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Steady Sixers cruise after Perth collapse

The Sydney Sixers have their second win of BBL|06 after a six-wicket win against Perth in a low-scoring affair at the SCG

The results: Perth Scorchers 8-130 (M Marsh 31*, Somerville 2-10) lost to Sydney Sixers 4-132 (Billings 40, Tye 3-15) by six wickets with 12 balls to spare

Match in a tweet: Scorchers all fizzle and no sizzle in Sydney as the Sixers take it easy to make short work of meagre run chase.

Top Billings: Jason Roy's injury enforced absence robbed the Sixers faithful of one of the game's big hitters but fellow England white-ball international Sam Billings made up for it with some big striking. After Perth's wayward innings, Billings put any concerns about the pitch to rest, striking cleanly through the ball for seven boundaries in a 30-ball knock.

Top Billings: Sixers opener makes a splash

The return: Shaun Marsh's broken finger has occupied many column centimetres in Australian cricket over the past few months. Sadly for the 33-year-old Test veteran, he couldn't occupy the crease for long on his return. With hopes of a recall for the Sydney Test not out of the question, Marsh managed just eight but "looked in great touch", according to National Selector Mark Waugh, in the Network 10 commentary box.

Marsh makes a meal out of boundary line dive

The scorched earth: The only shock and awe from the powerful Perth batting line-up was how quickly batters came and went from the centre of the SCG. Shaun Marsh departed early, followed very quickly by Michael Klinger, and the procession just kept on keeping on. Only three batters managed to pass 20 runs, with the unbeaten 31 – from 29 balls – off the bat of Mitch Marsh the Perth team's top score.

Under-par Perth fail to hang tough in Sydney

All Tyed-up: With a target of just 131, and the start provided by Billings and Brad Haddin, the Sixers would have been eyeing an early night. But AJ Tye showed once again why he is one of the best bowlers in the Big Bash, with four tight overs that yielded three key wickets. He just didn't have enough support.

Tye takes three to keep Perth in the hunt

SCG so big? Incredibly, there was just one six hit in each innings. Perth's Sam Whiteman, elevated to No.3 as the Sixers opened with spin, struck one early on, but it took until late in the Sixers innings for another to come, provided by Johan Botha who lofted a straight drive.

The natural: There's not a stint in the Big Bash commentary for Mark Waugh that passes without some grilling on his role on Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel. But this was the first time 'Junior' had seen Botha bowl since he took Australian citizenship during the winter – making him eligible for Australia's teams. An interesting one for Waugh and Co to ponder with a Test tour to India looming in the New Year.

Botha straddles boundary to wipe out Whiteman

The stat: This was the first victory for the Sixers against the Perth Scorchers since the BBL|01 final. The teams have played some epics in the meantime, not least of all the BBL|04 final that went down to the final ball.

What's next: A New Year's Eve epic in Adelaide for the Sydney Sixers, who have a score to settle with Travis Head and the Strikers after last year's epic. For Perth, their east coast swing takes them to Melbourne where they will play the Renegades on Thursday night where Brad Hogg will line up against his former franchise. Mitchell Johnson has talked up the reception he will give him. Could the fearsome fast bowler really bump the Big Bash's most loveable character? 

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Sydney Sixers XI: Jordan Silk, Brad Haddin (wk), Moises Henriques, Sam Billings, Ryan Carters, Johan Botha, Stephen O’Keefe, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Doug Bollinger, Will Somerville.

Perth Scorchers XI: Shaun Marsh, Michael Klinger, Ian Bell, Mitchell Marsh, Adam Voges (c), Ashton Turner, Sam Whiteman, Ashton Agar, David Willey, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, 

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