Steve Smith's chances of playing BBL Final over, Sydney Sixers ponder team composition
India Today
The Sydney Sixers' latest request to make Steve Smith available for selection has been knocked down and the team has now moved ahead as they prepare to face Perth Scorchers in the final.
Steve Smith's chances of playing in the Big Bash League (BBL) has come to an end after the Sydney Sixers' latest request to include the Australia Test vice-captain in their squad was shot down.
The only way Smith would have been able to play in the decider was if he was added to the Centralised Player Replacement pool, which would have needed to be ticked off by the BBL Technical Committee, but it's believed officials determined that there was adequate batting cover available for the Sixers in the pool.
Despite more than half of their first-choice XI nursing injuries or having tested positive for COVID-19, Sixers captain Moises Henriques declared yesterday they didn't want to bring anybody else into their side apart from Smith. According to cricket.com.au, Henriques is now set to play through his injury, as well as veteran spinner Steve O'Keefe.
The Sixers had made an application to contract Smith before the finals last week, when he suddenly became available with the New Zealand ODI series postponed.
However, that was dismissed by Cricket Australia and the clubs, after it was agreed mid-season new players could only come from the replacement pool set to deal with COVID-19 outbreaks.
A fresh request was made before the Sixers' clash with Adelaide when Philippe contracted COVID-19 and Hughes was injured, but it was again knocked back.
The spate of injuries from the Strikers match had then prompted a third bid, before its denial spelled the end of any hopes of Smith playing in the final.
