All finally fit and injury-free, the Sydney Sixers’ three gifted young pacemen are spearheading a rampage through the Champions League T20 cricket tournament in South Africa.
Miserly Josh Hazlewood (1-9 off 4), Mitchell Starc (3-22 off 4) and Pat Cummins (2-13 off 4) set up the crushing eight-wicket win over Yorkshire in Cape Town on Wednesday morning (AEDT).
The English county were restricted to 9-96 and Sydney reached their modest target with a massive 11.1 overs to spare.
Skipper Brad Haddin (41 off 21) and former Yorkshire and England T20 representative Michael Lumb (43 not out off 24) flayed the opposing attack for 78 in seven overs after Shane Watson (11 off 6) fell in the second over.
Sydney have won their first two group games and should make the last four unless they lose both remaining matches against South Africa’s Highveld Lions in Cape Town on Thursday night (AEDT) and India’s Mumbai Indians in Durban next Tuesday morning (AEDT).
With Cummins, 19, and Hazlewood, 21, injured for most of last season, it was a rare opportunity for them to team up with fellow Australian representative, 22-year-old Starc, who had a successful recent stint with Yorkshire.
“We had a little joke about it – we’re all fit at the same time,” Hazlewood said.
“Now that we’re all together and we’re all fit and firing, so hopefully it can stay that way for a while to come.
“It’s great bowling with Starcy and Cummo.
“I think that’s only the second game I’ve played with Cummo but, all three of us in the same team, it’s pretty good fun.”
They befuddled the Yorkshire batting line-up with their pace, length and line on a wicket with tennis-ball bounce.
“The best thing about them is they all bowl well together – there are no egos with them,” Haddin said.
“They are all so different and, if they get it right, they are definitely hard to score off in this form of the game.
“They all complement each other very well and what we’ve got to remember with these guys is they are still only young.”
Yorkshire lost 9-66 after getting to 0-30 in the sixth over.
Their former NSW and Australian Test opener Phil Jaques (21 off 19) played some enterprising shots before top edging a mistimed pull off Starc to Dominic Thornely at deep square leg.
Joe Root (25 off 24) and Adam Lyth (18 off 25) each made a start but couldn’t up the tempo.
Yorkshire hit five fours in the first three overs, but managed just four more boundaries and one six.
Conversely, Sydney passed that boundary count in just four overs and finished with 17 fours and a six.