This was the second Champions League T20 title for a team from New South Wales;
 current champions Brad Haddin, Steve O'Keefe, Moises Henriques, Steve Smith and
 Ben Rohrer were part of the winning NSW squad in 2009 too. Like the previous final,
 Haddin almost missed this one with an injured thumb, but not only was he spot on
 with the call at the toss, he spun a rabbit out of his hat after putting Lions in. 
Sixers' three fast bowlers could one day form the Australia Test attack, they have been the talk of the tournament, but they opened with two spinners on a pitch that reminded Stuart Clark of his six-over-54-run nightmare at the same venue six years ago. Nathan McCullum, who wasn't called upon to bowl and scored a golden duck in the semi-final, was to perform the opening act of the big night. And it seemed the tournament would get worse for him when Gulam Bodi lofted the third ball of the match over long-on.