Teams:
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Perth: Michael Klinger(c), Shaun Marsh, Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft(w), Ashton Agar, Ashton Turner, David Willey, Joel Paris, Jason Behrendorff, Andrew Tye, Brad Hogg
Sydney Sixers: Ed Cowan, Michael Lumb, Nic Maddinson(c), Jordan Silk, Johan Botha, Ryan Carters(w), Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Ben Dwarshuis, William Somerville, Doug Bollinger
This match will begin as soon the Melbourne derby is over. You can follow the live blog of that game here. It's heading to a thrilling finish.
Alright then, Melbourne Stars cruise to a seven-wicket win. Lumb and Cowan are out in the middle at the WACA, Behrendorff has the ball and we are all set to rock and roll.
There's the first wicket. David Willey gets the ball to come back in after pitching. Cowan looked at the pitch in disappointment. This was just short of a good length and around off, the ball kept a touch low as Cowan tried to defend it off the back foot, it hit a crack as well. The ball sneaked under Cowan's blade and crashed into the stumps. Great start for the Scorchers and Maddinson walks out to bat at No. 3.
The Sixers find themselves in a spot of bother after electing to bat, having only 36 runs on the board after seven overs with Ed Cowan, Jordan Silk and Nic Maddinson back in the shed. Michael Lumb is marching on despite having run out of partners so far.
David Willey has been instrumental in pegging them back with two wickets for just 17 runs in three overs.
Behrendorff gets the better of Johan Botha with the extra bounce as the ball takes a faint nick through to the wicketkeeper. Poor stroke from him and he pays the price. Sixers are 49 for 4.
While wickets have been falling regularly at the other end, Michael Lumb has marched on with much determination. However, he fell just on the brink of a half-century as he holed out to Paris in the deep on 47 off 45 balls. Beherendorff picked up his second wicket of the night.
Youngster Ben Dwarshuis is castled by Andrew Tye. Sydney are 100 for 6 after 17.3 overs... Ryan Carters and Sean Abbott areat the crease. How many will the Sixers get from here?
Willey picks up his third wicket as Sean Abbott holes out to Ashton Agar in the deep. If Sydney get to an improbable 140 from here, they will be pleased given how they've gone about their innings. Doug Bollinger comes it at No.9! Slogger much?
Sydney's last hope to get to a decent score is lost as Carters departs early in the final over.
And yet again, Perth dominate with the ball. David Willey picked up three wickets to lead Perth's attack. This has been the recurring pattern in the Big Bash: bowl first, restrict opposition to sub-par total and canter to win. They've done two of the three today. All that is left is to chase down 113.
Chasing a modest total, the Scorchers did not really need to do many reckless things in order to get there - and so they didn't. They started slow and steady to saunter to 47 in seven overs with both openers - Michael Klinger and Shaun Marsh - going about their job with intelligence.
Perth need 66 from 78 balls.
Sixers finally get one wicket. Klinger holes out to fine leg where Somerville takes a straightforward catch. Marsh, however, belted the next two balls from Abbott for boundaries. Perth are doing this easy peasy.
Shaun Marsh leads Perth's chase with a very calm and composed half-century. This is his 11th Big Bash fifty - that after he has scores of 47 and 76* in his previous innings.
Perth Scorchers registered their 16th win at home after a nine-wicket belting of the Sydney Sixers and continue their dominance in the tournament. It was another clinical performance from the all-round Scorchers. The defending champions are showcasing just why they have beebn such a force to reckon with in the BBL. Perth have lost only two wickets in their last three games - a reflection on the success of their batsmen. That, after their bowlers have complemented their efforts just as well.
After David Willey led the bowling with three wickets and helped restrict the Sydney Sixers to 112 in 20 overs, Shaun Marsh made easy work of the chase with an unbeaten 63 off 54 balls, taking Perth to their third win in the tournament. Perth sit pretty at the top of the table, while Sixers slip to sixth. They will need to turn things around if they have to end up anywhere at the top. A hapless batting effort today set them back to the extent of no salvage from their bowlers.
Marsh, on the other hand, is among the top five run-getters this season with 186 in three innings at an average of 186. Perth's all-round success is what makes them a great team and with all departments working in tandem, they are the team to cpmpete with for the glory of the silverware once again!
