Tsonga out of Open, Cilic in doubt

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is unexpected to play in Melbourne. Picture: Mark Stewart Source: Mark Stewart / News Limited

FRENCHMAN Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is expected to withdraw from the Australian Open within hours after struggling to overcome arm soreness.

The world No 12 was forced out of the Hopman Cup because of pain in his right forearm.

According to French media outlet RMC, Tsonga is on the brink of pulling out of the January 19-February 1 Australian Open.

If the former world No 5 abandons plans to contest the first major of the season, he will also be ruled out of the Kooyong Classic next week.

Runner-up at the 2008 Australian Open and twice a semi-finalist at Wimbledon, Tsonga struggled with the injury in France's shattering Davis Cup final loss to Switzerland.

Marin Cilic is also expected to withdraw from the Australian Open. Source: News Limited

US Open champion Marin Cilic also is likely to bypass Melbourne Park after a long struggle with shoulder soreness.

Contentiously, both men carried the injuries into the lucrative International Premier Tennis League — and now miss grand slam action.

Cilic was pessimistic over his hopes when talking with reporters in Europe, admitting: "Considering the full recovery and opportunity for practice, it is highly questionable if I will be able to play (the Australian Open).

Ranked No 9, Cilic looms as the highest-ranked absentee.

Tommy Haas has a shoulder injury. Source: AP

With former world No 2 Tommy Haas again recuperating from shoulder injury and Spaniard Nicolas Almagro out with a foot problem, there are also doubts over 2009 US Open winner Juan Martin del Potro.

The Argentine has been blighted with wrist problems since downing Roger Federer in a remarkable Flushing Meadows final.

Spanish tennis player Nicolas Almagro has a foot injury. Source: AFP

Del Potro pulled out of Brisbane this week and is now bidding to be fit for Sydney next week, when Nick Kyrgios hopes to resume after being forced out of the Hopman Cup with back muscle soreness.

Czech Petra Cetkovska (hip) and Great Britain's Laura Robson (wrist) will miss the Open.

Juan Martin Del Potro has a sore wrist. Source: News Limited

08.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

North Koreans keeping to themselves

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

AMBITIOUS North Korea are hoping to win every game at the Asian Cup - but it's unclear how.

Like the Democratic People's Republic of Korea itself, the country's football team are a somewhat secretive lot.

Ranked 150th in the world, the Chollima only arrived in Australia on Tuesday, giving themselves just three-and-a-half days to acclimatise and prepare for their tournament opener against Uzbekistan at ANZ Stadium.

Refusing to speak to the media, let alone divulge tactics, coach Jo Tong-sop and the 22-man North Korean squad - featuring 18 home-based players - dashed straight to the privacy of their hotel rooms after being greeted in Sydney with a traditional indigenous dance.

Tight-lipped media manager Choe Nam-hyok said he was unsure how much support, if any, the side would receive in Australia, but hoped to pick up a few fans during the tournament.

They can probably bank on some support from the Macarthur under-10s, who made the trek from western Sydney on Tuesday to greet the North Koreans while proudly holding up the country's national flag outside the team hotel.

It is unknown if North Korea's Dear Leader Kim Jong-un will attend any games - or even be in Australia - for the tournament. Asked about the side's hopes for the Asian Cup, Nam-hyok smiled and said: "To win every game".

Such hopes seem fanciful for the lowest-ranked team in the tournament and for a country that last won a match at an Asian Cup back in 1980.

North Korea, though, did qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, even if they only managed to score one goal while conceding a dozen in three heavy defeats.

Pooled in Group B alongside China, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan, their first-up rivals won't be taking them lightly on Saturday. Star defender Vitaliy Denisov, who plys his trade for Lokomotiv Moscow, said Uzbekistan, while hoping to go all the way to the final, held great respect for North Korea.

Denisov said the threat of the unknown was what worried the White Wolves the most.

"We played against them before," he said.

"We won two games with the minimum score - 1-0 - and we heard they now have a new coach and new players, many changes in the team." AAP djw/sc

08.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Passion still burns brightly for Moraitis

Nick Moraitis, owner of Might and Power, in front of the 1997 Melbourne Cup and with his portrait in the background. Source: News Corp Australia

IT'S been nearly two decades since Might And Power was dominating Australian racing but the champion's owner, Nick Moraitis, still enjoys the sport.

"I've got about 30 broodmares and up to 15 horses in training,'' Moraitis said. "I love the game and the people in it.''

Moraitis, who gained nationwide recognition when Might And Power won the 1997 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and the 1998 Cox Plate, gets a big kick out of his breeding and racing program and he could be celebrating a winning double at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

The popular owner has the consistent Passionflower contesting the Bloodstock.com.au Handicap (1400m) and Spice Of Life is lining up in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1400m).

"They are both home-breds and they are both look like they should run well,'' Moraitis said.

Might And Power, with Jim Cassidy in the saddle, runs at Flemington in 1998. Source: News Limited

Passionflower, trained by Kevin Moses, is deep into a race preparation that began on the final day of last season when she won at Gosford. Although the mare hasn't won in eight starts since, she has managed four seconds and a third during this period including her most recent effort when she chased home Mary Lou at Randwick on Boxing Day.

"She is due to knock them over, she deserves a win,'' Moraitis said.

"Kevin (Moses) has done a wonderful job with this mare, she has been very consistent over a long period.

"Blake Shinn is a very good jockey riding well and he will give her every chance.''

Spice Of Life, trained by David Vandyke, boasts an impressive career record of five wins from 11 starts and will be improved by his first-up seventh behind Selectify at Warwick Farm on Christmas Eve.

Nick Moraitis holds the 1997 Melbourne Cup won by Might And Power. Source: News Limited

"He needed the run first-up and I know David is happy with how the horse has trained on,'' Moraitis said. "This horse usually races well when fresh, he is good early in his preparation, and this looks a suitable race.''

Moraitis is also looking forward to Royal Randwick on Saturday where the owner is bullish about the chances of Emerald City in the Benchmark 75 Handicap over 1800m.

RAY THOMAS'S BEST BETS

WARWICK FARM TODAY

Best Bet

Race 3 No.3: Electrifyin'

Luckless at Canterbury then was held up for a few strides but worked to the line strongly for second at Randwick behind Liberty Island last start. Stepping up to 1600m suits, this looks an easier race and he is set to break through today.

Next Best

Race 2 No.2: Passionflower

Good mare racing in great heart. She has run second in four of her last five starts and races well this track. Versatile type who races forward or back but from the inside barrier, should enjoy the run of the race, Gets her chance today.

08.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cadel’s last stretch to end with a bang

Cadel Evans in action. Source: Michael Klein / News Limited

CADEL Evans is nothing if not relentlessly competitive, which is why he became Australia's greatest road cyclist.

That won't be changing just because the final chapter in a great Australian sports story is about to be written.

Evans, 37, will contest the national championships, which begin in Ballarat today, for the last time and is determined to go out with a bang in the road race at nearby Buninyong on Sunday.

"I'm going to Ballarat to ride the best race I can. If I get a result, that's even better. I'm going there to race well and do my best," he said.

Whatever happens, it will be a red-letter day for a sport that has much for which to thank the idiosyncratic superstar, who created an unprecedented surge of public interest when he became the first Australian to win the Tour de France in 2011.

Cadel Evans in action. Source: News Limited

It might be struggling to get its head back above water financially, but Australian cycling has rarely, if ever, been in a better place competitively, thanks to Evans and an accomplished group of former and current riders over the past 20 years.

That will be on show over the next four days with classy fields in the championship events for men and women: the criteriums tonight, the time trials tomorrow, the women's road race on Saturday and then the one that is expected to pull more than 20,000 fans and a big live TV audience on Sunday Cadel v. the Rest.

New talent pops up with impressive regularity, with the latest to have the experts unanimously predicting big things Caleb Ewan, winner of this week's Bay Classic the hot favourite to unseat defending champion Steele Von Hoff in the criterium.

Time trials are not cycling's most spectator-friendly event but the men's field tomorrow is the best ever assembled for an Australian title, with Michael Rogers, Luke Durbridge, Jack Bobridge, Damien Howson, Campbell Flakemore, Cameron Meyer, Richie Porte and Rohan Dennis all world-class performers.

The women's road race is wide-open but Gracie Elvin, winner for the past two years, showed good form in winning a stage with a mechanical mishap perhaps costing her a second one at the Bay crits.

Australia's Cadel Evans celebrates. Source: AFP

But with due respect to them all, Evans towers over the weekend like the tough little mountain the men have to climb 18 times on their 183.6km battle.

It is his third last race he will follow it with the Tour Down Under in Adelaide and then the new one-day event at Geelong which carries his name before retirement, and, obviously, his last chance to win the national championship which he first contested in 1992.

He almost did it last year when he finished second behind Orica-GreenEDGE star Simon Gerrans and ahead of Porte, a trifecta that left little doubt spectators had witnessed the best-ever domestic title race.

Gerrans, who also beat him narrowly in the TDU, is back in Europe recovering from a recent crash in which he broke his collarbone, so Evans and Porte are the obvious favourites to fight it out even though they will be outnumbered by the rest of the GreenEDGE juggernaut.

Always a pragmatist, Evans isn't getting carried away by the prospect of a Hollywood ending.

"I don't believe in fairytales," he said.

"The chances of victory are probably about the same as in 1992 because I'm so watched now as a rider.

"We just have to be realistic about these things. We'll prepare as well as we can, do the best race we can and the result will tell the story."

2015 MARS CYCLING AUSTRALIA ROAD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

TODAY

Criterium in Ballarat CBD

4.30pm: U23 men 33km

5.30pm: U23 and elite women 33km

7pm: Elite men 44km

TOMORROW

Individual Time Trial at Buninyong

10.30am: U23 men 29.3km

12.30pm: U23 and elite women 29.3km

2.15pm: Elite men 40.9km

SATURDAY

Road Race at Buninyong

9am: U23 men 132.6km

1.30pm: U23 and elite women 102km

SUNDAY

Road Race at Buninyong

10.50am: Elite men 183.6km

ron.reed@news.com.au

Twitter: @Reedrw

08.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Experience on Tomic’s side against teen

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

THIS is how quickly Australian men's tennis has changed – Bernard Tomic hopes his experience will help him fight off the challenge of a countryman to make the Brisbane International quarter-finals.

Tomic, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist at 18, is four years older than Adelaide's Thanasi Kokkinakis and more attuned to the grind and the fleeting nature of opportunities on tour.

But Australian men's tennis has a repeated history of teenagers making major, unexpected impacts and Kokkinakis, owner of his first top-25 scalp from Monday's win over Julien Benneteau, has exceptional athleticism.

Bernard Tomic in action. Source: News Corp Australia

"It's going to be tough, but hopefully my experience can help me in this match,'' said Tomic, the second-ranked Australian at No.53 behind 19-year-old Nick Kygrios (50th).

"Thanasi has gotten taller in the few months since I've last seen him.

"He is playing well, very relaxed.

"He is sitting at 150 in the world, but that makes him a dangerous player. I remember myself when I was ranked 150 and 180 I had nothing to lose going out against these big players and playing my game.''

Tomic has cautionary tales for the younger Australians from hard-won expertise and says it is already time for Kokkinakis to make a charge in his career.

Bernard Tomic in action. Source: News Corp Australia

"He's close to 19, so now is the time for him to break through and into the top 100,'' he said.

"I'm sure he gets a lot of confidence from watching Nick, his good friend, play well last year.

"Nick playing well and coming through has encouraged not just myself but other players, to see that as an opportunity to work hard and to reach in the top 100.''

There was much to like in Tomic's movement and the penetration of his flat forehand in his 7-5, 7-6 win on Monday night even though his opponent Sam Querry served 20 aces in two sets.

"I'm moving 10 or 15 per cent better on the court than I did last summer. It was all then about rehab with the hips and starting to play tournaments,'' he said.

"Now I'm very happy that I'm moving like this. I didn't really have an off-season where I could train after the hip surgeries I had.''

Bernard Tomic in action. Source: Getty Images

With five Australians in the second round of the Brisbane men's singles, Kyrgios and Kokkinakis have a safety in numbers factor to their careers which a teenage Tomic, playing in years when there were two or sometimes one Australialian man in the 100th, did not.

"When I was 18 and 19 I felt a little bit on my own,'' he said.

"I was happy to see Lleyton come back at that period when I turned 20.

"Now to see the last few years, the last year, they've all got the talent, but they need to break through that stage of getting top 100. It's going to be difficult, but I'm sure they can do it.''

Tomic's win over Querry was delayed by a 3hr 13min women's match and he admits that the wait would have played on his nerves more when he was younger.

"I've obviously gone through a few years now where I've adapted to these matches before and had to prepare,'' he said.

08.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boxer brags about $66m fleet

Floyd Mayweather is constantly boasting about his wealth. Source: Supplied

THE world's best-paid athlete in the world Floyd Mayweather loves to show off his wealth on Instagram and he isn't winning any point for humility with his new image.

The boxer, who topped Forbes' list for the Highest Paid Atheletes with $124 million last year, can't help but show off his wealth.

Mayweather's collection includes two different Bugatti Veyrons, a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport, two Ferrari 458 Spiders, a Lamborghini Aventador, a Porsche 911 Turbo S and a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

The Bugatti cars are also the most expensive, coming in at around $2.8 million each, while the cheapest is the Porsche 911 at — a bargain at $283,000.

"Welcome to my toy world! Who wants to come out and play?" he captioned the picture.

Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao is certainly not impressed by his rival's obscene wealth.

The 36-year-old has been trying to arrange a fight with Mayweather for years.

"Floyd brags about his lifestyle and everything! I don't care! I'm just waiting here for him to sign the contract!" he said.

Among his Instagram posts Mayweather has included his massive shoe collection, boarding private planes and surrounded by money.

08.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Young gun Percat stays on the V8 grid

Nick Percat has signed with Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport. Photo: Supplied. Source: Supplied

NICK Percat has catapulted from victim to victor in V8 Supercars' off-season musical chairs as a shock signing for Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport in 2015.

The 26-year-old South Australian appeared destined to miss out on a full-time drive next season under a sponsorship funding shortfall with Walkinshaw Racing.

But a late deal with a likely two-car Lucas Dumbrell entry has given the 2011 Bathurst 1000 winner a chance to capitalise on a rookie V8 Supercars season that left him an impressive 12th in the championship.

"Extremely excited, and somewhat relieved," Percat, in Adelaide with family for Christmas, said. "After a solid year I thought I was definitely going to get a good drive in something.

"It's great that Lucas wanted to get a good driver in and help boost his team, so it's the perfect result for me.

"It's really encouraging that he wants me to be that guy that helps him improve the team."

Percat effectively replaces retiring motorsport veteran and fellow South Australian Russell Ingall in the LDM entry.

The Dumbrell garage downscaled to one car in 2014 but has committed to fielding two in 2015. It was thought that Percat would remain locked in to Walkinshaw Racing — which runs four cars including the two Holden Racing Team Commodores — but the team's failure to provide a full-time drive released him from a multi-year contract.

Percat finished with 1921 championship points in his debut year, just 18 points short of a top-10 finish. He ranked second among rookies, behind only Bathurst 1000-winner Chaz Mostert.

Despite a year that featured two podium finishes including a third at Bathurst, Percat found himself on the outer through no fault of his own earlier this month. His 2014 entry was underpinned by the racing entitlements contract of James Rosenberg, a long-time backer of young talents including Tim Slade.

But Rosenberg was forced to return his licence before 2015's December 1 entry deadline when a lack of commercial backing meant the SA entrepreneur would have had to have funded the shortfall for a second successive year.

Linking with team owner Dumbrell strengthens a long-time friendship between the pair.

"To come here and be lead driver is a different scenario to what I have been used to, but LDM has very good equipment, a Triple Eight Race Engineering-built Holden Commodore, and all the right people," Percat said.

"This team has grown up considerably in the past 12 months and I want to help it continue building momentum — we can show everyone what we are all truly capable of."

Dumbrell said signing Percat was a key step in his team's competitive development.

"Nick thought, through no fault of his own, it was going to be a pretty average Christmas for him so I'm thrilled that we've been able to bring him some joy for the festive season," Dumbrell said.

"I believe Nick's signing with LDM is the next step in our development as a team. It's an understatement to say I'm excited. The whole team is, and we all go away for the Christmas holidays knowing we're going to hit the track running in 2015."

08.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ange backs Cahill for fourth World Cup

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

ANGE Postecoglou has backed star Tim Cahill to play in a fourth consecutive World Cup.

Cahill was due to retire from international football after next month's Asian Cup, but his form suggests he could still be making an impact by Russia 2018.

The New York Red Bulls striker was among the 23-man squad named on Tuesday to play in the Asian Cup, with the Socceroos opening the tournament against Kuwait at AAMI Park on January 9.

Veterans Mark Schwarzer, Lucas Neill, Brett Holman and Luke Wilkshire have faded into the sunset on Postecoglou's watch, but the Socceroos coach said the door was open for Cahill, who will be 38 years and six months old when the 2018 World Cup kicks off.

"I'd be delighted if he's still banging in goals like he is now in four years,'' Postecoglou said.

"If you go on the evidence of the last 12 months, particularly in international football, Timmy's still a world-class striker and if he continues in that form that's fantastic for us.

"Timmy's a very important part of what we're doing and what we're building, not just on the field but off the field too.

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

"He's been a fantastic leader for this young group in the last 12 months.

"I don't think I've called an end to anybody's career. All I do is select squads and then people make decisions beyond that.

"It's not up to me to tell people when their career should finish. I have a responsibility to select squads and players will make their decisions.''

Cahill's Red Bulls contract has another year to run but recent indications are that he may move on, with a return to England floated.

Australia's record scorer has scored eight of the 12 goals scored since Postecoglou replaced Holger Osieck.

"The pleasing thing for me is that, speaking to Tim, he makes these decisions on the back of him wanting to prolong his international career,'' Postecoglou said.

"So he'll make a decision that he thinks his best for him to continue wearing the Australian shirt, which I think is fantastic, the fact he's willing to put his country first.

"He's a pretty smart cookie, he's probably smarter than me when it comes to making the right moves. So I'd back him to make a good move again and hopefully we continue to get the best out of him.''

08.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Golden result for Coast in carnival reshuffle

Red Tracer wins this year's Tattersall's Tiara at Eagle Farm. The Group 1 race will be run on the Gold Coast next year. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: Peter Wallis / News Limited

GOLD Coast will be the only provincial club in Australia to host a Group 1 this season with confirmation the 2015 Tattersall's Tiara (1400m) will be held on the Coast in June.

It comes as Racing Queensland officially moved the 2015 Stradroke Handicap to Doomben after ruling out the use of Eagle Farm racecourse for next year's Queensland Winter Carnival.

Racing Queensland chief executive Darren Condon. Source: Supplied

The Gold Coast club has been anxious to host a Group 1 race for many years and on Tuesday they got their wish when the Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara meeting on June 20 was officially moved from Eagle Farm to the Coast.

In other changes announced by RQ, the Queensland Oaks meeting (May 30) and Stradbroke Day (June 6) have both been moved from Eagle Farm to Doomben.

It means the Stradbroke will be shortened from 1400m to 1350m next year, while the Queensland Derby and Queensland Oaks will both be held over 2200m instead of the traditional 2400m in 2015.

The above alterations are among a host of distance changes to feature races during next year's winter carnival due to the reshuffle.

Gold Coast Turf Club chairman Brett Cook said hosting the Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara next year was like another early Christmas present for the club.

The announcement came on the back of news last Friday that the Gold Coast club will play host to Australia's richest race day, the $10 million Magic Millions from 2016.

"It's been a big few days for the club and this just tops it off," Cook said.

"Now we have two feature meetings during the Queensland winter carnival and it's fantastic to have the time-honoured Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) and Prime Minister's Cup Day on Anzac Day and then have the Tattersall's Tiara meeting at the end of the carnival as well."

With the Tattersall's Tiara all but certain to return to Brisbane in 2016, Cook said the next challenge was to have a regular Group 1 race on the Coast.

"Our long term plan is to get the Hollindale up to Group 1 standard," he said.

"Having said that, it's fantastic that we will become the first club next year to host a Group 1 race outside of a metropolitan racetrack in Queensland."

RQ chief executive Darren Condon admits not being able to use Queensland's premier track (Eagle Farm) for the 2015 carnival is not ideal but he said the reshuffle will give valuable opportunities to other clubs in the state.

"We now have the Gold Coast Turf Club running a Group 1 in the Tatt's Tiara and the Sunshine Coast hosting a top two-mile race in the Queensland Cup, which presents great opportunities for fans in those regions," he said.

RQ also announced Toowoomba Turf Club would have a month off racing from January 19 following a host of problems in the past year with the club's new StrathAyr grass surface.

A dethatching process will be completed on the Toowoomba grass track during its break from racing in a bid to have the surface in prime condition for the club's feature winter carnival meeting on May 2.

Gold Coast Turf Club chairman Brett Cook says hosting the Tattersall's Tiara next year is another early Christmas present for the club. Source: News Limited

The below changes for the 2015 Queensland Winter Carnival have been put through to the Australian Pattern Committee in a formal request by RQ.

April 11, Doomben

- Chief De Beers Handicap from 1000m to 1110m (previously at SC Turf Club May 16 — Caloundra Cup Day)

- Tails Stakes from 1800m to 1600m (previously at Eagle Farm May 30)

May 16, Sunshine Coast

(Caloundra Cup meeting)

- Bribie Handicap distance unchanged (previously June 20 Tatts Tiara meeting)

May 23, Doomben

(Premiers Cup meeting)

· Premiers Cup from 2200m to 2000m

· Grand Prix Stakes from 2200m to 2000m

· The Roses from 2200m to 2000m

May 30, Doomben

(Queensland Oaks Day meeting which was previously held at Eagle Farm)

· QTC Cup (G2) from 1300m to 1200m

· Lightning Handicap (Listed) from 1000m to 1050m

· Spear Chief Handicap (Listed) from 1500m to 1600m

· Queensland Oaks (G1) from 2400m to 2200m

· Phoenix (Listed) from 1400m to 1350m

River Lad narrowly claims this year's Stradbroke Handicap. Picture: Mark Cranitch Source: News Corp Australia

June 6, Doomben

(Stradbroke Day meeting which was previously held at Eagle Farm)

· Stradbroke Handicap (G1) from 1400m to 1350m

· Brisbane Cup (G2) from 2400m to 2200m

· Queensland Derby (G1) from 2400m to 2200m

· Dane Ripper (G2) from 1400m to 1350m

June 20, Gold Coast Turf Club

(Tattersall's Tiara meeting which was previously held at Eagle Farm)

· Healy Stakes (G3) from 1300m to 1200m

· Daybreak Lover (Listed) from 1600m to 1800m

· Tattersall's Tiara (G1) — unchanged

· Mercedes Benz Stakes (Listed) — unchanged

· Tattersall's Racing Club Open Handicap (Listed) — unchanged

· Tattersall's Cup (G3) — unchanged

08.57 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hales fails, Sixers cruise to victory

Alex Hales was dismissed for one as the Hobart Hurricanes lost to Sydney Sixers. Source: Nikki Davis-Jones / News Corp Australia

BOOM import Alex Hales' nightmare start to his Hobart career has continued at Blundstone Arena as the Sydney Sixers sank the Hurricanes in their home Big Bash League debut.

Hoping to kick-start a new era at Bellerive following the opening of the Western Stand, the Hurricanes crashed to Sydney by seven wickets in front of 13,140 fans.

Hales, the No. 3 ranked Twenty20 batsman in the world, failed for the second straight match and then dropped a relatively straight forward catch in the field which not only let fellow Englishman Michael Lumb off the hook but gifted him six runs in the process.

Nic Maddinson blasted 29 runs from the first two overs. Source: Getty Images

Hales earlier scored just one before skying Brett Lee to Sixers gloveman Ryan Carters in the opening over — his solitary run in the competition from just six balls faced in two innings after his duck against the Melbourne Stars on Saturday night.

Thanks largely to skipper George Bailey (71 from 44 balls) the Hurricanes amassed 8-154 but it was a total which never looked big enough once rising star Nic Maddinson produced an early blitzkrieg to launch the chase.

Maddinson cracked 29 from 12 balls, which included three consecutive boundaries off Ben Hilfenhaus in the opening over and another two in the next, as well as a towering six over mid-wicket, from Joe Mennie.

Although the 23-year-old threw his wicket away when he holed out to long-on in the third over, he had handed the visitors the momentum which Lumb (44 from 31) and debutant Riki Wessels (22) fed off during a 67 run partnership.

Michael Lumb top scored for the Sydney Sixers with 44 runs. Source: Getty Images

Lumb was on 35 in the 10th over when he top edged Mennie to deep fine leg, only for Hales to spill the chance over the boundary for six.

It didn't cost the Hurricanes too much when Lumb slapped a Cameron Boyce half tracker to deep mid-wicket next over, but by then the damage had been done as the Sixers were still travelling at nearly 10 runs an over.

Moises Henriques (29 not out) and Jordan Silk (31 not out) calmly guided the Sixers home with five balls spare.

"It [154] could have been [enough], but realistically it probably wasn't, we saw last night anything is in the game if you can take early wickets," Bailey said.

"But a pretty good onslaught there from Nic Maddinson at the top made it difficult for us.

George Bailey top scored for the Hurricanes with 71. Source: Getty Images

"It would have been nice to get about 170 on that.

"I thought our bowling was a little off tonight, particularly after how we had seen the Sixers bowl ... they had given us a blueprint on how best to bowl."

With help from Tim Paine (36 from 27) and Ben Dunk (23), Bailey lifted the home side to a competitive target after winning the toss in a contest reduced to 19 overs apiece following a delayed start due to the weather.

The Australian vice-captain was subdued early — his first 12 runs took 14 balls — before he began to flourish in smacking six boundaries and three sixes.

New cult hero Darren Sammy was unable to reproduce his heroics from the MCG, hitting a catch to deep mid-wicket for just two.

Former Australian speedster Brett Lee finished with 3-34 for Sydney, two of which came as part of a team hat-trick from the final three balls of the innings.

08.57 | 0 komentar | Read More