He sits 11th on the list of all-time BBL run-scorers, but Daniel Hughes has been forced to fight hard for a top-order berth as the Sydney Sixers plot a route to the league title.
The 33-year-old began the summer with a flurry of runs for NSW but found himself on the outer as the Sixers opted for English import James Vince and Perth Scorchers recruit Kurtis Patterson at the top of the order.
But with Vince long gone for the UAE T20 league and Steve Smith on the way to India after his blistering cameo, Hughes says he is ready to step up for the Sixers’ do-or-die clash with the Brisbane Heat on Thursday night.
“It is a bit hard, but the thing with sitting on the bench and not playing is that you actually train harder because you don’t have to rest between games,” Hughes said.
“I’ve had no grade cricket, I played those couple of matches in the middle of the tournament and then just travelling around and running the drinks … it’s been good fun but obviously frustrating not to be playing.
“I still feel like I’m in decent form in the nets, but it is hard to gauge once you get out in the middle – the SCG wicket we’re going to be playing on has been used four or five times, so it might be a bit tired.”
Hughes, who could open the batting or come in as No.3 behind Patterson and Josh Phillipe on Thursday, said Smith’s rampant top-order performances had left him feeling some pressure to perform.
“Bloody oath there’s nerves because I’ve got to replace Smudger,” he joked.
“I think once I get out there it will be fine, it will be business as usual.”
He said the Sixers’ famous consistency in personnel would help him immediately feel settled in the line-up.
“It’s nice to know I’ll just be doing the same sort of role I’ve played over the last few years – it would be a bit different if I had to come in and bat six and do something completely out of my comfort zone,” he said.
”Knowing I’m going up the top of the order whether it’s opening or at three, it’s stable and the guys around me know my role, which gives me the confidence to go out there and do what I do.”
Hughes said the Sixers’ batting group had identified two important threats in the Heat’s attack to nullify on Thursday, with the winner to play away to the Perth Scorchers on Saturday night.
“You look at their line-up and you think (Michael) Neser … with that new ball he’s obviously quite dangerous, so if we can limit his damage in the powerplay that’s key,” he said.
“They’ve unleashed Johnson this year and he’s been in decent form, he’s done well in the middle overs and at the back end … if we can counter Neser at the top and have some wickets in hand to counteract Spencer and his pace, that will go a long way to helping us win the game.”
He said the Sixers would be ruthless in trying to expose the Heat’s three batting inclusions, who will be required to replace the absent Australian test trio of Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw.
“That’s got to be an advantage for us with those guys coming out and three coming off the bench without playing much cricket – we’ll be trying to put as much pressure on those guys as we possibly can,” Hughes said.
