Dan Christian and Jordan Silk's 77-run partnership is SS's highest for the 6th wicket in T20s, breaking the record of 71 between Brad Haddin and Johan Botha

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Melbourne Stars out of finals as clinical Sydney Sixers finish on top of the table

Sixers took the Bash Boost point and then victory as Stars missed the playoffs for just the second time in competition history

26-Jan-2021•Alex Malcolm

Match centre Comms : Varun Shetty

Scorecard summary

Melbourne Stars1 Inn

177/6(20 overs)

66 (41)

3/27 (4)

*38 (19)

2/28 (4)

Sydney Sixers2 Inn

180/5(19.5 overs)

*49 (23)

1/6 (1)

46 (32)

1/35 (4)

Cricinfo's Most Valuable Players of the Match

Player	Team	TI	B. Impact	Bowl
Ben Dwarshuis	SS	78.56	-	3/27
Dan Christian	SS	74.98	74.98	-
Glenn Maxwell	MS	74.47	74.47	-
Nic Maddinson	MS	53.67	24.99	1/6
Hilton Cartwright	MS	51.38	51.38	-

View full list

10:47pm And that is the group stage done. Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers finish top two, and will face off at the Sixers' ground for a direct shot at the grand final. Sydney Thunder, Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers are the teams that follow them into the playoffs. It will be Brisbane Heat v Adelaide Strikers to start things off in the knockout phases, the winner will play third-placed Sydney Thunder. And the winner of that will take on the loser from the top-two clash. That is how things are lined up.

Much closer, it is Ben Dwarshuis who is Player of the Match for his three wickets and being part of the bowling effort that restricted Melbourne Stars early in the game. Stars needed all four points to go through and their batting in the first 10 overs simply made that untenable. Sixers got to that in eight overs, and had good batting efforts from Vince and Henriques at the start, and then Silk and Christian at the end. A beautifully paced chase after they had sealed first spot in eight overs. Thank you for joining us tonight. We will see you soon.

19.5

Stanlake to Christian, FOUR runs

top edge runs away fine of fine leg and that is the victory sealed for Sixers, who finish top of the table by some distance. A sharp bouncer at the helmet, but he managed to get enough on it

Short third, point, extra cover, mid-off and mid-on are the fielders in the circle

19.4

Stanlake to Silk, 1 run

slower bouncer at off stump, pulled to deep square

19.3

Stanlake to Christian, 1 run

high full toss and a miscued pull into the midwicket region. That was above waist height, surely? Certainly marginal, but not called

Trent: "Dan "fine wine" Christian"

19.2

Stanlake to Christian, SIX runs

oh and that will silence them! Short ball at leg stump, stands up tall with a forward press and smokes this pull over square leg

19.1

•

Stanlake to Christian, no run

crowd comes to life as he beats the bat with a slower short ball that grips and climbs. He was backing away, looking to dab it past short third

Over19

11 runs

SS 168/5CRR: 8.84 RRR: 10.00

JC Silk 34 (24b 3x4)DT Christian 38 (19b 4x4 1x6)

SL Rainbird1/39 (4)

This must be one of the lowest risk T20 chases in a long time. The required rate has been steep, but you woudnt't know it. They've brought it down to ten off the last over now. Can they seal it? Stanlake to try and stop them.

18.6

Rainbird to Silk, 2 runs

slower ball, short of a length at middle stump. Pulls to deep midwicket's right and they steal a second

18.5

Rainbird to Christian, 1 run

full slower ball lobbed up outside off. Hammers it but straight to long-off along the ground

18.4

Rainbird to Christian, 2 runs

slower short ball, dug in at an off stump line. Walks at it and pulls to long-on's right

18.3

Rainbird to Silk, 1 run

slower short ball outside off, backs away and cuts firmly and on the bounce to sweeper cover

18.2

Rainbird to Christian, 1 run

short of a length in the corridor, punched to sweeper cover

Raja : "The more I watch Dan Christian, the more I wonder what he could've done more to be part of Aus Team for a longer period. I think he would've been there if the "Finisher" Faulkner didn't arrive."

18.1

Rainbird to Christian, FOUR runs

swatted to the fine leg boundary. Slower ball at a length from around the wicket, walks down on it and takes it on despite being deceived in the pace. Bit off the top edge, but well clear of short fine

Over18

14 runs

SS 157/5CRR: 8.72 RRR: 10.50

DT Christian 30 (15b 3x4 1x6)JC Silk 31 (22b 3x4)

NM Coulter-Nile1/35 (4)

This has been a pretty breezy partnership to keep them in the game. Helps that Stars are a bit flat in the field right now

17.6

Coulter-Nile to Christian, 1 run

short of a length at off, backs away and steers this to short third with an open face

17.5

Coulter-Nile to Christian, FOUR runs

blazed past point! Whew. Vicious cut that one, short of a length delivery angled into him and he scythed hard

17.4

Coulter-Nile to Christian, FOUR runs

dropped! Short fine leg tips it over. It's a slower ball, short and into the hips. Swivels around for the pull and it's just over the fielder's head. He mistimes his stretch

17.3

Coulter-Nile to Christian, 2 runs

slower short ball outisde off, adjusts his attempted and expertly pats it in front of deep extra cover with soft hands for the second

17.2

Coulter-Nile to Silk, 1 run

slower ball at a length, turning into leg stump. Pulls on the bounce to deep backward square

17.1

Coulter-Nile to Silk, 2 runs

slower ball at a length outside off, waits on it and slashes to sweeper's left