Moises Henriques has made a strong start to the Big Bash League season, yet admits that his drop down the Test line of succession hasn’t motivated him. On Wednesday, the Sydney Sixers captain smashed 73 off 48 balls versus the Hobart Hurricanes, leading his team come back from 5-39 to win by 14 runs.
Henriques’ knock came 3 days after he smashed an undefeated 76 off 38 balls in the Sixers’ tournament-opening victory over the Stars.
The 34-year-old was part of a 19-man team that was supposed to visit South Africa previously this year, but he was dropped out of Australia’s Test team and stretched Australia A team announced last month.
“I don’t use any external factors as motivation,” he said after the Sixers’ second win from as many matches. “I have a great relationship with George. I understand the decision. I don’t have to agree with it but I understand it“.
“I feel like I’m playing as well as I ever have. I would have loved an opportunity to obviously play, or at the very least, be a part of the squad considering I was in the last squad that was selected“.
Just to keep learning and getting better, that’s the only motivation I take out: Moises Henriques
Henriques has previously stated that while he disagrees with the reasoning of the choice, he has high regard for selector George Bailey and the manner in which he interacts with players.
“I’m not bitter about it at all. I won’t be using that as motivation for anything. “My job as a cricketer isn’t to select teams, it’s to do as well as I can and try and score as many runs as I can and take as many wickets as I can. “It’s as simple as that for me. Just to keep learning and getting better, that’s the only motivation I take out.”
Henriques, who played his last 4 Tests in 2016, produced an important 62-run stand with Tom Curran as the Sixers recovered from an earlier collapse to post 9-144.
Hobart needed 23 off the last 12 balls, however, Sydney’s England recruit Chris Jordan played a standout in the second-last over, surrendering only 3.
“(We have) got a very experienced bowling attack that I’m obviously very confident in,” Henriques said. “For us to come up trumps in a close game, (it) is a really important win at this stage of the season.”
They grow up so fast 🥺
Congrats on 50 @BBL matches, Flip! ❤️#BBL11 pic.twitter.com/nNSxbs2J9Z
— Sydney Sixers (@SixersBBL) December 8, 2021
