BBL 12 | PRS vs MLR: Incandescent Bancroft scorches Melbourne Renegades
Cameron Bancroft scored 95 runs (Source: Twitter/@bet365_aus)
As it happened, Perth Scorchers trumped Melbourne Renegades by 10 runs in the 52nd match of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2022-23.
Bancroft, Eskinazi pounds Melbourne
After Opting to bowl first, Melbourne Renegades had to face the wrath of the Perth Scorchers openers as the duo of Cameron Bancroft and Stevie Eskinazi expedite the scoring-rate right from the start.
With the two batters never letting off the accelerator, the Renegades were pushed under the pump. While Eskinazi departed after scoring his fifty, Bancroft carried on with the act till the last ball of the innings.
Although Corey Rocchiccioli and Matthew Critchley took wickets in the middle overs, the pressure never piled on the Scorchers as Bancroft's 50-ball 95 ensured his side a mammoth 212-run total.
A tall order for Melbourne
Chasing 213 runs was no picnic for Melbourne Renegades as despite earning a good start of 56/0 in the first six overs, the Perth bowlers had enough total set on the scoreboard to turn the tide.
While Shaun Marsh came along nicely during the course of his half-century, he was left alone as the likes of Ashton Turner, David Payne and Andrew Tye sinked Perth's batting line-up.
It did seem that the game was all but over for Melbourne until Aaron Finch's boundary fest. Finch brought back life in the match by smashing 31 runs in the 18th over bowled by Tye. However, the target proved to be too much in the end as Melbourne Renegades lost by 10 runs.
Brief scores:
Perth Scorchers - 212/5 (20)
Cameron Bancroft 95* (50), Stevie Eskinazi 54 (29);
Matthew Critchley 2-34 (4), Corey Rocchiccioli 2-42 (4)
Melbourne Renegades - 202/5 (20)
Aaron Finch 76* (35), Shaun Marsh 54 (34);
Ashton Turner 2-25 (3), Aaron Hardie 1-7 (1)
Perth Scorchers won by 10 runs
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