Edwards: No time for Sydney Sixers to be 'shy'

Jack Edwards has urged Sydney Sixers to remain fearless in their BBL Challenger final against defending champions Hobart Hurricanes after conceding they "stuffed it up" against Perth Scorchers, and knows it can't all be left to Steven Smith.

Sixers will have to reach the decider the long way after crumbling to 99 all out at Optus Stadium on Tuesday having restricted Scorchers to 146 on a tricky surface. They were 63 for 3 in the ninth over before a collapse of 7 for 36, but finishing in the top two means they get a second chance on home soil. Sixers are confident of having Mitchell Starc available after he landed heavily on his left shoulder in Perth but was able to complete his spell at good pace.

Edwards, who is the team's leading wicket-taker and has earned an Australia call-up for the T20Is in Pakistan, was part of the collapse when he was bowled for a duck trying to give himself room against Cooper Connolly, with cameras capturing the frustrated reaction of Smith at the non-striker's end. Smith, who had only been able to face three balls in the powerplay, was then bounced out by Mahli Beardman for 37 to follow scores of 100 off 42 balls and 54 from 40.

"Yeah, we stuffed it up a bit, but we don't want that to take away from the game we want to play tomorrow night," Edwards told reporters at the SCG. "If it requires us to chase 190 or 200 we've got to play fearlessly, so there's no reason to go shy now.

"Every game throws different challenges your way. Steve might get out early this game and we've got to step up. We started the season slowly but then turned it around and got the momentum going our way for when Steve did join us. Everyone stood up at different times and I'm sure that will happen again tomorrow night."

Ben McDermott, who captained Hurricanes in their Knockout victory over Melbourne Stars, said wryly: "One thing that is in our favour is that he [Smith] is probably due to fail at some point."

In the Qualifier, Edwards batted between the inexperienced duo of Lachlan Shaw and Joel Davies in what is a younger Sixers middle order with Jordan Silk currently on the bench. Edwards himself has struck at 182.53 this season while Shaw, who has already played for Australia A, and Davies, have both struck above 150.

"I think it's an exciting opportunity, seeing the future that's there," Edwards said. "We got thrown in the deep end the other night and didn't quite handle it as well as we could have, but it's a learning opportunity. All we can do is take something away from it and try and get better."

The performances of Edwards and Davies with the ball have been one of the standout features for Sixers this season. Edwards, who did not bowl in his first four seasons of BBL, has 17 wickets at 17.64 and an economy of 7.89, earning a place in the team of the tournament, while 22-year-old left-arm spinner Davies has 12 at 12.58 and a frugal economy rate of 5.80.

"I think the thing that stands out is his [Davies'] composure for such a young guy," Edwards said. "He doesn't seem flustered at all at times. He's bowled to some big names and some tough overs and has just taken it head-on … it seems like he's played a lot more games than what he has."

Edwards' T20 pedigree was already on the rise late last year after he earned an AU$495,000 deal in the IPL auction with Sunrisers Hyderabad. He will be straight off to Pakistan when Sixers' season ends for the three-match T20I series in Lahore having briefly been part of the ODI squad earlier this season.

"I think I've gotten better year on year," he said. "I've only really been bowling in the Big Bash for the last three seasons. Moises [Henriques] has asked some different roles of me this year. It's been nice to be thrown in those challenging positions. It's certainly some world-class players you've got to bowl at, and it can be daunting at times, but [I'm] trying to take that challenge head on and keep enjoying it."

He credited working with the likes of Trent Copeland, Jackson Bird and Chris Tremain for developing his bowling alongside current Sixers team-mates Sean Abbott and Ben Dwarshuis.

"We've had some fantastic bowlers come through," he said. "You pick up little bits here and there from them. And I think luckily, I'm a batter when I was younger, so I kind of know what they're thinking a little bit. And having Moises at mid-off as the captain, he's been a massive help for me, he's always backed me and challenged me to get better."

Meanwhile, Hurricanes will make a late call on the fitness of captain Nathan Ellis and key allrounder Chris Jordan. Ellis missed the match against Stars with "hamstring awareness" and while Jordan was in the team he only batted due to a calf niggle and may have strained it further when he ran two off the last ball of the innings.

"Obviously we'll see with Nelly [Ellis] and Chris how they pull up and then they'll undergo testing tomorrow," McDermott said. "We'll just see how we go. I'm not too sure of the guys' status. Hopefully we get our best team out there, that's all I really care about. If they're no good, they're no good."