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There is no end to Renegades' misery as Finch and Co. lose seven in a row

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Melbourne Renegades’ miserable Big Bash League (BBL) 10 campaign continued on its distraught path as Aaron Finch and co. lost yet another match which they should have won. The Renegades were beaten comprehensively by a huge margin of 60 runs to the Adelaide Strikers, even while chasing a chaseable total of 172 runs at the Adelaide Oval. 

Match Was Over by 10th Over

Although the scorecard will show that the match was out of the reach of Renegades probably after the power surge, the match for the Red Machine was lost in the 10th over itself when they needed four runs to get from that over to get the Bash Boost point. But, instead of going for those runs, Mohammad Nabi decided to play three balls and got only one run, even as Sam Harper had got out playing a rash short just before him. 

With one ball in hand, young Mackenzy Harvey needed to score three runs. But of course, he could not as Danny Briggs bowled a brilliant over to defend the four runs, giving away just a solitary single. 

Gades Can't Seem to Get Out of the Hole

Renegades got into a hole after that and much like every match, in this game too, there was no coming out of it. Even after losing Aaron Finch off the first ball, the ‘Gades had an impressive start courtesy of some cracking shots from two youngsters in Harper and Harvey. They put on 67 runs off 55 balls but most importantly set up a platform for the likes of Nabi, Beau Webster, and Jake Fraser-McGurk to get on with it.

But that did not happen as Nabi was choked for runs and even after playing 16 balls, which included four dots in the power surge, could only score seven runs. Similar was the case for Webster and Imad Wasim who couldn’t just get on with the game. McGurk, on the other hand, came too late to create any difference. 

Worst Power Surge Ever

This was the worst power surge in the history of the BBL as Renegades could only score five runs of the two overs and lost two wickets in the process as well. Firstly, Nabi was served four yorkers by Wes Agar, the fourth one getting his wicket, and then, in the second over, Peter Siddle worked his magic and got rid of Imad Wasim while conceding just three runs. 


Danny Briggs, The Game Changer

The Englishman Briggs was once again at his best, throwing in yorkers at will and not letting the run rate rise. He bowled four overs and gave away just 17 runs for two wickets. At one stage, the Sussex man had figures of 1/8  in just three overs. It was he who stopped the flow of runs as Rashid Khan, the premium spinner, of the Strikers wasn’t at his best today. 


The Weatherald-Gibson

Earlier in the day, Strikers, after winning the toss, had decided to bat first. But the decision really didn’t go their way as they lost Phil Salt early at the score of 14, in the fourth over. After that, skipper Alex Carey and Matt Renshaw built a slow but steady partnership of 54 runs, before spinners in Nabi and Imad pulled out their tricks and from 68/1, the Strikers were soon 72/4. 

But after that, Jake Weatherald and Ryan Gibson built a 53-ball 98-run partnership during which they hit Josh Lalor for 23 runs in one over and got a total of 67 runs from their last five, taking the total to 171, which, at one point, of the time looked impossible. 

What's Next?

Strikers, with this victory, have now moved on to the fourth position and will take on Renegades in a reverse-leg game on 8th January. Renegades, on the other hand, seemed to have lost any confidence that they might have had coming into this game and would look to play for pride from now onwards. 

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BBL 10 Match Preview: Resurgent Scorchers take on top of the table Sixers

Perth Scorchers have just managed to avoid being at the bottom of the Big Bash League (BBL) table at this stage of the tournament. And for that, they have to thank the miserable performance of Melbourne Renegades than anything else. Now, they go into their next match with the uphill task of facing the table-toppers, as of now, Sydney Sixers. The Sixers are ruling the roost at the moment because of a balanced side and good performances from their players, regardless of their profile. The Sydney-based side is a prime example of substance over style as they don’t have that many big stars in their ranks but still, have managed to make an impression thanks to the contributions of several players. Scorchers Need More Relief The Scorchers were also in a rut like Renegades until their last two games where things finally started to fall in place. Also, they are now playing on their home soil, which is a bigger advantage for this team than any other due to the unique nature of the Perth surface. They have also been boosted hugely by the arrival of Jason Roy. His contribution to England’s World Cup-winning campaign is a testament to the impact he can make. With Scorchers too, he has brought about a turnaround, and it’s not entirely a co-incidence. A good start is extremely crucial for a T20 team and Roy’s performances in his first two matches have been commendable. He is also receiving good support from the middle order. Colin Munro has finally found form and Mitchell Marsh is too hitting the ball well. Captain Ashton Turner has been striking the ball cleanly too in recent games. In the bowling department, the fact that Fawad Ahmed got good figures in the last game would be a huge relief. Granted, he bowled mostly at the tailenders, still, wickets and tight overs will help his confidence. The four-pronged pace attack of Jason Behrendorff, Andrew Tye, Jhye Richardson, and Aaron Hardie will get more help from the pitch at Optus Stadium. Hardie, especially, has provided great support to the frontline bowlers. Sixers Hitting it out of the Park While Scorchers are looking better, they will face an in-form Sixers with the flow of form behind them. The batting line up of the table-toppers is getting better and better. The opening combine of Josh Phillippe and Jack Edwards are providing decent starts, though not spectacular, and the middle order is building on the foundation laid by them. The likes of Jordan Silk, Daniel Hughes, and James Vince are highly-capable batsmen. They have all contributed to the team’s efforts so far in this season. Daniel Christian and Carlos Brathwaite provide great firepower down the order, though the former hasn’t been very successful with the ball. There is some concern though, in the bowling department. With Jason Holder gone, there is a danger of a weak link there. Despite not having a high-profile spinner in their line-up, the Sixers have managed to restrict other sides. Ben Manenti has done a laudable job for his team and Steve O’Keefe can be useful if he comes in. The new arrival Jake Ball is yet to get going. A lot is riding on his form. His performance will be watched closely. Ben Dwarshuis has been leading the attack and he will need Ball to provide assistance on the Perth wicket. Scorchers vs Sixers: Match Details Venue: Optus Stadium, Perth Date and Time: January 6, 1:45 PM IST, 4:15 PM Local, 8:15 GMT Broadcaster: Sony Sports Network, Sony LIV Pitch Report The pitch at Optus Stadium shares many of the characteristics of the famed WACA. There is ample bounce for the seamers. But this bounce can also turn against the pacers if they err in length. The batsmen can use this bounce to clear the boundaries, something the likes of Mitchell Marsh are very good at. Weather and Toss Perth is known for its hot weather in the summer and the heat would be on during this match as well. Due to the early start, players will have to bear the high temperatures before the evening brings some respite. Batting first may be an ideal choice. Probable XIs Scorchers: Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone, Josh Inglis (Wk), Colin Munro, Mitchell Marsh, Ashton Turner (C), Aaron Hardie, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, Fawad Ahmed Sixers: Josh Phillippe (Wk), Jack Edwards, James Vince, Daniel Hughes (C), Jordan Silk, Daniel Christian, Carlos Brathwaite, Ben Dwarshuis, Benjamin Manenti, Jake Ball, Steve O’Keefe

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