Sydney Open Big Bash Series in Style

Sydney captain Brad Haddin smashed 76 runs to guide the Sixers to a seven-wicket victory over Brisbane in the  opening Big Bash match of the summer on Friday night.

Haddin's top knock followed the great work of 40-year-old spinner Stuart MacGill who returned from a three-year retirement to take 2-21 and help restrict the Heat to 8-139, despite the best efforts of Dan Christian (32) and Matt Hayden (29).

Thanks to Haddin and Nic Maddinson (28) the Sixers were rarely troubled, with all-rounder Moises Henriques (5) hitting the winning runs as the home team reached 3-140 with eight balls to spare.

MacGill didn't miss a beat in his cricketing comeback, taking the big wickets of Hayden and Brendon McCullum as part of a classy spell with good support provided by young quicks Josh Hazlewood (2-24) and Mitchell Starc (2-28).

Haddin has to attend a national team batting camp at the request of coach Mickey Arthur prior to the Boxing Day Test along with other members of Australia's misfiring top order.

But he looked to have worked his way back into form in front of 12,285 fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground thanks to the shortest form of the game, putting on 79 for the second wicket with Maddinson.

Haddin took 16 off one over from Alister McDermott and hammered back-to-back sixes of former Test spinner Nathan Hauritz before bringing up his 50 with another towering six off Nick Buchanan