Perth opener Craig Simmons awoke from his slumber to score an extraordinary century and put the Sydney Sixers squarely under the pump in the Big Bash League semi-final at the SCG on Wednesday.
Simmons (112 off 58 balls) was bogged down with just five runs from his first 15 balls faced, but eventually clicked into explosive overdrive, smashing 11 sixes to lift Perth to an imposing total of 5-193.
The winner of this semi earns the right to qualify for the lucrative Champions League and the right to host the BBL final against Hobart on Friday.
Simmons, the only century-maker all season, posted his second on Wednesday and broke the competition record for most sixes in the process.
The 31-year-old scored the fastest century (102 off 41 balls) in BBL history against the Adelaide Strikers two weeks ago, but looked anything but a record breaker after eight overs at the SCG.
Perth were floundering at 1-39 after the dismissal of Simon Katich (26), and Simmons was accused of being a ‘one-hit wonder’ on Twitter.
However, the powerful left-hander took that as his cue to tee-off and hammered 10 sixes in 28 balls.
His second 50 was brought up in just 16 balls, his last 94 runs off just 37.
Perth scored just 153 to beat Sydney in a super over earlier in the season, and after Simmons’ fireworks the visitors are now in the box seat.
The Scorchers have featured in every BBL final but are yet to win a crown.
Sydney won the BBL and Champions League in 2012.
The Sixers bowlers started well early, but couldn’t take enough wickets to put the Scorchers under the pump.
Brett Lee (1-27) and Mitchell Starc (2-37) were the best for the Sixers.
Adam Voges supported Simmons well with 31 from 24 in the middle order.