Sydney Sixers 7 for 149 (Henriques 41, Morris 2-36) tied with Sydney Thunder 8 for 149 (Ferguson 52, Pope 3-23)
Sixers won the Super Over by 1 run
A starring all-round performance from Tom Curran propelled the Sydney Sixers to a thrilling victory over crosstown rivals Sydney Thunder in the first Super Over decider this BBL season.
Moises Henriques scored 14 of the Sixers' 16 runs in the Super Over, which proved just enough as the Thunder fell one run short in reply with Curran holding his nerve with the ball.
In the Sixers' nerve-jangling chase of 150, Thunder held sway throughout before a late flurry from Curran (35 from 17 balls) almost single-handedly forced extra time of the Sydney Smash.
The Sixers (3-2) won their second straight game, while the Thunder lost for the first time this season.
Hales explodes before Thunder slide
Much of the Thunder batting is built around the opening partnership of the explosive Alex Hales and elegant Usman Khawaja, who was mainly a spectator with the Englishman providing the early pyrotechnics.
Hales smashed 27 inside the opening three overs, including five boundaries and an audacious swivelled six off a stunned Ben Dwarshuis. Khawaja joined the party with a smoked six over the small midwicket boundary off Jackson Bird, who was having a tougher time than his brilliant season debut on Boxing Day.
The Sixers desperately needed a breakthrough and Sean Abbott came through with his first legal delivery, as Khawaja fell for 16. Abbott caused problems by cleverly changing his pace and was unlucky not to have removed Hales on several occasions.
With his earlier momentum halted, a frustrated Hales holed out to Curran immediately after the Powerplay as the Sixers impressively clawed back into the contest.
The Thunder's slide continued when spinner Lloyd Pope's wrong 'un lured a struggling Matthew Gilkes out of his crease to be stumped. Having lost 3 for 6, Callum Ferguson and Alex Ross needed to consolidate in the middle overs.
Ferguson plays lone hand as Pope shines
The Thunder scored only 24 runs between overs five and 11 as Lloyd Pope, with his crop of red hair standing out, took charge with a menacing concoction of loop and wrong 'uns.
Finally managing to get hold of Pope, Ross showcased beautiful foot work and hit the legspinner over cover for six. Other than that, the batsmen mainly worked the ball around in a bid to leave wickets intact at the end.
The partnership ticked past fifty before Ross decided to change gears in the 15th over as he targeted Curran. It worked a treat initially when he smashed a six over long-on before holing out two balls later to a superb diving catch to Abbott.
Pope finished a mesmerising spell (3-23) by bowling Chris Green with another precise wrong 'un. Having initially stymied the Thunder, Curran fittingly provided the finishing touches (2-23) as the Thunder fell short of their desired total despite a fifty from Ferguson. Having won the toss and decided to bat, he wouldn't have been pleased his side could only get 37 runs in the last five overs and finish on 8 for 149.
Thunder chip away at Sixers
With James Vince missing due to a mishap before play, the Sixers' rejigged batting opened with Hayden Kerr alongside Josh Philippe. The Thunder needed early wickets and Ferguson backed his spin-heavy attack with Jonathan Cook clean bowling Kerr in the first over.
Philippe was uncharacteristically subdued, but Daniel Hughes showcased sublime touch to race to 27 off 16 balls inside the Powerplay. Philippe just couldn't get going and was trapped lbw by Chris Morris after falling across his stumps.
Henriques was the key wicket but he continued his hot form, highlighted by clubbing Green into the second tier. Green had better success against Hughes though, knocking over his leg stump.
The wicket out of seemingly nowhere left the contest evenly poised, but then tilted towards the Thunder when Jordan Silk was brilliantly run-out by a direct hit from Green at long-on. The Sixers were 4 for 72 with half the innings still left to play.
Curran's heroics ensures tie
Knowing the chase likely rested on his shoulders, Henriques nudged the ball around to ensure the run-rate didn't spiral out of control. Jack Edwards provided some valuable support in a stabilising 38-run partnership until holing out in the 17th over.
It meant the Sixers needed a difficult 40 off the final 21 balls. Curran, who batted brilliantly in the death against the Perth Scorchers, hit boundaries off his first three deliveries to change the momentum.
The game flipped again when Henriques fell in the 18th over, deceived by a slower Daniel Sams delivery. Needing 16 off the final over, Curran smashed a six off Chris Tremain's first delivery and then hit a boundary off the penultimate one to inch the Sixers within two runs. In a dramatic finish, Curran was caught short of his ground after attempting the second match-winning run.
Henriques stars in the Super Over
Curran couldn't replicate his batting heroics in the Super Over as he fell first ball to Morris. Henriques recovered the situation with two extraordinary scooped shots - the second going over the third man boundary - to score 14 of the Sixers' 16 runs.
Khawaja and Hales could only muster five runs off Curran's first four balls before the right-hander smashed a six to ensure the match came down to the last ball. Hales hit a boundary but the Thunder fell agonisingly short.
