It’ll sell out in Perth, no doubt about it but for neutral fans, it’s dull with the Scorchers in it again. Tickets are on sale from 1pm AWST. 53,781 for the first ever ODI match played at Perth Stadium stands the record cricket attendance in Perth and I expect it to be topped or rivalled.
I like a 2v3 qualifier to go against 1 that a few comps use. The Hundred for example is also 8 teams and does it. Direct seeding for finishing top, and a few second chances for the lower teams.
In theory the finals get scaled back when they shorten the season on the new broadcast deal - but I hope they use the WBBL 4 team finals format, not the old BBL one. 3 v 4 to play vs 2, to play vs 1. Clear incentives to finish higher up the ladder and make the season matter, and doesn’t have the issue of 1st losing to 4th in a semi, which basically got this 5 team format
Brisbane Heat defeated Melbourne Renegades by seven wickets in the BBL Knockout in Melbourne tonight, and will face Sydney Sixers at the SCG on Thursday night for a spot in the grand final against the Scorchers.
Sent in to bat, the Renegades made 5 for 162 from their 20 overs, with opener Shaun Marsh top scoring with 82 not out. The Heat made the run chase quite easily with solid contributions from captain Usman Khawaja, Josh Brown and Marnus Labuschagne.
The 2023 Australian Cricket Awards were held at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse tonight. Here are the winners.
Allan Border Medal: Steve Smith (also won in 2015, 2018 and 2021)
Belinda Clark Award: Beth Mooney (also won in 2021)
Shane Warne Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year: Usman Khawaja
Community Impact Award: Usman Khawaja
BBL|12 Player of the Tournament: Matthew Short (Adelaide Strikers)
WBBL|08 Player of the Tournament: Ashleigh Gardner (Sydney Sixers)
Women’s T20 Player of the Year: Tahlia McGrath
Men’s T20 Player of the Year: Marcus Stoinis
Women’s ODI Player of the Year: Beth Mooney
Men’s ODI Player of the Year: David Warner - winning on countback after he and Steve Smith tied on 25 votes
Women’s Domestic Player of the Year: Annabel Sutherland (Victoria and Melbourne Stars)
Men’s Domestic Player of the Year: Michael Neser (Queensland and Brisbane Heat)
Betty Wilson Young Cricketer: Courtney Sippel
Bradman Young Cricketer: Lance Morris
34K tickets has been sold to the BBL final in Perth on Saturday with more tomorrow evening. We had a fan day at Forrest Place on Monday despite the warm weather
Brisbane Heat will play in only their second BBL grand final, after beating Sydney Sixers by four wickets in the Challenger at the SCG tonight. Both teams were without their Test stars who are in India, and it was Heat’s bowling and fielding that proved the difference, restricting the home side to 9/116. Heat also struggled in the run chase but all rounder Michael Neser single handedly took his team home with ten balls remaining.
Neser was named player of the match for taking 2/28 and scoring 48 not out from 34 balls (his T20 career best score).
So it will be Scorchers v Heat in Perth this Saturday afternoon to decide the season 12 winner.
The Sixers’ loss also marked the end of Dan Christian’s cricket career after more than 400 T20 matches and nine titles.