MELBOURNE Renegades have beaten Perth Scorchers for just the second time at Marvel Stadium, downing the visitors in a thrilling run chase last night. After a hot start, the ‘Gades made tough work of a relatively modest 144-run target but got the job done with an over to spare.

The hosts were cruising at several points, dragging the required run rate down to under a run a ball in the sixth over, and amassing over half the total after seven. They blasted 2-42 in the Power Play and were 3-96 before drinks, with Englishmen Jacob Bethell and Laurie Evans combining for a 54-run partnership.

Poor shot selection saw Bethell (30 off 22) bowled by Ashton Agar, and Evans (24 off 18) followed soon after as Perth began to turn the screw. Spin did the job again to remove the last recognised batter, Mackenzie Harvey, leaving the tail to put together 31 runs off the last 39 deliveries.

At the end of Agar’s 1-20 spell where no boundaries were conceded, the Renegades yielded more unnecessary pressure as Tom Rogers was run out by Matthew Kelly. It left captain Will Sutherland (15* off 20) to show a mature head and get his side over the line with a chip over cover.

Earlier, the Renegades sent Perth in to bat and performed brilliantly in the field. Harvey was the catalyst of some incredible plays, including a diving runout of Keaton Jennings, whose bat got stuck in the soft Marvel Stadium turf, and a soaring one-handed catch to remove Matthew Spoors.

Both dismissals were key partnership breakers. The Scorchers took 11 deliveries to get off the mark and faced 20 dot balls in the Power Play (1-12), with star import Finn Allen finally surviving his second ball but departing on the third. Jennings (9 off 12) was just picking up the pieces.

Later on, Spoors had combined for a 49-run stand with Cooper Connolly, and both had accrued 29 runs to begin the Power Surge when Harvey’s catch halted their momentum. The Scorchers tipped the run rate over six-per-over for the first time shortly after, in the 17th over.

Though having been 4-48 at halfway, Connolly got his side going in an eventful innings. He started slowly with one run off his first 12 balls, but eventually began to find the rope and creamed consecutive lofted shots over cover for six to bring up his half-century off 46 deliveries.

The young allrounder also brought up his highest Big Bash League (BBL) score with a maximum off Adam Zampa, but fell to the leggie for a wonderful 66 off 55 in the final over. Still, the hard work had been done and Perth’s 8-143 looked around par on a tricky, seaming pitch.

The result sees Melbourne move to the top of the BBL standings with its two-straight victories. The undefeated Heat and Sixers stand between them and the Scorchers in fourth place, who now sit at 1-2 after three games. It was the Renegades’ first win over Perth in six tries since December 2020.

There is no rest for the wicked, with Perth backing up on Boxing Day for a highly anticipated clash with Brisbane on home turf. The Renegades will enjoy a longer break before taking on Sydney Thunder (1-1) at ENGIE Stadium on December 30.

SCORECARD

RESULT: Renegades won by 2 wickets with 6 balls to spare
POTM: Tom Rogers (Melbourne Renegades)
BAT FLIP: Renegades won and elected to bowl

Perth Scorchers 8-143 (20)
Cooper Connolly 66 (50), Matthew Spoors 29 (26)
Tom Rogers 3-22 (4), Fergus O’Neill 1-18 (4), Will Sutherland 1-27 (4)

Melbourne Renegades 8-144 (19)
Jacob Bethell 30 (22), Tim Seifert 28 (14), Laurie Evans 24 (18)
Jason Behrendorff 2-33 (4), Ashton Turner 1-3 (1), Cooper Connolly 1-17 (3)

INNINGS BREAKDOWN:

Power Play (1-4):
Scorchers: 1-12
Renegades: 2-42

Halfway (10):
Scorchers: 4-48
Renegades: 4-98

Power Surge:
Scorchers (16-17): 4-84 to 5-106 (1-22)
Renegades (19): 7-138 to 8-144 (1-6)

Totals:
Scorchers: 8-143 (20)
Renegades: 8-144 (19)

SQUADS

Melbourne Renegades: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Brown, Tim Seifert (wk), Jacob Bethell, Laurie Evans, Mackenzie Harvey, Will Sutherland (c), Fergus O’Neill, Tom Rogers, Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson

Perth Scorchers: Finn Allen, Keaton Jennings, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis (wk), Ashton Turner (c), Nick Hobson, Ashton Agar, Matthew Spoors, Matthew Kelly, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff

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