Perth Scorchers all-rounder Aaron Hardie is hoping to use Sydney Sixers’ miserable Optus Stadium record to their advantage when the Big Bash League’s two most successful teams clash in Saturday’s qualifier final.
The Sixers have only won once in four Perth trips since the Scorchers moved from their original home at the WACA Ground – back on Boxing Day, 2019.
Hardie, who will play in his first BBL finals match after he was an unused X-factor substitute on both occasions last season, felt home-ground advantage was massive, especially with 40,000-plus fans expected.
“Our record against the Sixers over the past couple of years, I don’t remember losing to them at home,” Hardie told The West Australian.
“I don’t think they enjoy making the trip over to Perth so we’re hopefully going to use that to our advantage.
“They’ve obviously got a number of good players but we’re pretty happy with how our team is going at the moment, we feel like we’re playing some really good cricket.”
It comes a little over a year after Sixers veteran Steve O’Keefe said he hated playing at Optus Stadium and didn’t like WA Premier Mark McGowan during the State’s strict COVID border measures which saw home games moved east.
“I do not want to go to Perth. I don’t like Mark McGowan. I hate playing at Optus, we never do well,” O’Keefe said in November 2021.
“I hate that plane flight. Maybe we just give Perth the two points, stay at home and enjoy a week at home. He doesn’t want us there.”
Hardie backed Perth’s bowling depth to get the job done, even if important pace trio Jhye Richardson (hamstring), Matthew Kelly (concussion) and Lance Morris (flu) don’t play.
Richardson is still going through physical testing as he pushed for his first match in more than three weeks, Kelly is a day-by-day proposition and Morris appears the most likely of the three and is expected to return to training on Friday afternoon.
“We’re very confident,” Hardie said.
“The next blokes in have done a really good job for us over the season.
“David Payne has bowled beautifully the whole season and Peter Hatzoglou came in last game and did a really good job.
“At the Scorchers we’ve learned pretty quickly that injuries aren’t the be all and end all.
“Last year with COVID we lost a lot of players throughout, we lost Mitch (Marsh) this year and a few other names are we’re still top of the ladder.”
Hardie insists there’s no extra focus on Australian superstar Steve Smith, despite his golden run of form since returning to the Big Bash.
Leg-spinner Hatzoglou claimed Smith’s prized scalp for 36 last time the two sides met, but he’s made two centuries and a 66 since and looms as the danger man.
“There’s no extra focus on him at all really,” Hardie said.
“We’ve got a pretty simple game plan that we stick to at Optus and it’s worked well for us over a number of years now.
“He’s going to get that pretty similar plan and I think we’ve got some good match-ups to him so I’m excited to see what he comes up with against our bowlers.”
Hardie, in the midst of a breakout BBL campaign with the second-most runs for the tournament, 434 including four half centuries, said it was a boyhood dream to play finals for the Scorchers.
He was excited to play in front of what’s likely to be the biggest crowd he’s ever experienced.
“Excited is the first word that comes to mind,” Hardie said.
“It’s going to be great fun playing out there in front of what’s probably going to be the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of.
“It’s a boyhood dream to play finals for the Scorchers. It was a boyhood dream just to play for the Scorchers.
“I sort of feel like I was part of the win last year because I know that there were lots of contributions throughout the season from everyone, but it’s going to be pretty special to walk out there on Saturday.”
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