Sydney Sixers are out to make the most of finishing top of the BBL ladder as they seek to defend the title they won for the second time last year.

The Sixers confirmed first place and home ground advantage for the finals with a five-wicket bonus point win over Melbourne Stars at the MCG on Tuesday night.

The result means they will host Perth Scorchers in the first-versus-second ‘qualifier’ final on Saturday, with the winner advancing directly to the season decider.

But the match will be played at Canberra’s Manuka Oval because of travel restrictions around Sydney, which has not hosted a BBL match all season.

Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers will meet in the ‘qualifier’ for a spot in the final.(AAP: Lukas Coch)

Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers meet in the ‘eliminator’ at the Gabba on Friday, with Sydney Thunder hosting the winner of that match in Canberra on Sunday.

“It is pretty close and I think anyone can win it from here, so the placings are really important,” Sixers fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis said.

“If you’re fourth or fifth you’ve got to win four games in a row to end up winning it.

“[Finishing top] is a big advantage and hopefully we can make the most of it.”

Dwarshuis said his teammates are “optimistic” about home games in Canberra, where they boast a 2-0 record this season.

“We would’ve taken a lot out of those games in regards to what works on that particular wicket and that size ground,” Dwarshuis said.

“Traditionally the wicket might play a bit slower and be a bit more spin friendly, and I think we’ve got some really talented spinners.

“We’ve got some quicks who take the pace off the ball really nicely and bowl some nice cutters, so I think it’s a wicket that we can definitely go well on and hopefully go the whole way.”

Sydney Thunder captain Callum Ferguson is equally as buoyant about the prospect of a home final in Canberra for his side.

“We get really well supported there, it’s a second home for us,” he said.

Marnus Labuschagne stands with his legs wide apart and leans into a shot, played with an angled cricket bat
Marnus Labuschagne scored 46 runs and took 3-35 in the Heat’s 6-run victory.(AAP: Rob Prezioso)

Brisbane Heat batsman Marnus Labuschagne, who has become an increasingly dangerous part-time leg-spinner, declared his side was right in the title hunt after beating the Scorchers by six runs on Tuesday.

That’s despite the Heat needing to win three straight knockout matches just to reach the final on February 6.

“It feels great to actually get into the finals, we have been close the last few years,” Labuschagne said.

“And it wasn’t the perfect game today but that is also an exciting thing for us going into the finals — that we haven’t put the perfect game in yet and we snuck in.

“We’re a big threat.”

AAP



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