Renegades squeeze out Scorchers in low-scoring thriller
Melbourne Renegades have overcome a middle order collapse to eke out a two wicket win over Perth Scorchers at Marvel Stadium
Melbourne Renegades squeezed out a two wicket win over Perth Scorchers on a Marvel Stadium surface that faced scrutiny to end a six-match losing streak against the West Australian team.
Chasing the Scorchers' 8-143, the Renegades were well placed at 3-96 in the 10th over but lost 5-44.
Captain Will Sutherland scored the winning runs with one over to go.
The Scorchers batters found the going tough on a seaming wicket after being sent in, with Renegades paceman Tom Rogers (3-22 off 4) instrumental in another strong bowling performance.
Cooper Connolly (66 off 50) and BBL debutant Matthew Spoors (29 off 26) were the only double-digit scorers for Perth.
While the Scorchers limped to 4-48 at halfway, the Renegades bashed 42 off their four Powerplay overs.
They remained well ahead of the run rate through cameos from Tim Seifert (28 off 14), Jacob Bethell (30 off 22) and Laurie Evans (24 off 18).
Scorchers spinners Ashton Agar (1-20 off 4), Connolly (1-17 off 3) and captain Ashton Turner (1-3 off 1) slowed the run rate as well as taking wickets.
A brilliant direct hit run out by Matthew Kelly at deep midwicket reduced the 'Gades to 7-128 after 16 overs and Fergus O'Neill was caught at mid-off with four needed off nine balls.
One of the game's major features was an outstanding fielding performance from Renegades livewire Mackenzie Harvey.
He pulled off a sensational catch at midwicket taking a leaping backward one-handed grab to dismiss Spoors.
Harvey also executed a direct hit run out and saved several runs with his fielding.
The Scorchers took 11 balls to score their first run and O'Neill (1-18 off 4) didn't concede any up to his ninth delivery – and then only from a misfield.
O'Neill and the Renegades quicks made good use of the significant seam movement on offer during the first half of the Scorchers innings, with Perth coach Adam Voges pleased by his side's effort to post 143 on a challenging surface.
"We saw how much seam movement there was in the wicket the first eight to 10 overs of our innings," he said post-match.
"(We had) 17 plays and misses in those first eight overs and it certainly wasn't through lack of trying but there was significant movement there.
"Maybe the wicket dries out a bit, the roller goes on it but clearly the wicket played differently in the second innings than what it did in the first innings."
Australian one-day and T20 representative Connolly scored just one off his first 12 balls, but blasted the Scorchers to a respectable score, belting six sixes including two off successive balls over cover off quick Kane Richardson.
The patchy Marvel Stadium outfield was also a significant talking point throughout the contest, which looked well below its best following a university graduation ceremony last week attended by tens of thousands of people, plus several recent concerts from Pearl Jam and Coldplay among others.
Winning skipper Sutherland said it "didn't play as bad as it looked" although they did have a "no-diving policy" among the group. Voges added the Scorchers expressed concerns before the game "but ultimately, were always OK to play the game if the BBL decided that the ground was fit for play".
Cricket Australia said in a statement there had been "extensive foot traffic over the outfield" at Marvel Stadium due to a busy schedule of events immediately prior to the BBL.
"As is standard procedure, match officials inspected the venue on Sunday. While there are bare patches on the outfield, it was deemed safe for play. Both teams also trained at the venue on Sunday," the statement said.
"We anticipate the outfield will continue to improve ahead of the remaining BBL|14 matches at the venue."
The Renegades improved to 2-1 while the Scorchers dropped to 1-2 after successive loses.
KFC BBL|14 standingsMatches played
MWins
WLosses
LTies
TNo results
N/RNet Run Rate
NRRDeductions
Ded.Total points
PTS 1 Melbourne Renegades Men REN 3 2 1 0 0 1.496 0 4 2 Brisbane Heat Men HEA 2 2 0 0 0 0.456 0 4 3 Sydney Sixers Men SIX 2 2 0 0 0 0.427 0 4 4 Perth Scorchers Men SCO 3 1 2 0 0 0.191 0 2 5 Adelaide Strikers Men STR 3 1 2 0 0 0.169 0 2 6 Sydney Thunder Men THU 2 1 1 0 0 0.073 0 2 7 Hobart Hurricanes Men HUR 2 1 1 0 0 -2.187 0 2 8 Melbourne Stars Men STA 3 0 3 0 0 -1.005 0 0M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
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