A masterful 41-ball century from Steve Smith has taken the Sydney Sixers to the brink of BBL finals with a resounding five-wicket triumph over crosstown rivals the Sydney Thunder, on a rollicking night at the SCG featuring a trio of modern international superstars.
Smith’s ton, the equal third-fastest in BBL history and the champion’s record fourth in the competition, outshone a spectacular 110 not out from David Warner, who wound back the clock with a dominant display to have the Thunder on course for what seemed like an upset win to end a disappointing tournament.
But the Warner-inspired 189 – with no other player managing more than 26 – quickly proved small fry, with Smith blasting nine sixes, including four in a row as part of a BBL record 32-run over off hapless Thunder quick Ryan Hadley, to take the Sixers to a crucial victory with nearly three overs to spare despite a late wobble.
Even more extraordinary was the 107m six blasted by Smith midway through the innings onto the SCG roof.
“Obviously we knew we had to go reasonably hard from the outset,” Smith said after the match.
“We got off to a really good start with Babar [Azam], I thought he played really nice. We got a nice partnership together and set the foundation and went on from there.”
The 37-year old, who remarkably has four BBL centuries in his last 11 innings in the tournament in between international duties over the last three years, was in such scintillating form he infuriated opening partner and Pakistan superstar Babar Azam by turning down an easy single down the ground mid-innings.
“Babar Azam’s not happy!” laughed commentator Isa Guha on Fox Cricket.
“He needs to be happy – that’s a smart tactical move there from Steve Smith,” former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin added.
Babar, who was more sedate in bringing up 47, had a terse exchange with Smith at the end of the 11th over, with the Australian keen to take the strike and call for the Power Surge – which he exploited in staggering fashion by demolishing Hadley with only two fielders allowed outside the inner ring.
Babar, meanwhile, was bowled to start the next over by Nathan McAndrew, storming from the ground without a second glance back at Smith and thumping his bat on the boundary ropes.
“Not a good look, that – whatever you’re feeling, don’t show that. It’s just not a good feeling for the team environment,” former great Mark Waugh said.
With the BBL fastest century record within his grasp on 98 off 38 balls, Smith slowed down to settle for a 41-ball ton, behind former Perth Scorcher Craig Simmons and Hobart Hurricanes gun Mitch Owen in last year’s final (39 balls each).
The onslaught ended with Smith stumped off Tanveer Sangha for an even hundred, part of a slump of 4/16 that briefly threatened a disastrous collapse before young guns Jack Edwards (17 off 8) and Lachlan Shaw (13 off 7) finished the job.
Earlier, Warner’s second hundred of the season saw him move atop the BBL’s run-scoring leaderboards, with his third BBL ton enough to top the all-time leaderboard until Smith surpassed him hours later.
Facing fellow Test champion Mitchell Starc, making his return for the Sixers after more than a decade and 91 Tests since his last match, Warner comprehensively won the duel, the highlight an uppercut over backward point for six to take 15 off the left-armer’s first over.
But the solo hand wasn’t enough for the Thunder, whose eighth defeat for the season maroons them in last on the table with only two wins.
The Sixers, meanwhile, can finish either second or fifth depending on other results, with their clash with the Brisbane Heat at the Gabba on Sunday night to decide who will join the Hobart Hurricanes, Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Stars in the final.
With Smith and Starc to face Test stars Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne in that match, a Sixers win would see them jump past the Hurricanes on net run rate and the loser of Saturday nights Scorchers-Stars game, while a loss would see them miss finals entirely.