Melbourne Renegades break eight-game losing streak against Scorchers
The curse has been scorched. Melbourne Renegades entered its BBL season opener deep in the red at 0-8 against Perth Scorchers and the streak almost continued after a top-order collapse.
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The curse has been scorched.
Melbourne Renegades entered Thursday night’s Marvel Stadium clash deep in the red at 0-8 against Perth Scorchers.
At 4/17 – and with stand-in skipper Tom Cooper joining Cameron White in the sheds – Perth’s skinny score of 103 suddenly looked a struggle.
The Renegades had shaky blades. Enter pint-sized Sammy Harper, who came out smoking like a hand gun.
The little batsmen, who at 167cm can look premiership Bulldog Caleb Daniel in the eye, thumped three fours and two towering sixes to help ensure the Gades didn’t gas it.
Harper, 22, was signed as a replacement player for Test batsman Aaron Finch and made light work of Perth’s top-class attack.
The former Melbourne Stars keeper averaged just 2.5 runs in green but last night his entertaining 36 (25) only ended when Dan Christian ran him out.
Harper has been smacking runs in Premier Cricket for Melbourne and was similarly aggressive in the red team’s warm-up games.
It was heart-warming to watch after the popular youngster spent three weeks in Adelaide hospital following a sickening concussion.
When Afghanistan allrounder Mohammad Nabi, who wasn’t given a second over after going for 0/12, got going the chase was just about academic.
The pair put on 67 runs off just 45 balls and, with balls to spare, Dan Christian and debutant Will Sutherland safely secured an upset win.
It was Sutherland’s first visit to the venue since he was playing for Vic Metro as a top AFL draft prospect.
As for Test openers Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris?
Who needs them when you have Sam Harper and Mohammad Nabi?
BEHRENDORFF’S BUNNIES
The Scorchers always wanted strike quick Jason Behrendorff bowling to opener Tim Ludeman and No.4 Cameron White given he had dismissed the pair a combined five times. Well, both batsmen lasted just four Behrendorff deliveries last night as Ludeman was caught behind and White was bowled with a 130km in-swinger. Behrendorff now has figures of 4/31 (39 balls) against Ludeman and 3/31 (34 balls) against White. It was match-up magic for skipper Mitch Marsh.
GOOD NIGHT, PETE
Pete Handscomb might’ve slept just that little bit easier last night. Shane Warne and Michael Vaughan are leading the charge for Australian coach Justin Langer to axe the batsman for the Boxing Day Test. But Handscomb’s most likely replacement – allrounder Mitch Marsh – did nothing to enhance his chances. The Perth Scorchers captain played an ugly swipe on his fifth ball and was dismissed for three runs, sparking a nasty batting collapse. It looked like Marsh was trying to swing his bat all the way to the Westgate and the skied ball was coolly taken by Will Sutherland.
Yes, Big Bash is literally a different ball game to Test cricket – white, not red – but if last night counted for anything at all, it won’t help Mitch. And it was a one-off BBL appearance, with Marsh set to stay in Melbourne with Langer’s squad. One batsman watching on last night was Cameron Bancroft, who has just nine days of his ball tampering ban remaining. Bancroft’s inclusion for the December 30 match against Hobart suddenly looks a matter of urgency for the rattled Scorchers, who posted their third-lowest score in BBL history.
TURF WARS
Dwayne Bravo blamed the Marvel Stadium turf for costing him an estimated $1.5 million when he ripped a hamstring in the outfield two years ago. Brisbane Lion Michael Close raised a lawsuit after sustaining a season-ending knee injury on the synthetic turf near the interchange. You would think for a venue littered with grassy problems the turf would be in pristine nick for the first Big Bash League game for the summer.
Instead, a large dead patch at the edge of the bowler run-up remained from an RMIT graduation last week. Cricket Australia ticked it off for safety but it wasn’t a great look. While we’re at it, it’s probably about time the AFL – which owns Marvel – replaces the giant TV screens. Technology has come a fair way since 2000.
BACK YARD RULES
It was six … and … out for Ashton Turner. The Scorchers slogger threw the bat at a Dan Christian ball and the top edge landed safely behind the square leg umpire as three fielders converged. The result? Six runs, because it touched the roof. The result next ball? Out – as Turner was caught at midwicket, giving Christian his third wicket from his first 14 balls in red. It was a different tempo when Christian was at the crease, as the recruit happily blocked out dangerous quick Nathan Coulter-Nile deep in the run chase.
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