Stunning Jack Edwards catch not enough for Sydney Sixers to beat Hobart Hurricanes in BBL playoffs

The Hobart Hurricanes, led by a stellar performance from Riley Meredith, defeated the Sydney Sixers by 12 runs, putting them just one step away from their first Big Bash League (BBL) title. Meredith's fast bowling set the foundation for the Hurricanes' victory, giving them a chance to compete for the ultimate championship.

Chasing 173, the Sydney Sixers needed 21 runs off the final six balls, but Chris Jordan conceded only eight, ultimately ending the innings at 5-161 on a packed Bellerive Oval on Tuesday night. Jordan Silk stepped up when his team was in trouble at 3-5, scoring 57 off 44 balls to give the Sixers hope, but it wasn't enough to lead his team to victory.

Meredith was outstanding in the opening spell, bowling at over 152kph, catching the Sixers off guard. He first dismissed Josh Philippe with his fourth delivery, followed by Ben McDermott catching Moises Henriques at slip for just one run. Silk partnered with Kurtis Patterson (48 off 33 balls) and rookie Lachlan Shaw (33 off 25 balls not out) to give their team a chance, but ultimately fell short.

Late in the game, Ben Dwarshuis hit a six, giving the Sixers some hope. However, Jordan took a catch at deep mid-wicket off Nathan Ellis’ bowling, dismissing Silk, and the Sixers were unable to complete the comeback. "It feels great, but the job's not done yet," Jordan said. "Riley has been outstanding all season, his pace is so threatening. When we see that, we start to feed off it."

Hobart has reached the final twice before (2013/14 and 2017/18 seasons), but they are one of the few teams yet to win the title. Sydney, on the other hand, were missing experienced players, with Steve Smith, Todd Murphy, and Sean Abbott traveling to Sri Lanka for two Test matches. "At 3-5, you're asking a lot of your batters, but I thought the guys showed a lot of fight and gave us a chance," Henriques said.

Earlier, a red-hot Micky Owen (36 off 15 balls) got the Hurricanes off to a good start, followed by Tim David (25 off 10 balls) playing a role late in the innings. The Hurricanes were threatening to post a huge total, starting at 0-43 after three overs, but struggled in the middle overs. Sydney all-rounder Jack Edwards took a brilliant catch, described by commentator Mark Howard as "catch of the summer," to dismiss Matthew Wade off Mitchell Perry's bowling.

Owen, who has been excellent since being moved to the top of the order this season, hit four boundaries off his first eight balls after Hobart lost the coin toss. But the Hurricanes' innings slowed when he was dismissed in the fifth over by English wrist-spinner Jafer Chohan (2-28). Caleb Jewell (40 off 41 balls) and McDermott (42 off 31 balls) struggled in the middle overs, until the latter exploded in the power surge.