The Melbourne Renegades cruised to a comfortable four-wicket victory over the Perth Scorchers, thanks to heroics from Sam Harper and Mohammad Nabi in a low-scoring encounter in Melbourne.
After winning the bat toss and electing to field first, the Renegades made short work of dismissing the Scorchers for 103 all out in 19 overs. Michael Klinger’s top score of 28 off 32 balls (4×4) was the highlight of the Scorchers innings as the home team ripped through the Scorchers’ batting order to the crowd’s delight.
It was Dan Christian – fresh from winning the inaugural Mzansi Super League with the Jozi Stars – who accounted for Klinger before finishing with 3-22 in three overs.
Renegades’ paceman Kane Richardson was the pick of the bowlers with an impressive 3-23 in his four overs as the home side regularly picked up wickets throughout the innings.
The Scorchers started brilliantly with the ball in the second innings with Jason Behrendorff (2-17 in four overs) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (2-22 in four overs) terrorising the Renegades’ top order. The pair picked up two wickets each during the powerplay to reduce the home side to 4-32 after six overs.
After the disastrous start, Sam Harper and Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi got the home crowd on their feet with a swashbuckling 68-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Ashton Agar eventually broke the partnership by dismissing Nabi on 35 off 27 balls (4×4, 2×6) before Harper was run out in the same over on 36 off 25 balls (3×4,2×6).
The late flurry of wickets proved too little too late as the Renegades cruised over the line with Christian hitting the winning runs in the 16th over.
Photo: Michael Dodge/Getty Images
