The Perth Scorchers have claimed back-to-back BBL titles with a thrilling 4-wicket victory over the Sydney Sixers.
Yasir Arafat celebrates hitting a single from the final ball of the game to secure the BBL04 title for Perth. Photo by Matt King. Source: Getty Images
IT was so close to being a fairytale ending for Brett Lee, but it was the Perth Scorchers who claimed back-to-back Big Bash titles with a thrilling four-wicket win over the Sydney Sixers.
Chasing 148 for victory at Manuka Oval in Canberra, Shaun Marsh hit a memorable 73 from 59 deliveries but, as Big Bash games tend to do, this one went down to the wire.
Lee was left to bowl the final over — of the game and his career — with the Scorchers needing just eight runs to win off it.
Incredibly, the former Test quick struck to bowl Nathan Coulter-Nile with a magnificent delivery and then dismissed Sam Whiteman with the next ball.
The Perth Scorchers celebrate back-to-back titles. Photo by Matt King Source: Getty Images
The Scorchers needed one run to win and Lee was on a hat trick, but Yasir Arafat survived it and scrambled through for the single.
It was a lucky run, but an appropriately breathtaking way to end of the fourth edition of the BBL
If it was a difficult batting wicket, watching Marsh and Michael Klinger cruise to an opening wicket partnership of 70 you'd never know it.
Brett Lee has finished his cricketing career with an unbelievable final over which had a little bit of everything.
It was easy as you like, until the retiring hero Brett Lee finally made the breakthrough. Playing in his last ever match, Lee had Klinger caught by Sean Abbott for 33.
It was his 11th wicket of the season and he would go on to take two more, his highest tally of any Big Bash tournament. Not a bad way to sign off.
Doug Bollinger, Ryan Carters and Brett Lee look on after the loss. Photo by Matt King. Source: Getty Images
And just in case there were any lingering thoughts of Lee making another comeback, he has already ruled out taking part in the Champions League.
Earlier, Henriques played a gutsy captain's knock to help the Sixers to a competitive total of 4-147 on what appeared to be a very difficult batting wicket.
He showed tremendous patience as he hit an unbeaten 77 from 57 balls — his highest ever Big Bash score, and what a time for it.
Not only did Henriques' fine form in the Big Bash earn him a call up to the national team — which saw him miss the thrilling Sydney derby — but he has been widely praised for his leadership throughout the season.
Shaun Marsh hit 73 from 59 balls. Photo by Matt King. Source: Getty Images
The Sixers managed just two sixes in their innings, both hit by Henriques at the very end, which was probably a fair indication of how challenging the Manuka Oval pitch was.
The skipper was excellently supported by Ryan Carters (35 from 25 balls) at the other end and the two formed a crucial, unbeaten 98-run partnership, 94 of which we scored in the last 10 overs.
It was an excellent recovery given the strife the Sixers found themselves in early on.
Both openers, Michael Lumb and Riki Wessels, were bowled cheaply following a blistering start from the Scorchers bowlers.
Moises Henriques scored 77 from 57 balls. Photo by Matt King Source: Getty Images
Jason Behrendorff, the domestic player of the year, and Nathan Coulter-Nile caused carnage upfront, Behrendorff bowling Wessels to claim his 15th wicket of the tournament.
Nic Maddinson (19 from 22 balls) was undone by a Yasir Arafat yorker and when Jordan Silk was clean-bowled by the veteran Brad Hogg a short while later the Sixers were wilting on 4/53 after 10 overs.
But no more wickets fell after that as Henriques and Carters staged an impressive comeback.
It's just a shame more fans didn't get to see the Big Bash finale live.
Because the World Cup is just around the corner, the ICC require a lockout period and Cricket Australia couldn't guarantee each team would have the use of their stadium.
That's why a neutral venue was picked to host the final and to be fair it was packed to capacity.
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