Postcode war spills into Big Bash Smash

NOT satisfied with getting one over his English teammate on the field, Sydney Sixers allrounder Tom Curran is now winding up the Thunder’s Alex Hales about his postcode.

There’s no greater rivalry in Sydney than when the posh folk from the eastern suburbs take on the working class west and it hasn’t taken the Poms long to embrace the cultural divide ahead of tonight’s Sydney Smash.

Curran got the better of Hales when the teams met earlier this season, bowling the final ball of the Super Over to his fellow countryman. Hales needed to hit a six to win the match for the Thunder but could only manage a four and Curran hasn’t let his mate forget it.

And having taken up residence near the beach, Curran has taken to telling Hales that he’s living and playing in the rich part of town.

“I know it well enough to know that I've definitely got the better gig, staying at Coogee,” Curran said.

“He's in the city. He's not on the beach … I think he's a bit jealous.”

Bragging rights aside, tonight’s clash has all the ingredients of a classic because the stakes are so high with both teams desperate for victory.

The Sixers are trying to cement their place in the top two while the Thunder need to win to get back into the top five after slipping to sixth spot with their narrow loss to the Renegades

on Wednesday.

The Thunder haven’t had any luck this season, losing two matches under the DLS system, another in a Super Over and having yet another called off because of bushfire smoke when they were on the verge of victory.

Star batsman Usman Khawaja said the prospect of playing their cross-city rivals was all the motivation the Thunder needed to get their season back on track.

“A lot of guys know each other, play against each other,” he said. “There's a big rivalry between the Sixers and Thunder.”

THUNDER V SIXERS SPOTLESS STADIUM, 6.10PM (AEST) WATCH LIVE FOX CRICKET (501)