The biggest rivalry in Big Bash League history returns.
The Perth Scorchers will host the Sydney Sixers in Saturday evening’s Qualifier, with the victory earning immediate qualification for next weekend’s Final.
However, the loser will not be automatically knocked out, getting a second chance in Thursday’s Challenger.
MATCH CENTRE: Scorchers vs Sixers teams, scorecard, videos, updates
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The Scorchers will be without pace duo Matt Kelly and Jhye Richardson, who are nursing injuries, while spinner Ashton Agar is also unavailable for selection.
To make matters worse for the men in orange, the reigning champions have reportedly been struck down with the flu, forcing the Scorchers to rush uncapped paceman Charlie Stobo into the squad as illness cover.
“Matt has been progressing through the concussion return to play protocols and is doing well overall. He will not be ready for tomorrow, but we are expecting him back to full training shortly after,” WA Cricket State Medical Officer Dr Tom Hill said in a statement.
“Jhye is still working through his hamstring rehabilitation and will not be available tomorrow.”
The Scorchers are famously difficult to defeat at Perth Stadium, and the Sixers will be relying on run-scoring machine Steve Smith to continue his purple patch on the western coast.
“I’ve never seen him bat like this in any white-ball cricket, just so consistently,” Sixers captain Moises Henriques told NCA NewsWire on Friday.
“I mean, the amount of times he’s clearing the boundary; having probably been known as a bit more of a gap hitter rather than an actual six hitter, it’s unprecedented, this sort of batting.
“It’s probably the best T20 batting we’ve ever witnessed in the Big Bash, to be honest.
“The last couple of wickets that everyone else has really struggled to bat on, he has seemed to find a way to make it look like an absolute road.
“So I guess I’m assuming there’d be a lot of bowlers in their camp a little bit worried about that.”
Australian Test spinners Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy also won’t feature in the must-win fixture.
The first ball at Perth Stadium is scheduled for 7.15pm AEDT.
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Scorchers squad
Ashton Turner (c), Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Stephen Eskinazi, Aaron Hardie, Peter Hatzoglou, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Lance Morris, David Payne,
Chris Sabburg, Andrew Tye
Sixers squad
Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Dan Christian, Ben Dwarshuis, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Josh Kann, Hayden Kerr, Izharulhaq Naveed, Steve O’Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Lachlan Shaw, Jordan Silk, Steve Smith
