Dwarshuis gives Sixers last-ball win in thrilling Sydney derby

AAP

21-Dec-2024 • 2 hrs ago

Sydney Sixers 164 for 5 (Silk 36*, Philippe 35, Dwarshuis 20*, Ferguson 2-32) beat Sydney Thunder 163 for 5 (Bancroft 70*, Davies 47, Hosein 2-23, Dwarshuis 2-26) by five wickets

Ben Dwarshuis hit Sydney Sixers to an unlikely last-ball win over Sydney Thunder, taking 15 from the last over to take his team past the victory mark.

Chasing 164 for victory, Sixers looked shot when they needed 47 from the final four overs. But Jordan Silk (36* off 25 balls) helped them take 17 from a Nathan McAndrew over, before Dwarshius provided the late heroics with 20 not out from eight balls.

After launching Lockie Ferguson for six from the first ball he faced, Dwarshuis took charge with 15 needed from Chris Green’s final over. Green’s first three balls were hard to get away but he was hurt by two straight wides outside off. Then with seven needed from two balls, Dwarshuis smashed Green over the long-on rope for six, before taking a quick single off the last ball to finish the job.

Earlier, Cameron Bancroft hit an unbeaten 70 from 52 balls to help Thunder reach 163 for 5. Bancroft was the favourite to return to the Test team when Cameron Green was ruled out for the season, before a nightmare summer with the bat pegged him back.

In his past 15 innings across all formats before Saturday night, Bancroft passed 20 twice as Nathan McSweeney and Konstas both went past him in the pecking order. But Bancroft looked back to being in good touch against Sixers, hitting three sixes and five fours. His innings helped keep Thunder’s innings together, as Oliver Davies also banged 47 from 34 for the hosts and hit three straight sixes off Todd Murphy.

Playing for the first time since being called into Australia’s Test squad, Konstas went to cut a short ball from Akeal Hosein and bottom-edged it on to his stumps. The 19-year-old’s duck came after he had set the BBL alight on debut five days earlier, smashing the fastest 50 in Thunder’s history against Adelaide Strikers.

It has been one of the few times he has missed out on making a score this summer, since making a splash with twin tons to start the Sheffield Shield season for New South Wales.

Konstas said axed Test opener McSweeney had been among the first to congratulate him, following an initial call from chief selector George Bailey.

“I was so thrilled and called my parents straight away, and they were very emotional,” Konstas said on Fox’s BBL coverage. “Mum was in tears so I was trying not to cry. Dad was super proud. It’s been an amazing journey with all the ups and downs.

“I’m very excited. I want to be challenged and I’ve got a few plans against [India’s] bowlers. I feel like I’m moving really nicely so hopefully I get that opportunity.”