Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Renegades: Sutherland, Rogers, perform miracle in Marsh return
Will Sutherland and Tom Rogers performed a miracle for the Renegades, steering the Melbourne side from 4-10 to a remarkable four-wicket win against Perth. WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS
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Will Sutherland and Tom Rogers have performed potentially the greatest miracle in recent BBL history by steering the Renegades to an unlikely win against the Scorchers in Perth.
The Renegades lost two wickets in the first over and were 4-10 after 4.3 overs before Sutherland (70 from 45) started the fightback.
When Marcus Harris departed for 21 at 5-44, Perth fans were in party mode, but Sutherland and Rogers (49 not out from 31 balls) didn’t die wondering.
Sutherland and Rogers shared in a 92-run partnership to take the Renegades from the brink of a disgustingly one-sided loss to a remarkable win they had no right in claiming.
SUMMER OF WOE
Mitch Marsh’s disappointing summer with the bat continued through to the Big Bash.
The discarded Test all-rounder was dismissed for a first-ball duck in his return to the domestic one-day competition for the Perth Scorchers against the Melbourne Renegades at Optus Stadium.
Marsh was one of two victims of two victims of Will Sutherland, who starred in the Renegades crucial four-wicket win.
Melbourne’s skipper claimed the important wicket of in-form New Zealander Finn Allen and had Marsh trapped dead in front with consecutive balls to help restrict the Scorchers to 8-147.
Sutherland then backed up with a match-winning innings of 70 runs from 45 balls.
Marsh, Australia’s T20 captain, managed only 73 runs at an average of only 10.42 in seven innings for Australia in four tests against India and was dropped for the final Test in Sydney.
LAST OVER DRAMA
Although the chase was a modest total, the drama continued until the final over.
The Renegades still needed 12 runs from it, with Matt Kelly bowling and Tom Rogers on 37 runs and seeing it like a beachball.
The Scorchers had him caught with the first ball, but the full toss was called a no-ball.
Two balls later, Perth captain Ashton Turner juggled it over the boundary for six more runs.
Rogers saw his side home with two balls to spare, ending a three game losing streak for the Renegades, with an unbeaten 49 runs from 31 balls.
WHERE THERE’S A WILL
As good Rogers was, Sutherland was better.
After his heroics with the ball, he walked to the crease with his team struggling on 4-10.
His innings was crucial considering Jono Wells was injured and, if needed, would have needed to bat with a runner. He looks done for the season.
Sutherland enjoyed a 92-run partnership with Rogers.
Earlier, Scorchers opening bowler Jason Behrendorff had both Tim Seifert and Jake Fraser-McGurk back to the shed in the first over before the Renegades had scored.
Their powerplay total of 3-9 was one of the lowest ever, with Jhye Richardson taking Jacob Bethell’s wicket on the last ball of it.
With Josh Brown already missing through injury, Wells is the injury the Renegades don’t need.
He went into the game needing just one to become the fifth batter to reach 3000 BBL runs, but was sidelined with a hamstring injury.
IS THE BAT FLIP REDUNDANT
The Big Bash season is only 26 games in and still only six have been won by the team batting first.
Remarkably, now 19 of 26 games have been won by the team chasing; really 25, as one game was abandoned.
Tuesday’s result extends a run of consecutive games to have gone that way to seven.
That's Ashton Agar's first BBL 50 since January, 2016.
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) January 7, 2025
Only his second in 92 matches #bbl14
PLENTY LEFT IN IT
Five wins looks like being the mark for a team to get in the top four and play finals.
The Renegades look like needing to win two more to do that.
They play the Stars on Saturday, then finish with games against Hobart and Brisbane – two teams also right in the mix.
The Scorchers, who would have gone to second with a win over the Renegades, still need to win a couple if they want to play finals.
They have a tough road trip against both Sydney teams, meeting the Sixers on 11 January and the Thunder on 16 January.
They finish their campaign with a home game against the Adelaide Strikers on 18 January.
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