Melbourne Renegades 150 for 6 (Sutherland 70, Rogers 49*, Morris 2-21, Behrendorff 2-22) won Perth Scorchers 147 for 8 (Agar 51*, Hardie 34, Zampa 3-27, Sutherland 2-22) for four wickets
Chasing 148, the Renegades were in disarray at 10 for 4 before Sutherland came to his team’s rescue with 70 off 45 balls. He combined with Rogers in a remarkable 92-run partnership to bring ‘Gades closer to victory.
But Sutherland fell with 12 runs needed and seven balls remaining to set up a grandstand finish. After quick Matt Kelly’s first ball of the final over was caught with a waist-high no-ball, Rogers hit a six off the second ball and sealed Renegades’ impressive victory with a boundary off the fourth ball. He finished 49th, not out off 31 balls.
It was an important win for the Renegades, who join the Scorchers with a 3-4 record. But the victory came at a cost: Batsman Jonathan Wells suffered a hamstring injury while fielding.
Sutherland and Rogers provide heroics after high-profile collapse
Having struggled since the Pakistan white-ball series, Jake Fraser-McGurk moved down a place but it didn’t work out after falling ugly to a golden duck. He tried to cut a short delivery from Behrendorff, but could only get close, where Finn Allen took a strong catch to his right with his gloves.
Jacob Bethell and Laurie Evans, who became Scorchers cult heroes last season, also couldn’t handle the pressure as the Renegades barely surpassed the lowest score ever recorded on a power play. Sutherland and Marcus Harris, almost batting in red-ball cricket mode, were forced to struggle.
Harris fell just before drinks but Sutherland had found his rhythm and liked the older ball. He found a willing partner in Rogers, who also dared to spark a remarkable revival.
Sutherland got a reprieve in the 40th over when substitute fielder Andrew Tye missed a chance at the deep midwicket boundary. He reached his half-century off 31 balls and looked ready to take them home.
He wasn’t there at the end, but Rogers stepped forward in the face of death.
The Scorchers’ attacking pace is unbridled from the start before falling off
After Agar’s momentum-changing hit, Scorchers felt rejuvenated and secure knowing they had defended similar scores over the years. Behrendorff has often sparked those famous victories and he did it again with a blistering opening spell.
But Sutherland rattled Scorchers’ quicks and struggled for the second successive game in the death overs as their final hopes took a hit. Kelly was the Renegades’ quick target and struggled to deliver late.
The renegades play magnificently to the death
After electing to bowl, the Renegades attack looked set to have a tough time with in-form opener Allen running amok early on. Rogers erred by bowling too short, but quickly adjusted and attacked the stumps magnificently with the ball coming out of the seam.
Zampa took out Nick Hobson with a brilliant googly, but mostly used subtle variations to good effect. The Renegades almost produced a near-perfect bowling performance before a late kill effort almost proved fatal.
Marsh fails, Hagar provides the late spark
Marsh’s first BBL game in three years forced a shake-up of the Scorchers batting order with Aaron Hardie elevated to the open position after taking his place having injured his abdomen against Sydney Thunder.
After brief fireworks from Allen, Marsh reached the third over and received a thunderous ovation from the 31,795 spectators. There was much anticipation for the return of the local hero and Marsh appeared on the back page of the local newspaper.
An animated Marsh leapt to the crease and was probably glad not to have to face the tormentor Jasprit Bumrah. But Sutherland played a delivery that would have earned a nod of approval from Bumrah as he caught Marsh at sinker.
After a delayed start to the season due to a quadriceps strain, Hardie has struggled as a specialist hitter and his problems have continued. Mistimed shots left him frustrated before falling on the first ball of the power surge after a thick outside edge flew straight to short third.
The Scorchers were in big trouble before Agar, returning from back spasms, landed clean punches punctuated by several huge hits on the ground.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth.
