Jack Edwards could hardly have been blunter when he met reporters at the SCG on Wednesday. “Yeah, we stuffed it up a bit,” the all-rounder admitted, reflecting on the 47-run loss to Perth Scorchers that left Sydney Sixers needing the long route to the Big Bash final. Perth’s 146 for 9 looked manageable; 99 all out suggested otherwise. The equation is now simple: beat Hobart Hurricanes in Thursday’s Challenger and the Sixers still play for the title, lose and the season ends with a whimper.
A second chance was earned by finishing in the top two, and the match is back on home turf. That, Edwards believes, is no time to go into a shell. “If it requires us to chase 190 or 200 we’ve got to play fearlessly, so there’s no reason to go shy now,” he said. In other words, Steven Smith cannot be the whole plan.
Smith’s numbers since re-joining the squad—100 from 42 balls, 54 off 40, then 37 before Mahli Beardman bounced him out—have done more than steady the innings, they have carried it. Yet even Smith grimaced when Edwards was bowled for nought by Cooper Connolly in Perth, the camera catching his frustration. Ben McDermott, who captained the Hurricanes through their Knockout win over Melbourne Stars, allowed himself a quiet smile at that predicament. “One thing that is in our favour is that he [Smith] is probably due to fail at some point,” he remarked.
Whether that happens or not, the Sixers will likely be stronger with Mitchell Starc. The left-arm quick jarred his shoulder diving in the outfield at Optus Stadium but still clocked good pace and is expected to play. Edwards, meanwhile, has his own tail up: 17 wickets at 17.64 and an economy rate below eight after never bowling in his first four BBL seasons. That return has earned him a maiden Australia T20 call-up for the tour of Pakistan next month.
The batting order around Smith is younger than many title-contending sides. Lachlan Shaw and Joel Davies, both into their first full seasons, sandwiched Edwards in the Qualifier. Shaw has already turned out for Australia A, Davies has struck at above 150, and Edwards himself is scoring at 182.53. Jordan Silk, usually the safety valve, remains on the bench.
“I think it’s an exciting opportunity, seeing the future that’s there,” Edwards said. “We got thrown in the deep end the other night and didn’t quite handle it as well as we could have, but it’s a learning opportunity. All we can do is take something away from it and try and get better.”
Davies has been as valuable with the ball as he has with the bat. The 22-year-old left-arm spinner owns 12 wickets at 12.58, conceding barely a run a ball across the competition. “I think the thing that stands out is his [Davies’] composure for such a young guy,” Edwards noted. “He doesn’t seem flustered at all at times. He’s bowled to some big names and some tough overs.”
Heads may still shake at how 63 for 3 became 99 all out, yet there is little time for introspection. The Hurricanes arrive with the momentum of last year’s triumph and a deep bowling pack led by Nathan Ellis and Riley Meredith, both adept at the SCG’s skiddy surface. A short boundary square of the wicket often tempts batters into errors; Edwards concedes risk is part of the calculation but sees no alternative. The side that blinked in Perth, he insists, will not be the one that takes the field on Thursday night.
Challenger finals have a habit of throwing up unlikely heroes. Should Smith fail early—McDermott’s wishful prediction—somebody else must seize the moment. Edwards, arm whirling and bat swinging, is determined to be in that conversation. The rest of the line-up knows the brief: stay bold, stay balanced, and, above all, don’t be shy.
