All you need to know for the BBL

Who is in?

Defending champions Hobart Hurricanes were the first to lock in a finals spot, surging to the top of the KFC BBL|15 standings through the middle of the season before a no result and a final-game loss sapped their momentum late as they let the No.1 position slip away.

Melbourne Stars were the second team to qualify, as they shrugged off a mid-season wobble and cemented their finals berth with a commanding six-wicket win over Adelaide.

Kiwi blaster Finn Allen then smashed a masterful first BBL century to see the Perth Scorchers punch their finals ticket with a commanding 50-run win over the Melbourne Renegades. Perth then returned home and saw off the Stars to secure top spot and the chance to host two finals matches.

Three of the four finals berths were filled heading into the final weekend of the regular season, but the final spot - and the order of the teams ranked 2-4 - came down to Sunday night's final match as Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers met in a virtual elimination final at the Gabba.

The match looked up for grabs as late as the final four overs, only for the Sixers middle order of Sam Curran (53no) and Lachlan Shaw (17 off 12 deliveries) to capitalise on the platform laid by Steve Smith (54 off 40) and seal a finals berth, ending the Heat's campaign in the process.

KFC BBL|15 standings

Finals structure

It's first (Scorchers) v second (Sixers) in the Qualifier, with the two sides battling it out in Perth on Tuesday for a spot in the BBL|15 Final on Sunday, January 25, which will also be hosted by the winner of this match.

The loser gets a double chance and will host the Challenger on Friday, January 23 against the winner of the Knockout, which sees third (Hurricanes) hosting fourth (Stars) in a sudden death final in Hobart on Wednesday night.

The winner of Friday's Challenger will secure the second spot in the Final where they will face the winner of the Qualifier for the chance to lift the BBL|15 trophy.

BBL|15 finals schedule

Qualifier: Perth Scorchers v Sydney Sixers, Perth Stadium (Tuesday, January 20, 7.30pm AEDT)

Knockout: Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Stars, Ninja Stadium (Wednesday, January 21, 7.30pm AEDT)

Challenger: TBC v TBC, TBC (Friday, January 23, 7.15pm AEDT)

Final: TBC v winner of Challenger, TBC (Sunday, January 25, 7.15pm AEDT)

*A reserve day on Monday, January 26 (7.15pm AEDT) is available for the Final

How to get tickets

Members of the four competing clubs will receive communication outlining all the key information regarding access to finals tickets shortly.

How to watch

Every match of the BBL|15 finals will be broadcast live on Channel Seven, 7plus, Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports and there will also be live ball-by-ball radio coverage on ABC and SEN, which you can listen to via the CA Live app and cricket.com.au.

Form guide

Most recent first (W: win, L: loss, D: no result/abandoned)

Perth Scorchers: W W W L W W W L L W

The Scorchers sealed top spot and hosting rights of The Qualifier, defeating the Stars at Optus Stadium in front of 48,608 fans on Saturday night. It capped a strong finish to the regular season that saw Perth win six of their final seven matches, having been 1-2 prior to that.

Sydney Sixers: W W W NR W W W L W L L

Four incisive wickets from Mitchell Starc were followed by another commanding knock with the bat from Steve Smith to ensure the Sixers made their way into second place and nailed down the double chance. The return of Starc and Smith from Test action has been a major boost in recent matches and means they are well placed to make a tilt at the title.

Melbourne Stars: L W W L L L W W W W

The Stars were the early frontrunners in BBL|15, winning their first four matches. A poor patch through the middle brought them back into the pack, however, as they suffered losses to the Heat, Sixers and Renegades. They bounced back to cement their spot in the finals but a poor batting display in their final regular-season game cost them the chance to finish on top and host the Qualifier.

Hobart Hurricanes: L NR W W L W W W L W

The defending champions missed a chance to seal top spot for the second straight season when their run chase fell apart late against the Heat on Wednesday, losing 6-32 as they failed to score the six required off the final over. Prior to the Heat loss, the Hurricanes had been almost flawless after dropping a game to the Stars, winning five of six matches through the middle of the season to seal a top four spot despite the loss of star batter Tim David to a season-ending hamstring injury.

How to stay up to date

Cricket.com.au, the CA Live and Big Bash apps will have you covered for all the breaking news, match recaps and video highlights through the BBL|15 finals. We'll also have live scores throughout the match and exclusive coverage each day with reports, interviews and behind-the-scenes insights from our crew following the teams across the country. You can download either app (or both) by clicking the links above to stay in the know as the Big Bash reaches the business end!

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