Ashleigh Gardner is on the verge of national selection after a superb Big Bash season.

Kevin Pietersen should be suspended for on-air comments criticising an umpiring decision during a BBL match, a former Test umpire says.

The Sydney Sixers have won a super over thriller to progress to Saturday's Big Bash final.

The Sixers' women have cruised into the women's Big Bash final after a thumping win over Hobart.

While David Hussey has retired from the Melbourne Stars, the former captain insists Kevin Pietersen is part of the "fabric" of the franchise and will remain a crucial cog in next summer's Big Bash League campaign.

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Follow our live match tracker for stats, commentary and more as Brisbane host Sydney in a do-or-die semi final at the Gabba.

• UPDATED

Australian fast bowler Joe Mennie has been readmitted to hospital with a minor brain bleed after being struck on the side of the head at Sydney Sixers training on Monday.

Australian coach Darren Lehmann has launched into Kevin Pietersen, urging the Melbourne Stars to dump the maverick batsman after the Stars were beaten in Tuesday night's Big Bash League semi-final.

Mitchell Johnson produced one of the greatest bowling displays ever seen in BBL history to lead the Perth Scorchers to a seven-wicket victory over the Melbourne Stars in Tuesday night's semi-final at the WACA Ground.

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Follow our live blog as the Scorchers host the Stars in a do-or-die semi-final in Perth.

The television ratings war has heated up with Channel Seven hitting out at suggestions Channel 10's Big Bash League dominated over the first week of the Australian Open.

• EXCLUSIVE

Exclusive: The trade period for the Big Bash League and Women's Big Bash League has been suspended as tensions rise between players and Cricket Australia over pay.

Marizanne Kapp and Dane Van Niekerk will both play for the Sixers women against the Hobart Hurricanes.

New Zealand import Colin Munro has expressed a strong desire to return to the Big Bash next season.

The futures of the Big Bash League's two oldest players, Brad Hodge and Brad Hogg, is unclear, despite strong seasons from the veteran pair.

Peter Siddle's absence from first-class cricket looks set to stretch beyond three months.

Cricket Australia must turn the new generation's passion for T20 into a love of Test cricket, says Shane Watson.

Cricket NSW chief Andrew Jones believes the Big Bash should play a round in south-east Asia.

The Melbourne Stars have dropped specialist wicketkeeper Sam Harper in the hope of profiting from greater firepower in their top order in Tuesday's Big Bash League semi-final.

Cricket Australia will release all-rounder Marcus Stoinis from the ODI squad in time for the Melbourne Stars' BBL semi-final on Tuesday.

Sarah Aley says the Sydney Sixers are strong enough to overcome Ellyse Perry's hamstring injury.

Melbourne Stars chief executive Clint Cooper has called for a Big Bash League symposium in a bid to find a solution to scheduling to allow Australia's international players more time in the burgeoning Twenty20 competition.

Melbourne Stars skipper David Hussey says national selectors should consider reborn slugger Bob Quiney for a surprise international call-up for next month's Twenty20 campaign against Sri Lanka.

Sydney Sixers paceman Sean Abbott is putting forward a compelling case for a recall to the Australian side after emerging as one of the players of this summer's Big Bash League.

Melbourne Stars captain David Hussey insists his struggling side will head to Perth for a Big Bash League semi-final on Tuesday with confidence despite losing their past two matches.

The weakened Melbourne Stars will head into this week's semi-final against the Perth Scorchers needing a burst of inspiration after dropping their final two regular season Big Bash League matches.

The Sydney Sixers have booked a ticket to Brisbane for the semi-finals after coming back from the brink of elimination to beat an undermanned Melbourne Stars at the MCG on Saturday night.

Ellyse Perry has suffered a hamstring injury that looks set to rule her out for the rest of the WBBL.

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The Stars take on the Sydney Sixers at the MCG fighting for a finals spot and chance of a home semi-final.

Shaun Marsh has found form with the bat to help steer the Perth Scorchers to a home BBL semi-final with a seven-wicket win over the Hobart Hurricanes.

A boundary by Corrine Hall has secured the Hobart Hurricanes a narrow victory over the Melbourne Stars and a spot in the WBBL semi-finals.

"There's no formal system because it hasn't been an issue and we don't see it as being an issue any time soon."

Aaron Finch doubts Peter Nevill will be ready to return for the Melbourne Renegades if they happen to make next week's Big Bash League semi-finals.

The Melbourne Renegades have kept their Big Bash League finals hopes alive with a stunning one-run win over the Brisbane Heat.

The Sydney Sixers women will likely be playing finals away from home despite heading for a top-two finish.

• Live

It's do or die for the Renegades as they travel to the Gabba to face the Heat.

Kevin Pietersen has taken aim at Cricket Australia, claiming it has reneged on a promise to free allrounder Marcus Stoinis from international duty for Saturday night's pivotal Big Bash League clash against the Sydney Sixers.

Adelaide Strikers batsman Jono Dean will return to ACT cricket in the coming weeks after Big Bash campaign.

The Sixers head to Melbourne knowing a win against the Stars will secure their place in the BBL finals.

ACT Comets regular Andrew Harriott will go from selling BBL clothes to wearing them on Friday night.

Emma Kearney isn't sure she'll get much sleep on Friday night but says that won't matter if her Melbourne Stars can clinch a place in the Women's Big Bash League finals.

He was dressed like he'd been plucked from "C-Grade club cricket", but Seb Gotch has showed he has what it takes to make it in the professional game.

The Sydney Thunder have crashed out of Big Bash finals contention after a heavy loss to Adelaide.

Confusion reigned supreme for the Sydney Sixers after their super-over WBBL defeat to the Thunder.

Banishing suggestions of "doom and gloom", the Melbourne Stars are cautiously hopeful of being boosted by the return of one of their international representatives for Saturday night's season-defining Big Bash League clash against the Sydney Sixers at the MCG.

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Follow our live match tracker as the Thunder host Adelaide at Spotless Stadium.

The Melbourne Renegades will need to combat a Brisbane Heat side determined to rubber-stamp a home Big Bash League semi-final when they clash at the Gabba on Friday night.

This wasn't the script the Melbourne Stars expected from this contest between the competition's top two franchises.

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Follow the action as Brisbane travel to Melbourne to face the Stars at the MCG.

Former Test wicketkeeper Peter Nevill will return to Sydney for further scans to determine the nature of Monday night's freak injury.

Cricket Australia has approved the use of a green bat by the Thunder's West Indian import Carlos Brathwaite.

• UPDATED

Wicketkeeper Peter Nevill suffered a bizarre facial injury as his Melbourne Renegades downed the Adelaide Strikers by six runs.

• Live

It'll be all over for the losers as the Strikers host the Renegades.

Melbourne Stars veteran Luke Wright insists complacency won't be an issue in Tuesday night's top-of-the-table clash against a weakened Brisbane Heat.

A pair of streakers who interrupted a Big Bash League match at the Sydney Cricket Ground are facing fines of up to $5500 after being charged over the nudie run.

The Melbourne Stars surged into top spot on the BBL ladder with a crushing seven-wicket win over the Perth Scorchers at the WACA Ground on Saturday night.

The Thunder are threatening to steal the Sixers' place in the top four after an eight-wicket derby win over their Sydney rivals on Saturday night blew the Big Bash finals race wide open.

Channel Ten delayed the start of their 5pm news to take in the closest finish in Big Bash history, with 17,346 fans crammed into the SCG by the time the game finished.

Fresh for a loss to the Perth Scorchers while missing their star batsman Chris Lynn to international duty, the Brisbane Heat were left fuming after captain Brendan McCullum was suspended for a slow over-rate.

Cricket Australia has made a rod for its own back with the current programming, an evolutionary rather than revolutionary schedule that Charles Darwin may have described.

It may be the hottest sporting league in the country, but the Big Bash has no immediate plans to expand from its current eight-team format.

The Big Bash League has grown from a domestic competition into an international phenomenon.

The Thunder are focusing on cricket and not the Sixers' rivalry ahead of Saturday's Sydney Smash.

The Melbourne Stars have the opportunity of claiming a firm grip on a top-four spot on Saturday but they will need to combat a rejuvenated Mitchell Johnson declaring his thirst for the sport has returned.

Like any binge television viewing, the Big Bash League moves too fast for analysis of one particular match. Themes can, however, emerge from the continuum, and here's a report card of the BBL06 season so far.

Melburnians head to Adelaide Oval in need of a "miracle" and facing the harsh reality they are on the cusp of missing the Big Bash League finals for the fourth-straight year.

West Indian superstar Hayley Matthews is in town as the Hobart Hurricanes take on the Sydney Sixers.

Batting dynamo Ben McDermott labelled his match-winning innings the best of his young life as he guided the Hobart Hurricanes to a record-breaking run chase against the Melbourne Renegades on Thursday night.

Brisbane Heat will not appeal skipper Brendon McCullum's one-match suspension for the Big Bash League team's slow over rate.

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Follow our live match tracker as Melbourne host Hobart at Etihad Stadium.

Finals are looming in the sixth edition of the Big Bash League. Here's a look at what each team must do to qualify for post-season action.

Brisbane's Big Bash League title aspirations have been dealt a massive blow, with captain Brendon McCullum facing a potential one-game suspension after their 27-run loss to Perth on Wednesday.

The Melbourne Renegades have made two changes to their 13-man squad ahead of a crucial clash with the Hobart Hurricanes at Etihad Stadium on Thursday night.

A heavy police presence at Moore Park will await fans attending Saturday's A-League and Big Bash double header.

Kevin Pietersen has played down his mid-innings confrontation with Kieron Pollard on Tuesday night.

• UPDATED

Melbourne Stars headline act fires up over rival's taped bowling hand on way to nail-biting Big Bash League win.

• Live

If you're the Melbourne Stars and you lose your captain - the best female player in the world - on the day of a potentially season defining match, how do you replace her? The answer it turns out, is with her sister.

He earned plaudits from Australian cricket captain Steve Smith, but Melbourne Renegades skipper Aaron Finch is critical of his BBL half-century against the Sydney Sixers.

The Sixers have notched a fourth win of the Big Bash season after another successful run chase.

The Sixers look to go joint-top of the BBL ladder as they host the Melbourne Renegades.

Before making his Big Bash debut West Indies import Carlos Brathwaite had to do a ring-around for some gear, but the borrowed items didn't prevent him helping Sydney Thunder to a six-wicket win.

Pat Cummins believes he's finally put his injury woes behind him ahead of the ODI series against Pakistan.

He's the bespectacled teenage wonder affectionately known as "Wizard" due to his resemblance to Harry Potter, and Liam Bowe could be set for a spell under lights.

Cricket Australia's decision to withdraw Steve O'Keefe from the Big Bash League has brought a terse response from the Sydney Sixers and questions about the spinner's best preparation for next month's Test tour of India.

Barely a week ago Carlos Brathwaite was on holidays in Norway. Now he shapes as a key man for the Thunder.

Steve O'Keefe has been withdrawn from the remainder of the Sydney Sixers' Big Bash season.

Shane Watson has returned to form just in time for the Sydney Thunder, leading them to victory over Hobart.

Teenage star Ashleigh Gardner kept the Sydney Sixers at the top of the WBBL ladder on Sunday, blasting 40 off just 23 balls against Perth to set up a 12-run victory.

Brad Haddin says removing Aaron Finch early will be the key to victory against the Melbourne Renegades.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera is to play for the Melbourne Renegades in Sydney on Monday night.

Melbourne Renegades defend the decision to hang two giant JumboTron screens above the arena for Saturday night's Big Bash League derby.

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Follow our live match tracker as Hobart host the Sydney Thunder.

James Pattinson made a successful return from injury but he couldn't prevent a batting masterclass from the Melbourne Stars as they regained their swagger with a 46-run win in the Big Bash League derby on Saturday night.

Carlos Brathwaite has replaced fellow West Indian Andre Russell at the Sydney Thunder.

The Renegades are the stars of Melbourne and could launch what had seemed an impossible bid for the finals after toppling their women's Big Bash League cross-town rivals on Saturday for the second time in a week.

Six weeks ago Kris Britt and Katie Mack were playing in front of a handful of people for the ACT Meteors.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, rumours of Test cricket's death have been greatly exaggerated.