Sydney Sixers prioritise consistency for the pointy end of the season as they chase their eighth straight finals appearance
Sixers out to rewrite recent finals record: BBL|15 preview
After falling short in their past four finals campaigns, Sydney Sixers enter KFC BBL|15 determined to make amends at the business end of the season.
Chasing a record eighth straight finals appearance, Greg Shipperd's side will inject fresh overseas talent into a stable domestic list to be led again by veteran allrounder Moises Henriques.
Sixers stalwart James Vince won't return in BBL|15 after amassing more than 2000 runs across seven seasons with the club.
In his place is Pakistan superstar Babar Azam who will make his Big Bash debut in the season opener against Perth Scorchers on Sunday night.
World Cup winning allrounder Sam Curran – player of the final in England's 2022 triumph – will also join the squad halfway through the season. Crucially, both players, as well as English leg-spinner Jafer Chohan, will be available for the finals should the Sixers qualify.
BBL|15 season previews
"It's been four years now where we've had really strong regular seasons, finishing first or second, and then we get to the finals and … we've had a couple of disappointing finals performances," Henriques said.
"Obviously, we've got to play well enough during the season to get there so I don't want to count any chickens before they hatch but if we're able to get there, we want to build a cricket team that's sustainable.
"The last couple of years we've lost some key batters with Vince and Steve Smith not being available for those finals.
"This season all our internationals are available for at least the second half and onwards, which has been different to how we've done things in the past.
"Now we've just got to get to the finals and make sure that we have a chance to use that experience and knowledge."
Finishing in the top four is a feat the Sixers have managed in 11 of the tournament's 14 editions, which has been built on the back of their renowned list stability.
That'll again be the case this season with young gun Lachlan Shaw and veteran fast bowler Kane Richardson the only local additions to their roster for BBL|15.
"We've got a lot of really good people at the club, and I think everyone genuinely gets a bit excited when they come together at this time of the year," Henriques said.
"Someone like Jordan Silk, who I think for an opposition team it would be pretty easy to underrate as a player, but everyone gets a lot of energy from seeing him come home to Sydney and he just brings a whole heap of value to the club.
"Dan Hughes as well coming back (after missing last season with injury).
'We try not to just pick people up for one or two years because it's really hard to get that buy in for a year and the player kind of feels like they're just coming to collect and then leave.
"We're trying to build something that every time they come they feel a little bit better and (more part of) the family. The longer you're a part of a culture or set up the more you feel connected to that and that's what we've tried to create.
"We've been lucky that a lot of the player have just delivered along the way."
Last season
Result: Third, lost Challenger to Sydney Thunder
Most runs: Moises Henriques (238)
Most wickets: Ben Dwarshuis (14)
BBL|15 squad
Sean Abbott, Babar Azam, Jafer Chohan, Sam Curran, Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Ben Manenti, Todd Murphy, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, Kane Richardson, Lachlan Shaw, Jordan Silk, Steve Smith. Marquee supplementary list: Mitchell Starc. Replacement players: Harjas Singh, Charlie Stobo.
Ins: Lachlan Shaw, Kane Richardson (Renegades)
Outs: Lachlan Hearne (Heat), Jackson Bird (Hurricanes), Hanno Jacobs, Kurtis Patterson
Internationals: Babar Azam (Pakistan), Jafer Chohan (England), Sam Curran (England)
Head coach: Greg Shipperd
Season schedule
Possible best XIs
Full strength: Steve Smith, Babar Azam, Josh Philippe (wk), Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Sam Curran, Jack Edwards, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy
For the first game: Babar Azam, Daniel Hughes, Josh Philippe, Moises Henriques (c), Lachlan Shaw, Harjas Singh, Jack Edwards, Ben Dwarshuis, Hayden Kerr, Mitch Perry, Todd Murphy
Player availability
Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc won't be available until after the Ashes in mid-January, but the left-armer is aiming to end his decade-long absence from the Big Bash as he won't be part of Australia's T20 World Cup campaign in February having retired from T20 internationals.
Draft pick Sam Curran will also join the Sixers in the second half of the season following a stint with Desert Vipers in the UAE. Curran will also be available for the finals if the Sixers qualify, while fellow overseas recruits Babar Azam and Jafer Chohan are available for the entire BBL|15 tournament.
Sean Abbott is on the mend from a hamstring injury suffered playing for NSW in the Sheffield Shield last month, but his availability for the opening stages of the season is unclear. But fellow Aussie quick Ben Dwarshuis will lead the attack after a sensational past 12 months at international level where he was Australia's leading wicket-taker at February's Champions Trophy while also collecting 15 scalps in 10 T20Is this year.
"He'll be ready to go and he's coming off a pretty good run of form with a lot of Australian stuff, so hopefully lots of wickets and some big sixes for him this season," Sixers wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe said of Dwarshuis.
Overseas recruits
Babar Azam (Pakistan): The former top-ranked T20 international batter was secured by the Sixers as their pre-draft signing in June with full availability for the BBL|15 season, including finals. Babar recently overtook India's Rohit Sharma as the most prolific T20 batter of all-time with 4,429 runs at an average nudging 40.
"He's a world-class player so I'm looking forward to watching him go about his work," Philippe said. "Hopefully there will be some big crowds at the SCG coming to support him and us."
Sam Curran (England): The left-arm pace-bowling allrounder was taken at pick seven by the Sixers in June's overseas player draft and will be available from early January following a stint in the UAE T20 competition. Curran, part of Oval Invincibles Hundred three-peat, has represented England in 64 T20 internationals. He will make his Big Bash debut this summer and has previously enjoyed success in Australia as England's leading wicket-taker at the 2022 T20 World Cup with 13 in six games.
Jafer Chohan (England): The 23-year-old leg-spinner returns for a second straight season with the Sixers after being taken with pick 30 in the draft. Chohan had to bide his time on the bench last season but impressed when he finally got his opportunity towards the end of the tournament, claiming three wickets at an economy rate of 6.66 in three games, including 2-28 in their Qualifier final loss to eventual champions Hobart Hurricanes.
Inside word with Sixers wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe
Rewriting finals pain
The Sixers are the league's second most successful club behind Perth Scorchers, and such has been their consistency that they've qualified for the past seven BBL finals campaigns – the equal longest streak in the competition's history.
But their recent finals record hasn't been kind, and last season they lost both of their playoff matches for the second time in three years to drop out of the race in straight sets. A big turnover of personnel ahead of the finals hasn't helped, with overseas recruits departing for rival tournaments and their homegrown stars, like Steve Smith, Sean Abbott and Todd Murphy last season, called up for international duties.
However, this season is different. Big name international recruit Babar Azam is here for the entire season, while English allrounder Sam Curran arrives halfway through and will stay for the pointy end of the campaign. Spinner Jafer Chohan is also available for the full season and there's a window free of Australian men's internationals following the Ashes, so Smith could also feature deep into the tournament.
"We've been so successful over the last period getting there," Philippe said. "We've got a very similar squad so no doubt we'll be in contention again, but in those last moments, how can we do that better?
"It's always a challenge when you lose your overseas players at the back end of the competition and no doubt a big focus (of off-season recruiting) was getting guys towards that back-end and who was available for the longest."
New faces
Young gun Lachlan Shaw scored his first full Big Bash contract after impressing in seven games last season as a replacement player for Steve Smith, while veteran quick Kane Richardson has joined the Sixers after eight seasons with Melbourne Renegades.
It means the Sixers now boast three of the competition's top four wicket-takers of all-time in their pace attack with the fourth-placed Richardson (141 wickets) joining Sean Abbott, who is top of the tally with 175 scalps, and Ben Dwarshuis (148) who is third.
"'Shawy' came on pretty nicely last season, and I think he's going to have a big year," Philippe said. "He's an exciting young player; he's got all the shots and he's also a gun fielder.
"'Richo's is also a great addition. He's obviously been around a long time and done it all around the world, so excited for him to be part of our group as well."
Player to watch
"Big Jack Edwards is going to have a big year – his batting and bowling has gone to another level. No doubt that extra responsibility (of being NSW captain) is taking his game to the next level as well," Philippe said.
"His four-day bowling has been super consistent, but he's also got a few tricks up his sleeve and can bowl in any period during the game … I'm looking forward to seeing him put some big performances together."
Who will the Sixers play in the Final?
"Probably Hobart again, they line up pretty nicely. Hopefully it's a SCG final with us and Hobart there."