Big Bash League: Perth Scorchers saved from nightmare defeat to ...

Perth Scorchers survived the worst batting collapse in their history and a batting masterclass from one of its greatest-ever players — but for the opposition — to beat Melbourne Renegades.

The familiar face of three-time title-winner Shaun Marsh almost delivered the Scorchers an unfamiliar fate — their first defeat of the season — after a horror collapse left them all-out for 162.

A throwback cover-drive and a heave over cow corner featured in the 40-year-old’s 59 off 36 balls, but his dismissal let the Scorchers back through a barely open door. The Renegades finished with 8-149 and 13 runs short in their chase.

Jhye Richardson bowled a near-perfect penultimate over and Will Sutherland was run out scampering through for a second to ice the game. It left them with 17 to win off Andrew Tye’s last.

The start of the Scorcher’s batting innings was almost as calamitous as the finish. Zak Crawley got under a ball that was too short to drive off Tom Rogers and was caught at mid-on, then the crafty Mujeeb Ur Rahmann got Cooper Connolly with a peach that straightened up on him and took off-stump.

Josh Inglis struggled for timing early and Rogers’ short balls proved tough to get away as the Renegades used just two bowlers and escaped the power-play with the Scorchers 2-17.

Adam Zampa might be Australia’s greatest white-ball spinner, but the Scorchers put a target on his head. Inglis lifted the first six over long-on and Hardie top-edged Richardson for the second in the next over.

The dashing wicket-keeper was rolling when he pounded Zampa for back-to-back maximums in his unsettled second over and the captain and vice-captain partnership took 42 runs off the three overs between seven and nine.

Their 120-run stand ended on the first ball of the power-surge when Inglis, on 64, tugged a ball from Rogers to fine-leg. It triggered the Scorchers’ nightmare after Christmas.

Laurie Evans meant business in his first hit for the season and blasted 22 off eight after stepping into the surge.

Then they lost 7-5 from their final 18 balls.

Hardie was out when his on-drive parachuted to Will Sutherland at long-on. Nick Hobson was cramped on a pull-shot and caught in the deep. Evans and Ashton Agar were both snared in the outfield by lightning substitute fielder Mackenzie Harvey and Andrew Tye picked out Joe Clarke at cover.

Camera IconAaron Hardie of the Scorchers celebrates his half century. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Jhye Richardson also fell as they lost four wickets in five balls, Lance Morris was run-out in the final over and in a binary code scorecard, no player after No.6 passed one.

Sutherland had 0-35 from his first three and finished with 3-36.

Jason Behrendorff and Richardson’s two first overs were near-perfect and conceded just one run each. Quinton de Kock got to work on Behrendorff’s second. He laced a textbook drive, a nervy flick over the keeper and a whip through mid-wicket for three fours in the over.

The South African star settled into the pace of Richardson and a massive six over mid-wicket helped salvage the power-play.

Morris had instant impact for the second straight game and removed de Kock for 23. Luck swung the Scorchers’ way when the red-hot Jake Fraser-McGurk was out of his ground and watched Joe Clarke smoke a ball into Tye’s toe and on to the stumps.

Marsh was greeted by boos, but Perth fans were treated to the type of cover-drive that has typified his career over more than two decades and a flushed six over cow corner off Agar.

Camera IconShaun Marsh was greeted by boos. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Marsh’s momentum got Joe Clarke moving and the ex-Scorcher planted Morris over the sight-screen in a 16-run over that put the Renegades well on top.

The West Australian legend was dropped in the deep by a charging Connolly and then had a top-edge off Hardie fly over fine-leg. One pull shot sounded like gunfire as it rocketed to the mid-wicket boundary off Richardson.

His dismissal, caught behind off a Morris slower ball, slowed up Nic Maddinson, who laboured for his 14-ball nine and was caught by a running Evans on the fence and the Scorchers swung the game again.

Richardson jammed in pin-point yorkers in his final over, which started with 28 runs to win. Jono Wells’ boundary through covers and Rogers’ clever paddle were the visitor’s last glimmer.

Connolly’s catch of Jono Wells was the final straw.