Friday night lights bring the Sydney Derby to life as the Sydney Sixers take on the Sydney Thunder in a clash with very different motivations on both sides. The Sixers are still chasing a place in the finals and know there is little room for error, while the Thunder arrive with nothing to lose and the chance to play spoiler against their cross-town rivals.
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Betting tips for Big Bash League (BBL15) Sixers vs Thunder
SCG, Friday 16 January, 7.15pm AEDT
Sydney Sixers
The Sixers sit fifth on the ladder with a 4–3 record and likely need to win their final two games to give themselves the best chance of qualifying for the finals. Their most recent outing against the Hurricanes was a bust on Sunday night with just five overs bowled, leaving them fresh but still looking for rhythm heading into this crucial derby.
As for the roster, the Sixers have received significant reinforcement in recent weeks. Steve Smith has rejoined the squad, while Sam Curran and Sean Abbott have also returned to the fold during the second half of the season, dramatically raising their ceiling with both bat and ball. Batting depth has been a mild concern so far, with Josh Philippe the only Sixer to surpass 200 runs this season, but Smith’s presence should go a long way in stabilizing the top and middle order.
Sydney Thunder
It was a season to forget for the Thunder, who sit bottom of the table at 2-7, but they did earn a morale-boosting win over the Renegades in a rain-affected match on Monday night. Bowling first, Sydney did well to restrict Melbourne to 8 for 170, with Wes Agar the standout performer, claiming 2 for 23 from his four overs.
Rain then shortened the chase from 16 overs to 140, and after a shaky start it was Chris Green and Nic Maddinson who steadied the ship. Both scored quick 30s to guide the Thunder home with four balls to spare, giving them a glimpse of what this side can do when things click. With nothing to lose, expect them to throw everything at their more desirable rivals.
Match prediction
It’s hard to look past the Sixers here. The stakes are much higher, there is more depth in both disciplines and recent additions that raise their level considerably. The return of Steve Smith in particular gives their hitting an authority that it has sometimes lacked this season.
The Thunder will relish the chance to upset their rivals’ finals and won’t tilt, especially after tasting success earlier this week. Still, the Sixers’ talent and motivation should be evident over a full game. The challenge is for Sydney Sixers to take control of the derby and keep their finals hopes alive.
Sixers to win
$1.57 (4 units)
BBL Sixers vs Thunder Prop Bet
Steve Smith is a standout piece. Due to international commitments, he rarely performs at the Big Bash, but when he does, he almost never misses. Since the start of the 2022 BBL season, Smith’s scores have read 36, 101, 125 not out, 66, 18, 61, 0, 121 not out and 52, averaging an extraordinary 82.9 in that period. With the Sixers in need of a statement performance, this feels like a new place for Smith to perform.
Smith Top Sixers Point Scorer
$3.35
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