A rampaging Sydney Sixers would look to maintain its winning momentum and book a berth in the final when it takes on local side Titans in the second semifinal of the Champions League Twenty20 here on Friday.
Sixers is the only side to have won all the four group matches and is the most all-round team in the tournament with balance in the batting, bowling and fielding departments.
In ominous form
The Australian side had virtually spanked all its opponents in the first three Group B matches and the only time it had been put to the test was when it clashed with last year’s champion Mumbai Indians in the last league game.
That match was played without the recent World Twenty20 Player-of-the-tournament Shane Watson, who had been called back by his Board to prepare for the home series against South Africa.
But, in that match also, the bowlers, who have been in impressive form, stifled the star-studded Mumbai Indians' batting order to restrict it to 124 and ensured the Sixers remained unbeaten.
Watson and Michael Lumb have been in explosive form at the top of the order, giving two 50-plus stands for the opening wicket in three matches they were together.
The middle-order consisting of Nic Maddinson, captain Brad Haddin and Steve Smith have been supporting the openers well.
Moises Henriques has also been in fine form, showing that he is a fine all-rounder in the shortest format.
The only weak point, if there is any, for the Sixers is the spin department with its main slow bowler Simon O’Keefe getting just one wicket from the three matches he has played.
But, Sydney Sixers has relied heavily on its pacers to get the results and it has been doing just that.
Home advantage
The Titans, however, will have the advantage of crowd support as it is playing at its home ground.
The South African side has a good bowling attack with the likes of Alfonso Thomas, Ethy Mbhalati, Cornelius de Villiers and Roelof van der Merwe among the wickets, but its weak point is the inconsistent middle-order which would be put to severe test by the Sixers pacers.
The top-order of Jacques Rudolph and Henry Davids has been giving good starts most of the time, but the middle-order has not been able to capitalise on them.
Captain inconsistent
Captain Martin van Jaarsveld has been inconsistent; so, too, have been Farhaan Behardien, Heino Kuhn and David Wiese.
The teams (from):
Sydney Sixers: Brad Haddin (capt. & wk), Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Michael Lumb, Nathan McCullum, Nic Maddinson, Ian Moran, Peter Nevill, Steve O’Keefe, Ben Rohrer, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc and Dominic Thornely.
Titans: Martin van Jaarsveld (capt.), Farhaan Behardien, Henry Davids, AB de Villiers (wk), Cornelius de Villiers, Paul Harris, Heino Kuhn (wk), Eden Links, Ethy Mbhalati, Mangaliso Mosehle, Rowan Richards, Jacques Rudolph, Alfonso Thomas, Roelof van der Merwe and David Wiese.
