Josh Philippe produced a dazzling 96 and Jack Edwards claimed a match-defining five-wicket haul as Sydney Sixers finally got their Big Bash League campaign up and running with a commanding victory over Sydney Thunder in the Sydney Smash. Backed by a composed maiden BBL half-century from Babar Azam, the Sixers delivered a statement performance to reclaim local bragging rights.
On a rare true batting surface at Engie Stadium, the Sixers looked a class above. The pitch, far more responsive than the sluggish decks often seen at the venue, suited their stroke-makers perfectly. Coming into the clash under pressure after two straight defeats, the Sixers responded with a polished all-round display that underlined their pedigree in this rivalry.
Much of the attention was on Babar Azam, who had endured a quiet start to his BBL career with scores of 2 and 9. This time, he found his rhythm, anchoring the innings with a fluent yet controlled 58 from 42 balls. He combined superbly with Philippe in a decisive 140-run second-wicket partnership that broke the game open. Philippe was the aggressor, mixing power with placement before falling agonisingly short of a century, dismissed for 96 off 57 balls in the final over.
Set an imposing target and facing the prospect of a record chase at the ground, Thunder’s reply unravelled almost immediately. They slumped to 17 for 3, rocked by the early dismissals of Matthew Gilkes, Sam Konstas and David Warner, who returned from injury to bat at No. 3. Konstas and Warner both managed only two runs, falling in near-identical fashion to short balls from Edwards, who was devastating with 5 for 26 from his four overs.
Sam Billings attempted to revive the chase with a brisk 51 from 28 balls, while Shadab Khan added 41, but the damage had already been done. Thunder never seriously threatened the target and slipped to their second straight defeat, a worrying start for last season’s finalists.
Earlier, after Warner chose to bowl, Babar began cautiously, intent on rotating the strike and building time in the middle after his difficult introduction to the league. Dan Hughes provided early momentum, attacking during the powerplay before being bowled by Reece Topley. Babar’s confidence grew from there, highlighted by a crisp cover drive early in his innings and neat flicks through the leg side to find the boundary.
Once the spinners were introduced, Philippe took centre stage. Brimming with confidence after recent international appearances, he launched Tanveer Sangha for the first six of the match and repeatedly targeted Shadab, clearing the ropes twice and nearly a third time, only for a spectacular save from Konstas at long-off to deny him.
Babar joined the fun with his first BBL six, top-edging Daniel Sams, and soon raised his maiden half-century. He looked set to bat deep before falling in the 18th over, caught behind off the glove after an overturned decision. The Sixers briefly lost momentum at the death, and Philippe’s wait for a maiden BBL century continued when he picked out deep backward point, where Sams completed a fine low catch.
Even so, the damage was well and truly done. Edwards’ incisive spell ensured there would be no comeback, sealing a comprehensive win that kick-started the Sixers’ season and reaffirmed their dominance in the Sydney rivalry.
