The Sydney Sixers sealed back-to-back Big Bash League (BBL) titles after beating the Perth Scorchers by 27 runs in the final between the league's two most successful teams at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.
The Sixers, who were playing at home for the first time in the tournament with a crowd of about 25,000 fans in attendance, are now tied with the Scorchers with three titles each after 10 editions of the BBL.
"It was a pretty special atmosphere," Sixers captain Moises Henriques said. "We got used to playing in front of empty stands, so to come home and play in front of this crowd was fantastic. They gave us an extra leg."
Put into bat by the Scorchers, Sixers' opening batsman James Vince smashed 95 off 60 balls including 10 boundaries and three sixes, setting up his side to finish on 188-6 after their 20 overs.
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Having scored 98 not out in a successful chase in the qualifier against the same opponent, Vince narrowly missed out on a century when he attempted to cut spinner Fawad Ahmed but produced a thick edge to find Mitchell Marsh at backward point.
In response, the Scorchers started on the front foot with Cameron Bancroft (30) and Liam Livingstone (45) scoring at more than 10 runs per over.
But fast bowler Jackson Bird throttled the scoring and conceded only 14 runs in his first three overs, with the veteran first dismissing Bancroft before getting rid of Livingstone.
With pressure climbing and 75 runs to get in six overs, Ben Dwarshuis struck twice when Vince first took a sharp diving catch in the covers to dismiss Marsh before Josh Inglis sliced a shot to Henriques at mid off.
Aaron Hardie provided some late fireworks with 26 off 13 but it was too big a mountain to climb as Dwarshuis had him caught for his third wicket, before the tail enders fell cheaply and the Scorchers fell short to finish on 161-9.
"Credit goes to Sydney," Scorchers captain Ashton Turner said. "They've been the best team in the competition for two years and they deserve the title."
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