Dominant Sixers set up sixth Perth Scorchers final date

Only two nights ago, the Sydney Sixers flew eastward, wounded and chastened. But redemption has come calling. Having earned the right to reverse that 3200-kilometre journey across the breadth of Australia, they now stand on the precipice of destiny. A sixth final against the Perth Scorchers awaits them at Optus Stadium. The path to this moment, to rubberstamping an eighth appearance at the league's grandest stage, demanded they first vanquish the defending champions. And vanquish them they did. The Hobart Hurricanes, outclassed and overwhelmed by 57 runs, now fade into memory as the Sixers set their sights westward once more, where glory, or further heartbreak, beckons.

The seeds of this dream final were planted by another superb knock from Steve Smith, who fresh from his Ashes exploits has seamlessly adapted to the T20 format without so much as needing a look-in. In just five games this season, he is already the Sixers' leading run-getter. In tonight's challenger, he struck 65 off just 43 deliveries, cracking nine fours and a six to help propel the Sixers to 198.

He began slowly, scoring just 11 off his first eight balls, but dominated a 64-run stand for the second wicket with Josh Philippe, who managed just a run-a-ball 15. When Smith eventually fell, the Sixers had 120 on the board in the 13th over. That they were able to maintain momentum and nearly reach 200 on what was a two-paced wicket came down to useful knocks from Joel Davies and Lachlan Shaw, who between them plundered 48 runs off just 25 balls.

The Hurricanes struck back late, but the total had already been pushed beyond chaseable realms, especially on a surface where slower deliveries proved difficult to dispatch.

And so it proved in the chase. The holders began brightly with a flurry of boundaries, but Mitch Owen departed in the second over seeking a hat-trick of fours against Mitchell Starc. Sean Abbott accounted for the other opener, Tim Ward, in the next over, forcing the Hurricanes into a period of consolidation.

Captain Ben McDermott and Beau Webster stitched together a 48-run stand but consumed 41 balls doing so, meaning the Hurricanes were always behind the eight ball. And when collapse arrived - they lost 4 for 14 - the champions were snuffed out of the contest rather quickly. Joel Davies claimed two of those wickets while Starc returned to take the prized scalp of McDermott. Ben Dwarshius wrapped up the tail to finish with 3 for 26, paving the way for the league's oldest rivalry to take centre stage, after another fairly long excursion across the country.

Brief scores: Sydney Sixers 198/8 in 20 overs (Steve Smith 65; Riley Meredith 3-52) beat Hobart Hurricanes 141 in 17.2 overs (Ben McDermott 40; Ben Dwarshius 3-26, Mitchell Starc 2-29) by 57 runs.