Hayden Kerr, the Sixers’ makeshift opener, strikes an unbeaten 98 to seal the victory on the final ball, but the Sixers are left biting their wounds after three more key players are injured.
Hayden Kerr, a young allrounder, had produced a spectacular win against all odds as the Sydney Sixers crawled past the Adelaide Strikers to preserve the dream of a historic three-peat alive.
The 25-year-old smashed the third-last ball of the match into the stands before scampering a two and a four to get the Sixers across the line in a last-ball thriller, needing 12 to win off the final over.
The right-hander concluded with a score of 98 not out, and he and fellow allrounder Sean Abbott (41 off 20) got the Sixers back into the game when they were 4-101 in the 15th over, putting up 55 in a match-winning partnership.
However, the Sixers will be weighing the cost of their spectacular victory, and with their top three hitters from their penultimate regular-season match already out, middle-order batsman Jordan Silk seems certain to miss the final against the Perth Scorchers after reinjuring his hamstring on the field.
Silk was supposed to play at No. 10 but walked to the wicket at No. 8 before being sensationally injured before the last delivery with the Sixers needing two runs to win.
To make matters worse, skipper Moises Henriques suffered a calf injury while batting and spent the majority of his innings between the wickets hobbling.
With Josh Philippe ruled out with COVID-19 and Daniel Hughes unable to pass a fitness test due to an ankle injury, Kerr was thrown into the spotlight to open the batting and keep the dream of a historic three-peat alive.
The @sixersBBL decision to retire Jordan Silk hurt on the final ball caught us all off-guard 🤔 #BBL11 pic.twitter.com/GbU2qfBgBi
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 26, 2022
Kerr, who gave Test keeper Alex Carey a stumping chance with the first delivery of the chase, batted in the midwicket area in his 58-ball innings, displaying skill with a ramp off the Strikers last over hero from their previous encounter, Harry Conway.
But he struggled to find a partner as Henry Thornton (2-40) and Conway (2-37) ensured the wickets at the other end continued falling.
