The Sydney Sixers could be about to bet on red.
Flame-haired leg-spin sensation Lloyd Pope is in the running to make his Big Bash League debut in Saturday's season-opening clash with the Perth Scorchers.
The 19-year-old is in contention to line up at the SCG after being named in the Sixers' 13-man squad.
Pope and fellow leg-spinner Daniel Fallins are fighting it out for a spot in the XI with the final decision to be made at the toss.
After just four first-class games, Pope has already earned a cult following after running through England with 8-35 at the Under-19 World Cup earlier in the year.
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Former Test spinner and Sixers teammate Steve O'Keefe was coy on whether Pope would get a run but said he was ready to make the step up.
"He's going to be the kind of guy who comes in and has a cult following straight away with those beautiful red locks of his and bowling leg spin," O'Keefe said.
"And he's super talented - a bloke who can take seven-fer in a Shield game.
"I genuinely believe he's ready. He's got a superb wrong-un which we've seen, he spins his leg-spinner, which is what everyone talks about. He's an attacking sort of bowler and what I like about him is he's willing to learn and listen.
"I don't want to put too much pressure on the kid, at 19 I was still playing second grade and here he is playing frontline men's cricket."
The Sixers are intent on compounding the pain on arch-rivals the Scorchers following the Perth franchise's first-up loss to the Melbourne Renegades on Thursday night.
They still have vivid memories of losing the 2014-15 and 2016-17 finals to the Scorchers and want to put them under pressure by relegating them to 0-2.
"They're going to be hungry and they've got a good record against us, particularly at home at the SCG," O'Keefe said.
"It will be a good statement for us if we can win.
"They're the same team and a year smarter and a year better with a lot of development. They've got a lot of match-winners in that top six, a great bowling unit and a great all-round unit."
