Pope tipped to shine with Sixers

Flame-haired leg-spin sensation Lloyd Pope is in the running to make his KFC Big Bash League debut in Saturday's season-opening clash with the Perth Scorchers.

The 19-year-old is in contention to line up at the SCG after being named in the Sixers' 13-man squad.

Pope and fellow leg-spinner Daniel Fallins are fighting it out for a spot in the XI with the final decision to be made at the toss.

After just four first-class games, Pope has already earned a cult following after running through England with 8-35 at the Under-19 World Cup earlier in the year.

He took 7-87 in his second first-class game when playing for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield competition at the start of the season, before going wicketless in consecutive matches in the lead-up to the U19 National Championships earlier this month.

Pope starred during this tournament and finished as the leading wicket taker with 20 scalps at an impressive average of 13.65.

Former Test spinner and Sixers teammate Steve O'Keefe was coy on whether Pope would get a run but said he was ready to make the step up.

"He's going to be the kind of guy who comes in and has a cult following straight away with those beautiful red locks of his and bowling leg spin," O'Keefe said.

"And he's super talented - a bloke who can take seven-fer in a Shield game.

"I genuinely believe he's ready. He's got a superb wrong-un which we've seen, he spins his leg-spinner, which is what everyone talks about. He's an attacking sort of bowler and what I like about him is he's willing to learn and listen.

"I don't want to put too much pressure on the kid, at 19 I was still playing second grade and here he is playing frontline men's cricket."

The Sixers are intent on compounding the pain on arch-rivals the Scorchers following the Perth franchise's first-up loss to the Melbourne Renegades on Thursday night.

They still have vivid memories of losing the 2014-15 and 2016-17 finals to the Scorchers and want to put them under pressure by relegating them to 0-2.

"They're going to be hungry and they've got a good record against us, particularly at home at the SCG," O'Keefe said.

"It will be a good statement for us if we can win.

"They're the same team and a year smarter and a year better with a lot of development. They've got a lot of match-winners in that top six, a great bowling unit and a great all-round unit."

Sydney Sixers v Perth Scorchers, SCG, 3.30pm AEDT

Sydney Sixers: Sean Abbott, Justin Avendano, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Dan Fallins, Moises Henriques, Dan Hughes, Steve O'Keefe, Josh Philippe, Lloyd Pope, Jordan Silk

Perth Scorchers: Ashton Turner (c), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff,  Will Bosisto, Hilton Cartwright, Nathan Coulter Nile, Josh Inglis, Michael Klinger, Usman Qadir, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman, David Willey