Photo Credit: Sydney Sixers
The Sydney Sixers have brought two players into their 18-player squad ahead of Sunday night’s KFC BBL|11 opener against the Melbourne Stars at the SCG.
The Sydney Sixers have brought two players into their 18-player squad ahead of Sunday night’s KFC BBL|11 opener against the Melbourne Stars at the SCG.
South Australian based left arm seamer Nick Winter joins the squad as the local replacement for Nathan Lyon whilst the superstar is on Test duty, while bowling all-rounder Lawrence Neil-Smith comes into the group for his Tasmanian teammate Jackson Bird.
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Former Test quick Bird, who has been part of the Sixers last two title winning seasons, is working through a lower leg strain and is aiming to be fit to play towards the end of December.
Canberra born 28-year-old Winter has suited up for three other clubs in the BBL, playing six games combined with stints at the Adelaide Strikers, Melbourne Renegades and last year with the Hobart Hurricanes.
Neil-Smith has had a breakout Sheffield Shield season with Tasmania, snaring 13 wickets in five matches so far, while scoring more than 200 runs, including two half centuries as a nightwatchman.
The 22-year-old, who grew up in Sydney, spent a few weeks in the Sixers set up last summer and was glad to be back for BBL|11, having learnt plenty in his short stint in the magenta camp.
“Really exciting to get the call from (Sixers coach Greg Shipperd) Shippy,” Neil-Smith said.
“Last year I was with the Sixers for the first two weeks of the BBL and I spent a lot of time around the bowling group and bowling coach Andre Adams, learning about how they prepare for games and their conversations about how to attack certain scenarios and I really learnt from that.”
Neil-Smith sees his role at the Sixers as similar to the man he has stepped into temporarily replace.
“I’m a tall fast bowler like Jackson Bird and I try to get a bit of bounce,” he said.
“I’ve already had a few conversations with Birdy and I will talk to him more about how to prepare for games.”
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The Sixers return to the SCG for Sunday’s clash with the Stars for the first time since last year’s incredible victory over the Perth Scorchers after playing the entire season prior to the decider on the road due to COVID-19 related border closures.
In fact, the Sixers’ last two matches at the SCG have resulted in titles – last season against the Scorchers and in BBL|09 when they took down the Stars.
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