The big watch on Friday night is the Sydney weather which is threatening to wash out the Sydney Smash while there’s updates on Jamie Overton, Jacob Bethell, Mitch Marsh and more.
TEAM NEWS
There’s nothing major out of selection for Friday’s Sydney Sixers-Sydney Thunder clash at the SCG, with the main focus being the weather with 4-25mm of rain forecast.
The Sixers named an unchanged 14-man squad for the game, with Jackson Bird and Kurtis Patterson both absent again.
The Thunder made one change with Wes Agar returning and Liam Hatcher dropping out. Daniel Sams has been ruled out for the season with a side strain.
Unchanged
Sixers squad: Henriques (c), Abbott, Chohan, Davies, Dwarshuis, Edwards, Kerr, Manenti, Murphy, Perry, Philippe, Shaw, Silk, Smith
Ins: Agar / Outs: Hatcher
Thunder squad: Warner (c), Agar, Andrews, Billings, Christian, Davies, Garton, Gilkes, Green, Hasnain, Konstas, McAndrew, T.Sangha, Weibgen
UPDATES
Jamie Overton, Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett have played their final BBL|14 games, with England duty calling for the trio. They’re off for a white-ball series against India, so won’t play in Round 9.
Matt Kuhnemann sustained a thumb injury late in the Brisbane Heat’s loss to the Hobart Hurricanes on Thursday. The injury looked like a dislocation but no official update has been provided. That may open the door for Paul Walter to play their Round 9 game.
Jake Weatherald withdrew from the Adelaide Strikers’ squad to face the Sixers on Wednesday. Adelaide explained in an update: “Weatherald aggravated his back today and will be replaced in the squad by James Bazley.”
There’s no clarity yet on whether Chris Lynn (hamstring) will play their final game against Perth either but they’ll be decimated with Overton already out too.
Scorchers young gun Sam Fanning was asked about Mitch Marsh’s availability for that game but was none the wiser. He said: “Not sure as of yet. We know it’s really important he spends time with his family.
“If he can play in front of the home crowd on Saturday, that’d be great, but if not, we totally understand as well.”
