Big Bash League: Ashton Turner belts career-high to seal home Perth Scorchers Grand Final

Perth Scorchers have overcome injuries, illness and Australian superstar Steve Smith to qualify for an eighth grand final at Optus Stadium next Saturday.

A record-extending fifth Big Bash League title and second in a row is now one win away after knocking off arch-rivals Sydney Sixers by seven wickets in a see-sawing qualifier final in front of 41,126 fans.

It was a Jekyll and Hyde-like performance from the Scorchers in the field with two screamers, as many dropped sitters and a brilliant run out as the visitors posted a moderate 8-151 which was reeled in with nine balls to spare.

Captain Ashton Turner (84no off 47) and opener Cameron Bancroft (53no off 45) led the chase with a game-changing 132-run stand, coming together at 3-22 after Sean Abbott (3-25 off four) got Stephen Eskinazi (four), Aaron Hardie (nine) and Josh Inglis (duck) cheaply during the power play.

Turner, who overtook Mitch Marsh as the franchise’s all-time leading run-scorer on the night, was the aggressor with a career-high T20 knock, finishing unbeaten after getting dropped on 74.

Bancroft also got a life on 28 when gloveman Josh Philippe and veteran Dan Christian failed to communicate and let the ball drop in between them off spinner Steve O’Keefe.

All eyes were on the Smith in his final BBL appearance before heading to India but he couldn’t continue his golden run of form, falling for 18 to a stunning David Payne caught-and-bowled after getting a life when Aaron Hardie spilled an easy chance when he was on 12.

English seamer Payne defied a pre-match bout of the flu to take 3-33 including the competition’s biggest scalp before back-to-back wickets of captain Moises Henriques and Hayden Kerr to finish his spell.

Speedster Lance Morris (0-29 off four) dealt with a similar illness in the lead-up before making his return, but ended up wicketless and had Smith dropped off him.

It came after fellow quicks Jhye Richardson (hamstring) and Matt Kelly (concussion) were ruled out with injury, forcing WA-contracted Charlie Stobo to be rushed into the extended squad.

Camera Icon David Payne took three wickets including the prized scalp of Steve Smith. Credit: James Worsfold/Getty Images

Henriques made Perth pay for milestone man Andrew Tye spilling a regulation chance at backward point off David Payne when he was on 18, going on to top score with 58 off 43 balls.

Henriques put on 88 in the middle overs with Jordan Silk who remained unbeaten on 47 off 34 after the pair came together with the visitors in trouble at 3-42 after Smith’s departure.

Left-arm seamer Jason Behrendorff (2-17 off four) continued his power play dominance with two wickets in his first two overs, starting with a perfect in-swinger fourth ball of match which clipped the top of Josh Philippe’s (one) off stump.

Hardie took an absolute hanger at mid-on to get rid of Kurtis Patterson (six), plucking the ball out of mid-air with his right hand after a perfectly-timed jump, with the ex-Scorcher left stunned after middling a pull shot off Behrendorff.

Camera Icon Steve Smith of the Sixers plays his shot during the Men’s Big Bash League match between the Perth Scorchers and the Sydney Sixers at Optus Stadium, on January 28, 2023, in Perth, Australia. Credit: James Worsfold/Getty Images

Tye, in his 100th BBL game, ended veteran Dan Christian’s (one) short stay at the crease with a direct hit at the non-strikers’ end and hung onto a caught-and-bowled to see Hayden Kerr gone for a golden duck.

The Sixers get a second chance at qualifying for the final when they host the winner of Brisbane and Melbourne Renegades at the SCG on Thursday.