Marvel Stadium, 7:40pm AEDT Friday, Probably 7mate, probably 7food based on 7’s track record.

THE WINNER OF THIS GAME WILL HOST SUNDAY’S FINAL

With the Hurricanes becoming the latest Big Bash minor premier to go one and done (The 6th of the 8 minor premiers to crash out), tonight’s Second Semi Final has suddenly become more than another form of a Melbourne vs Sydney shitfight.

Prior to last Sunday, it was looking like the SCG was going to be playing host to tonight’s action. Of course, as I like to mention, the Sixers took an absolute ball tearing from the Melbourne Stars at the MCG to the tune of 94 runs, after being bowled out for a dismal 74. As Richie Benaud would say, a pretty piss poor effort that.

The Melbourne Renegades (8-6) were a bit of a weird unit this season, often struggling to score on a slow Marvel Stadium pitch, losing both their games at GMHBA Stadium, but then they proved they were better road warriors than Mad Max, beating the Strikers in Adelaide, the Heat in Brisbane, winning in Perth for the first time, and of course, beating the Sixers at the SCG.

Kane Richardson (24 wickets) is the leading the wicket taker in the BBL, but they rank dead last in runs scored, in part thanks to skipper Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris playing for Australia, which left Sam Harper, who wasn’t even contracted before the season started, to lead the team with 299 runs.

So all said and done, I can comfortably say that Tim Ludeman’s impressions are better than the ‘Gades batting lineup.

On the flip side, the Sixers (8-6) had a purple patch (Which doesn’t make sense, since they wear pink) throughout January, reeling off 5 straight wins to emerge as a contender, before the aforementioned Sunday afternoon wipeout.

Their batting attack is pretty solid, with Dan Hughes leading on 341 runs, while the middle order of ‘Mr Spotify’ Moises Henriques, Jordan ‘The Neck’ Silk and James Vince were all well performed. Wicket keeper Josh Philippe could be a huge part of this one, boasting one of the best strike rates in the league, at 156.52.

The Sixers bowling attack has performed well, led by paceman Sean Abbot (21 wickets), former Test spinner Steve O’Keefe (19 wickets), but they have been dealt a blow as valuable import Tom Curran (20 wickets) is now on international duty with England.

Speaking of which, remember when he got David Warner on 99 on Boxing Day, only to get done for a no-ball? No idea why I brought that up, but it was bloody funny.

When push comes to shove, If the ‘Gades batting lineup doesn’t show up, which you can’t say with any confidence that it will, they could be in some deep shitsky.

That said, I’ll plonk my imaginary moneys on them, and then watch it disappear as the Sixers come in and kill off the dream of a Melbourne Derby Final.