Right then! That is all we have from this game. The action in the BBL will now continue on Sunday, the 19th of December. Brisbane Heat will take on Sydney Thunder in that match. Live action will begin at 06:40 pm local time (08:40 GMT). Till then, take care and goodbye!
Josh Philippe is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH!
The winning skipper, Moises Henriques is down for a chat. He says that Stars got 15-20 more than that what they would have been comfortable with. Adds that Glenn Maxwell played quite well and praises him. He Praises Josh for the way he batted and took the team over the line. Says that they got off to a sluggish start but once they got their eye in, the batting was superb. Mentions that his batting has a bit of premeditation but doesn't commit too much and is quite adaptable.
Sydney Sixers hardly ever lose when Josh Philippe gets to a fifty and that's exactly what happened tonight as well. After their bowlers were put under the pump by Maxwell, Sixers would have wanted to get off to a flier with the bat. That did happen but Vince went early. The skipper, Moises Henriques and Josh Philippe then steadied the ship. Henriques disappeared after a quick cameo and Hughes couldn't get going. Philippe though stayed positive and kept on punishing the bad balls. Jordan Silk came in and gave Philippe ample support as they both saw the Sixers home in the end. Philippe ended the day with an unbeaten 99 which was as good as Maxwell's hundred earlier in the night.
At the interval, Melbourne Stars would have felt that they had enough runs on board thanks to an unreal knock by skipper, Glenn Maxwell. When Nathan Coulter-Nile got Vince out early, Stars were really on top of things. But then their bowlers could not pick up further wickets as Henriques and Philippe stitched together a nice partnership. Zampa did get rid of Henriques and Hughes fell soon after. Instead of capitalizing, the Stars bowlers were hammered to all parts of the ground by Philippe. In the end, their opponents always stayed ahead of the required rate and Stars just could not get enough wickets. They will be disappointed as a bowling unit on the whole. A rare occasion when a ton from Glenn Maxwell ends up in a losing cause.
Sydney Sixers snatch the win against Melbourne Stars in the final over and we have been yet again treated to a nail-biting contest. It's still early days in the tournament but Sydney Sixers have done the double over Melbourne Stars and with this win, they rise to the top of the table as well. Melbourne Stars remain third on the points table.
SYDNEY SIXERS
182/3 (19.4)
99* (61)
29 (20)
1/22 (3)
1/28 (4)
Over 20
2
1
1
6
Josh Philippe*
99 (61)
Jordan Silk
25 (19)
Qais Ahmad
0/40 (3.4)
SIX
182/3
6
19.4
Qais Ahmad to Josh Philippe ,SIX! Josh Philippe ends at 99! Just 1 short of his ton but he has played a magnificent knock for his team. Tossed up, on off. He gets low and slog-sweeps it over the mid-wicket fence. Sydney Sixers win by 7 wickets!
1
19.3
Qais Ahmad to Jordan Silk ,A single as this is driven wide of mid off.
1
19.2
Qais Ahmad to Josh Philippe ,Ooh. That makes it tough for him to get a ton now. Shorter ball, on off. Punched to long on for one.
2
19.1
Qais Ahmad to Josh Philippe ,Tossed up, down the leg side. Josh Philippe looks to sweep but gets the top edge. It lands in the vacant fine leg region for a couple. He moves to 92. Can he get a 100?
6 required in 6 balls. Who will bowl the last over? Qais Ahmad it is!
Over 19
2
1
1wd
2
2
1
1
Josh Philippe*
90 (58)
Jordan Silk
24 (18)
Nathan Coulter-Nile
1/43 (4)
SIX
172/3
1
18.6
Nathan Coulter-Nile to Josh Philippe ,Josh backs away again and this is a slower ball, on a length and on his body. He looks to punch it away but gets the inside edge to short fine leg for a single. 6 needed from the last over.
1
18.5
Nathan Coulter-Nile to Jordan Silk ,Full and on the pads. Flicked to fine leg for an easy single. 7 from 7 now.
2
18.4
Nathan Coulter-Nile to Jordan Silk ,Silk backs away to the leg side and Nathan Coulter-Nile bowls it short on his body. Silk pulls it to the left of deep backward square leg. The fielder goes across and keeps it to a couple.
2
18.3
Nathan Coulter-Nile to Jordan Silk ,Short ball, on off. Pulled wide of deep mid-wicket for another couple.
1wd
18.3
Nathan Coulter-Nile to Josh Philippe ,Josh Philippe backs away so he is followed with a short ball. He tries to pull but it does not connect. Wide called and as the keeper fumbles, they get an extra run too.
1
18.2
Nathan Coulter-Nile to Jordan Silk ,Heaved wide of mid-wicket for a single. 14 needed from 10 now.