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Perth Scorchers suffer seven-wicket loss to Sydney Sixers despite BLISTERING start with the bat

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Bonnie RaynorThe West Australian
VideoBig Bash: Liam Livingstone was in inspired form for the Perth Scorchers against the Sydney Sixers as he smashed a delightful 67 off 38.

The Sydney Sixers have snapped Perth’s five-game winning streak after overcoming a surging start from opener Liam Livingstone to hand the Scorchers a seven-wicket loss.

Perth was left to rue the start that got away after the 76-run opening stand between Livingstone and Jason Roy (21) provided the platform for the team to reach triple figures inside the tenth over.

However a horror collapse of 6-46 saw Perth crawl to 7-163, which Josh Philippe (85) and James Vince (52) were able to make light work of with seven balls to spare.

The duo combined for a 108-run second-wicket partnership which helped steer the ladder-leaders to the comfortable win.

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There was a sense of déjà vu when Sixers captain Daniel Hughes dropped a simple chance to remove Livingstone for one in the second over of the match, after the Englishman was put down off his first ball against Hobart on Tuesday.

Liam Livingstone of the Scorchers reacts after being dismissed by Jake Ball of the Sixers.
Camera IconLiam Livingstone of the Scorchers reacts after being dismissed by Jake Ball of the Sixers. Credit: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
The Game AFL 2024

Livingstone again made the opposition pay, tallying his second consecutive half-century of BBL10 - off just 26 balls - in what looked to be a match-winning knock.

The 27-year-old clobbered three fours and six maximums – including a 103 metre bomb off Steve O’Keefe (1-36) that landed on the Manuka Oval stand roof.

Livingstone hammered the former Test spinner for the most expensive over of the tournament so far, taking 27 off his second set of six.

However he admitted the timing of his dismissal proved costly, with the Scorchers struggling to re-gain momentum after his departure.

“I got out at a bad time. I should’ve batted for another couple of overs,” Livingstone said.

“We said at the start of the game 160-170 (was par) and anything more than that was a bonus.

“But 100 up in the tenth over - we were disappointed we ended up with that (163).”

The Sixers’ brilliant fightback with the ball was led by experienced duo Jake Ball (2-33) and Dan Christian (2-22).

Captain Ashton Turner, Josh Inglis and Cameron Bancroft could only add four runs between them as wickets continued to tumble.

On his return from a quad injury, New Zealand batsman Colin Munro attempted to lead Perth’s rebuild, but could only manage 34 runs before holing out to Jackson Bird at long on.

The batting innings never recovered from the middle-order slump.

In reply, it was the familiar face of Philippe who led the chase after a brilliant running catch from Cameron Bancroft in the deep removed opener Justin Avendano for eight.

Philippe took a particular liking to Andrew Tye (0-41), sending his state teammate for three consecutive fours on his way to a 31-ball 50.

The knock further cemented Philippe’s position at the top of the this season’s run-scorer’s list, with 422, while adding to his case for selection in next month’s T20 international tour of New Zealand.

He was eventually bowled trying to ramp Jhye Richardson (1-29).

The Scorchers took one point from the clash after the Sixers couldn’t match their 104-run total at the half-way mark.

Perth will now travel to Melbourne to face the fifth-placed Brisbane Heat on Tuesday.

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