![Fire breaks out outside Otus Stadium in Perth during BBL 2025-26 qualifier [Source: @crictalk7/x.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1768906176642_FirebreaksoutoutsideOtusStadiuminPerthduringBBL2025-26qualifier.jpg?type=hq)
Fire breaks out outside Otus Stadium in Perth during BBL 2025-26 qualifier [Source: @crictalk7/x.com]
A small fire broke out outside the Optus Stadium in Perth during the qualifier game between the Perth Scorchers and the Sydney Sixers. Even though there was noticeable smoke and a strong smell, there were no interruptions in the game, and the teams continued to play the all-important qualifier.
According to the on-ground staff, the fire broke out in some kind of bush or vegetation patch behind the stadium premises. However, the stadium staff and support personnel were immediately deployed, and the fire was contained.
Fire breaks out in BBL Qualifier
The fire was not very aggressive, and all the measures to prevent it from spreading were taken immediately.
There are no reports of any disruption inside the stadium, and the match proceeded without any necessary stoppage. The video of the fire in the Optus Stadium premises has been doing the rounds on the internet.
Ben Dwarshuis helped restrict the Perth Scorchers to a modest total
As for the game between the Sixers and the Scorchers, Mitchell Starc, Ben Dwarshuis, and Jack Edwards helped restrict the Perth Scorchers to a modest total of just 147 runs. In the typical Starc fashion, he took a wicket in his very first over, dismissing Mitchell Marsh on the fifth ball of the over.
Finn Allen did give the Scorchers a quick start, scoring 49 runs that included two fours and four sixes, but that was not enough. He was cleaned up by Dwarshuis in the 8th over of the innings. The Perth-based franchise could not recover after this as they kept losing wickets regularly, and no one could build a solid partnership.
They could not end on a high note either, as Jack Edwards bagged two wickets in the final over, and the batting side lost a third wicket with a run to end their innings on a score of just 147 for the loss of nine wickets.
Apart from Allen, no other batter could score over 30 runs in their innings, with the next highest score being 29 runs off the bat of skipper Ashton Turner. Starc, Edwards, and Dwarshuis all took two wickets each, while Joel Davies and Ben Manenti took a wicket each.
Sydney Sixers fail to get a good start in the chase
While the Sixers would be extremely happy with their bowling performance, they would have hoped for a better start with the bat. They lost two early wickets, which put them on the backfoot.
Babar Azam continued his horrible form in his inaugural BBL and departed for a duck on the second ball of the innings. Josh Philippe came in and scored a couple of boundaries, but could not continue further. Captain Moises Henriques was the third player to depart in just four overs of the innings.
It was now upto Steve Smith to rebuild the innings, and he would want to take his team through to the finals. He has looked in incredible touch this season, having already scored a fifty and a century in his three appearances before this. He will look to continue that against the Scorchers as well.
