing out due to a bout of illness, while Todd Murphy and Jordan Silk have been omitted.

Sydney Thunder: Wes Agar, Tom Andrews, Sam Billings, Ollie Davies, Chris Green, Matt Gilkes, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Blake Nikitaras, Nic Maddinson, Aidan O’Connor, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner (c)

Tickets: Ollie Davies, Blake Nikitaras, Ollie Davies. Departures: Charlie Anderson (omitted), Cameron Bancroft (injured), David Willey (availability).

The Thunder have made three changes as they look to finish their campaign on a high against their city rivals. Ollie Davies, Blake Nikitaras and Aidan O’Connor return to the squad, replacing David Willey (availability), Charlie Anderson (omitted) and Cameron Bancroft (injured), who fractured his thumb in training. David Warner remains in the team as he recovers from a knee injury, despite missing Monday’s game.

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Players to watch

Mitchell Starc (Sixers): The indestructible left-armer returns to the league for the first time since BBL|04, fresh from a Herculean summer of Test cricket. Despite his longevity representing Australia in all three formats, Starc has just 10 Big Bash matches to his name after making his debut in the competition’s inaugural season. While his time in magenta has been limited, his highlights from his early years in the BBL are still among the best in the BBL, and could be expanded upon if his incredible form reaches the white ball.

Sam Konstas (Thunder): With a game designed for the big stage, the young opener has all the right traits to fire in the long-awaited Sydney Smash. Although he has not regularly featured among the Thunder’s top scorers this season, that has not deterred his confidence after achieving a first over three boundaries in his team’s last match against the Renegades. With Mitchell Starc joking that he might “attack some bouncers” to heighten the cross-town rivalry, a Bumrah-inspired response to combat the world-class quick could only enhance Friday night’s fireworks.

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Local knowledge

Quick stats

• The Sydney Sixers have won seven of their last eight BBL matches against the Thunder, including a 47-run victory the last time they met earlier this season; although their only defeat in that period came the last time they faced the Thunder at the SCG in the final of the BBL|14 Challenger.
• Sydney Thunder defeated Melbourne Renegades by four wickets last time out in the BBL, snapping a five-match losing streak; The Thunder will be looking for back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
• The Sydney Sixers have lost their last three full BBL matches at the SCG; a fourth consecutive defeat in this match would equal their longest losing streak at the SCG in the competition’s history (they lost four between December 2015 and December 2016).
• Sam Billings (9 – 8 catches, 1 pass in BBL|15) is one away from recording 10 sacks as a Thunder goalie in a BBL season for the third time (12 in BBL|14 and 10 in BBL|10); Only one other player has done this even once for the Thunder (Matthew Gilkes – 10 in BBL|12).
• Steve Smith (Sydney Sixers) has scored 861 runs at an average of 66.2 in his last 17 batting innings in the BBL; although, he was dismissed for a duck the last time he faced the Sydney Thunder in that span (January 12, 2024).

What’s at stake?

Sydney Smash bragging rights are on the line again, but that’s all the Thunder will be playing for after being eliminated from final contention with just two wins in nine games.

Meanwhile, the Sixers continue their quest to finish in the top two and secure a double shot. Win this game against the Thunder and they will stay within striking distance of the Hurricanes, Stars and Scorchers above them, but if they lose, Moises Henriques’ team will be vulnerable to the teams below them and have a chance of missing the finals entirely.

KFC Rating BBL|15