Live: Adelaide Strikers host Melbourne Renegades in Big Bash League semi-final

THE Adelaide Strikers have won by a solitary run to book a spot in the final against the Hurricanes on Sunday. WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS!

TRAVIS Head thunderstruck Melbourne Renegades as Adelaide Strikers overcame old favourite Kieron Pollard to book a maiden BBL decider in a semi-final thriller.

Adelaide will host the BBL final against Hobart Hurricanes on Sunday from 4pm after its one run win. Regrettably superstar leg-spinner Rashid Khan, Alex Carey, Billy Stanlake and possibly Head will be on international duty. Head (85 from 57 balls) responded to Adelaide’s call to arms in decisive fashion. What could have been a night contemplating cordial mixes for Australia’s T20 tri-series opener against New Zealand in Sydney today materialised as a potential title winning knock Former Striker Pollard (29 not out) loomed as the discard who could come back to haunt Adelaide alongside Redback Tom Cooper with 20 runs needed off 12 balls. Michael Neser broke even in the penultimate over meaning 13 was needed off Ben Laughlin’s final over. Pollard straight drove the first ball for four and needed three off the final ball but Laughlin was equal to the task with the Renegades stranded on 4/177 chasing 5/178. “Polly was pretty scary, we will take that. It is cool, a really good effort, it means so much. I put the last one in the slot so I was lucky,” said Laughlin. The turning point appeared to come when Jake Lehmann grassed Dwayne Bravo on 15 in the 15th over from Colin Ingram’s part time leg-spin. It was a welcome reprieve for Bravo. The man with his own “Champion song” had grassed Jake Weatherald on 22 at backward point before conceding 14 off the final over of Adelaide’s innings. Yet Bravo (26) couldn’t capitalise. Jono Dean dived to his right at backward point to intercept a Bravo blow off BBL record wicket taker Laughlin that stopped a 52-run partnership with Cooper. Lehmann would then misjudge a sitter off Ingram in the 17th over from Pollard. Marcus Harris (45 from 29 balls) and Tim Ludeman (28 from 20 balls) threatened to destroy Adelaide with a 71-run stand before Head (1/27) reintroduced himself in the ultimate circuit breaker act. Harris picked out Weatherald on the deep mid-wicket fence. Rashid (1/28) was inspired, luring Ludeman into false shot to Jake Lehmann. Dropped from Australia’s one-day side, Cameron White’s (2) tough week had continued when claimed by Michael Neser in the second over. Head’s impeccably measured 104-run stand with Weatherald booked a grand final Adelaide had been yearning for. South Australia won the last Big Bash in 2010-11 but the Strikers had fallen at the semi final hurdle as minor premiers in 2014-15 and 2015-16. Dean (19 from 8 balls) lit the fuse before Weatherald’s first wicket union with Head. It was a crucial partnership with clean hitting keeper Carey on Australian duty — until Weatherald was deceived by a Pollard slower ball. Weatherald has three half centuries in four innings — a resounding back end to the tournament that contrasted with a barren seven innings start to the competition. The Renegades were able to rein in Adelaide with “Bulldozer” Ingram’s (1) cheap demise to Joe Mennie (1-21). Head was forced temper his stroke play without power hitters in the middle order. Jono Wells (5) and Lehmann (2) failed to impact until the arrival of Neser who struck a boundary with his first ball. SCORECARD Adelaide Strikers Innings J DEAN c Pollard b Tremain 19 (8) J WEATHERALD c Holland b Pollard 57 (43) T HEAD not out 85 (57) C INGRAM c Ludeman b Mennie 1 (2) J WELLS b Bravo 5 (6) J LEHMANN c Mennie b Wildermuth 2 (3) M NESER not out 4 (2) Sundries (1b 3w 1nb) 5 Five wickets for 178 Fall: 19 (Dean), 123 (Weatherald), 135 (Ingram), 149 (Wells), 159 (Lehmann). Bowling: T Cooper 3-0-28-0, C Tremain 4-0-36-1 (2w), J Mennie 4-0-21-1, D Bravo 4-0-47-1 (1nb), J Wildermuth 4-0-37-1 (1w), K Pollard 1-0-8-1. Batting time: 87 mins. Overs: 20. Melbourne Renegades Innings C WHITE c Siddle b Neser 2 (4) M HARRIS c Weatherald b Head 45 (29) T LUDEMAN c Lehmann b Khan 28 (20) T COOPER not out 36 (29) D BRAVO c Dean b Laughlin 26 (17) K POLLARD not out 29 (21) Sundries (2b 3lb 6w) 11 Four wickets for 177 Fall: 10 (White), 81 (Harris), 87 (Ludeman), 139 (Bravo). Bowling: T Head 4-0-27-1 (1w/3), M Neser 4-0-45-1 (2w), P Siddle 2-0-22-0, R Khan 4-0-28-1, B Laughlin 4-0-31-1 (1w), C Ingram 2-0-19-0. Batting time: 76 mins. Overs: 20. Umpires: Phillip Gillespie, Shawn Craig. Match Referee: Bob Stratford. Third Umpire: G Davidson. Result: Adelaide Strikers won by 1 run FOLLOW ALL THE ACTION IN THE BLOG BELOW