Big Bash League: Rearguard Renegade action secures last-gasp win over Strikers
Dan Christian dragged himself out of hospital to deliver a match-winning knock for the ages as Melbourne Renegades gained revenge against Adelaide Strikers in Adelaide.
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Dan Christian dragged himself out of hospital to deliver a match-winning knock for the ages as Melbourne Renegades gained revenge against Adelaide Strikers in Adelaide.
Unconquered Christian (49, 27 balls ) took 20 runs off the penultimate over by Billy Stanlake (2/43) including two sixes to clinch a five-wicket win.
Mohammad Nabi (48, 30) hit the winning boundary with the first ball of the final over off Ben Laughlin to cap an unbroken 94-run stand with food poisoning victim Christian.
In reply to the Strikers 5-174, the Renegades needed 33 from 18 balls then 23 from 12 ball after Afghan wonder Rashid Khan’s (2/13) leg-spin put the brakes on.
Michael Neser failed to nab off Nabi on 26 off Cam Valente and the resulting boundary brought up the 50 stand with Christian off 26 balls.
The Renegades lost to Adelaide in a BBL 07 semifinal thriller but are now unbeaten after two games.
TRADING PLACES
Andrew McDonald’s Renegades rolled into town with five current or former South Australian players including Tom Cooper, Christian, Tim Ludeman, Kane Richardson and Kelvin Smith.
However it was Renegades discard Matt Short (65, 41) who masterminded Adelaide’s batting recovery with Jono Wells. Unheralded Short showed why Jason Gillespie offered a him a multi year deal despite failing to establish himself at Dockland’s Stadium with a combination of power and deft hitting.
Short picked up where he left off (62, 40 balls) in his sixth and final innings for the Renegades against the Heat last season with a career high knock.
Richardson (2/39) showed why he’s respected around the world as a death bowler bowling Wells then taking a desperate diving catch to dismiss Short off the last ball of the innings.
TRUE PRO CHRISTO
Christian opened the season in sensational style with 3/22 and the six that sealed the Renegades first win against Perth Scorchers in the competition. However Christian, as keeper Tim Ludeman noted ‘was doing well to be out there” having checked out of hospital before the game against the Strikers.
Christian was admitted to hospital at 4am on Sunday with severe food poisoning and still floating around on medication in the Strikers innings.
Christian is a multi-million dollar Indian Premier League regular and showed his professionalism with lion-hearted fielding and batting. Christian entered the fray smacking five sixes to save running on a dodgy stomach.
Bowling was a bridge too far for Christian whose first over featured a mammoth six from Jake Weatherald.
NEW STRIKE FORCE
The query on Adelaide defending its title was dealing with the nightmare scenario of its top three in the pavilion inside nine overs and no Travis Head to save the day.
Adelaide relies on Alex Carey, Weatherald and Colin Ingram to score the majority of runs. Australian vice-captain Carey exited in a disappointing mix-up with Weatherald. Master blasters Weatherald and Ingram were diffused by the spin of Nabi and Cameron Boyce.
Enter fourth wicket pair Jono Wells and Short (65) who put on 104 to take the Strikers out of the doldrums at 3-63 in the ninth over.
Jason Gillespie rated the calm and leadership Wells brought to the Strikers dressing room as a key ingredient in its inaugural BBL triumph. Wells showed how cool he is in a crisis with 24 not out and 42 (30) this season.
KHAN DO
The future of newest Test nation Afghanistan was on show at Adelaide Oval.
Rashid Khan notes how his spin triumvirate with Nabi and Mujeeb Ur-Rahman carry the hopes of Afghanistan.
Rashid’s stealth wrong’un, natural variation, accuracy and pace through the air troubles batsmen across the globe. The Renegades were all over the Strikers in the first over until the introduction of world’s No.1 T20 bowler. Rashid conceded just three runs from his first over then outfoxed set Sam Harper (28) and Cameron White (32) to put the pressure back on the visitors’ chase.
Off-spinner Nabi (1/21) deceived Strikers skipper Colin Ingram with a slower ball before a devastating knock with the willow.
CONTRAST IN TACTICS
Stand in Renegades skipper Tom Cooper bowled first when Adelaide would have batted.
Adelaide’s blueprint is to consolidate early which showed with just 29 off its initial five overs. The champion took 14.1 overs to reach 100 before accelerating to 5-174 off its 20 overs through Short and Wells. The Renegades reached 51 off just five overs as Cameron White and Sam Harper ran riot.
Nabi and Christian took up the charge with an indomitable 94-run stand using the platform set by White and Harper.
WBBL: Devine brilliance secures victory for Strikers
Sophie Devine’s record breaking intervention kept Adelaide Strikers in the title race as Melbourne Stars fell to WBBL’s finest individual display.
Devine followed 95 from 60 balls with a five-wicket haul (5/41) to deliver a 19-run win for the Strikers.
Devine, 29, is the first player to post 50 and take five wickets in a WBBL match while her 131-run stand with Bridget Patterson was the Strikers highest.
“I am am not sure if it was that impressive to be fair. I got tonked a fair bit,” Devine told Fox Cricket.
“As long as we won that is all that matters.”
Where there is life for Adelaide there is Devine who blasted a match-winning 89 against Brisbane Heat in round one.
Reeling from a four-match losing streak, defeat would have ended the Strikers championship hopes. A second win from six matches keeps Adelaide in sixth spot and three points behind the fourth-placed Stars.
Devine’s stellar knock included five blows over the fence with some of the sweeting hitting seen in the WBBL.
Having set the visitors 173 to win, Devine removed openers Lizelle Lee (25) and Ange Reakes (15). The only interruptions to Devine’s one-woman show was Bridget Patterson’s undefeated half-century (51, 42) and a spectacular catch from skipper Suzie Bates to dismiss Stars top scorer Mignon du Preez (33).
The Stars had a sniff of victory at 2-81 in the 11th over when Bates’ vertical jump plucked a lofted drive over mid-off from du Preez off Tahlia McGrath.
The Stars endured a 7-57 collapse with Devine, sporting a new blue headband, returning to claim Erin Osborne (16), Georgia Elwiss ( 2) and Nicola Hancock (11).
“That was a game-changer in momentum for us. That is what she can do, a world class player and fielder,” said Devine of fellow New Zealand opener Bates.
Patterson stuck with third-wicket partner Devine - a feat that has eluded Adelaide’s poor middle order this season.
“The wickets are fantastic. It is up to us to get in and make the most of it,” said Devine who devastated Ireland with a 21-ball 50 last month.
“Bridget Patterson was just outstanding, kept the momentum going which is really important in a partnership.”
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Originally published as Big Bash League: Rearguard Renegade action secures last-gasp win over Strikers
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