Sydney Sixers have been dealt a heavy blow ahead of their Big Bash League (BBL) playoff clash with Adelaide Strikers after Josh Philippe tested positive for Covid-19. The blow adds salt to the injury for the Sixers who were unable to register Steve Smith for their playoff encounter against Perth Scorchers last week. As things stand, the Sydney squad remains depleted with a feisty contest in hands against Strikers.
A tweet from ‘cricketcomau’ confirmed the news and read, “A massive blow for the Sixers with Josh Philippe ruled out of BBL Finals due to COVID. Head to the CA Live app for the latest squad details ahead of tonight's Challenger final #BBL11.”
The 24-year-old former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) wicketkeeper-batter will be a major miss for the defending champions as he was a vital player for the team in winning the BBL title in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. In 15 matches so far this season, he has racked 429 runs at an average of 33.00 with a best score of 99 not out against Melbourne Stars back in December. He is the highest scorer for the Sixers this season and will leave big shoes to fill in for the remaining encounters.
According to reports, Nick Bertus will don the gloves for the pink army, who has brief experience at the domestic level with New South Wales (NSW) and also captains the Parramatta side in the Premier Cricket. He was drafted into the squad ahead of their qualifier encounter against Perth Scorchers last week, where the Sixers stumbled to 55/7 before they lost dismally by 48 runs while chasing a target of 190 runs.
The Sixers finished second in the BBL league standings on 35 points and qualified for the playoffs as runner ups, giving them two shots of reaching the final. They will now have to be at their fluent best, without Philippe, who will be the missing piece in the puzzle.
Philippe was capped 10 times by the Australian senior side in T20Is while he also played three ODIs after the breakthrough season. He was adjudged 'Man of the Tournament' in the last season of BBL as the Sixers won the competition. He was previously associated with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
