Star Australian batter Steve Smith auditioned for the T20 World Cup opening slot with a half-century to lead the Sydney Sixers to an eight-run victory over the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24 at the SCG.
Smith picked up from where he left off in the BBL last summer, opening the batting and setting the tone for the Sixers with a superb 61-run knock. After posting 175 for 6, Sydney Sixers restricted Melbourne Renegades to 167 for 7, extending their four-year unbeaten streak over their Melbourne rivals.
Smith steered the ship, forging a 69-run third-wicket stand with Moises Henriques after the Sixers lost two for two in a horrific start after being asked to bat. Smith hit his seventh BBL half-century with a single off Sutherland, who finished with 2-21.
Star Australian spinner Adam Zampa (2 for 24) managed to dismiss Smith in the 17th over. Zampa forced Smith into skying a shot to deep square leg, where Jono Wells took a fantastic catch. Zampa threatened to turn the game on its head with his following delivery, bowling English allrounder Tom Curran for a golden duck, but he fell short of his first BBL hat-trick.
Nonetheless, the leg-spinner slowed the Sixers’ momentum, which they finally regained in the penultimate over, which contained two sixes from Jordan Silk (26no from 14 balls). Smith’s unusual clash with Nathan Lyon was postponed after the great off-spinner missed the game to prepare for next week’s Perth Test. Smith hopes to return to the Sixers this summer in a match against the Sydney Thunder on January 12, which falls between the Pakistan and West Indies Test series.
