This was a massive game for both teams as the loser would have to give up their hopes of securing qualification to the knockout stages. The two sides had come into this one after suffering close defeats in their respective previous matches.
Adelaide Strikers won the toss and opted to insert the Melbourne Renegades on a typically batting-friendly surface. Their adoring supporters found themselves silenced by the visitors’ pulverising start. However, upon finding the initial breakthrough or two, wickets began to fall at regular intervals which restricted the target to an achievable one.
The hosts began the chase in a confident manner with both openers getting themselves in. But, they soon lost the plot in the middle overs with indecisive running and inadequate shot-selection. All-rounder Thisara Perera banished his Docklands demons with a four-wicket haul as well as a match-winning final over. With this narrow victory, Renegades have given themselves a reasonable chance to aim for the semi-finals.
Brief Scores: Melbourne Renegades – 171/9 from 20 overs (Marcus Harris 85, Callum Ferguson 26, Kieron Pollard 3/30, Michael Neser 2/14); Adelaide Strikers – 165/8 from 20 overs (Ben Dunk 32, Tim Ludeman 29, Thisara Perera 4/25, Nathan Rimmington 1/14)
Result – Melbourne Renegades won by 6 runs.
Here are five of the best moments from the enthralling contest at the Adelaide Oval.
#5 Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris cut loose
While Aaron Finch had been in reasonable touch in the tournament thus far, his opening partner Marcus Harris struggled to get himself going. This time around, it was a double-barreled attack at the Adelaide bowlers with the boundaries flowing from both batsmen.
Wesley Agar treated the openers to an assortment of loose deliveries including half-volleys, length balls and over-pitched stuff. After the 19-year old gave away as many as four boundaries in the third over of the innings, Liam O’Connor’s leg-breaks did not fare much better either. At the end of the fourth over, Renegades already had 49 runs on the scoreboard without the loss of any wicket.
#4 Ben Laughlin‘s jaw-dropping catch
Ben Laughlin came into the bowling attack at a time when Strikers badly needed some control. The seasoned seam bowler gave them exactly that by conceding just two runs from his first over. He was at it again in the very next over; but this time in the fielding department.
After Finch miscued a lofted drive, it appeared as if he would get away with it. However, Laughlin ran backwards and dived forward with both his hands outstretched. He somehow managed to complete the jaw-dropping grab and even held his pose for the cameras. He later returned in the death overs to round off a highly commendable day in the field.
#3 Kieron Pollard takes two in two
In an era of bigger bats and shorter boundaries, the last few overs are usually assigned to the quick bowlers or mystery spinners. Though both Michael Neser and Westley Agar (shattered confidence notwithstanding) were available, veteran skipper Brad Hodge threw the ball to Kieron Pollard as the final over loomed.
The innocuous medium-pacer used all his experience as a T20 journeyman and gave away just seven runs off it whilst striking in consecutive deliveries as well. Callum Ferguson could not connect properly to his wide slower one even as James Pattinson failed to clear the boundary despite getting plenty of bat on a length ball. Pollard ended the innings as the pick of the bowlers.
#2 Callum Ferguson produces a blinder of his own
If you would have thought that the quota of one brilliant catch per match was over, Callum Ferguson had other ideas. Though the required run-rate kept climbing to uncomfortable proportions, Pollard’s reputation in the middle maintained Adelaide’s hopes.
The burly batsman seemed to have got back into the groove when he danced down the track and smacked Sunil Narine over the boundary. But, Pollard’s stay was cut short by a sensational catch from Ferguson. The hard-hitter sent a slower delivery off Thisara Perera screaming to the fence only for deep backward square to fly across and enclose his hands at a difficult height.
#1 Of flying bats and frenetic finishes
With 43 runs required from the last 3 overs, it appeared as if the game was beyond Strikers’ reach. However, a culmination of events set the stage for a close finish. Brad Hodge lost control of his bat which then flew over his head to take a swipe at Peter Nevill.
There was concern all over for the wicket-keeper and the concussion forced him to leave the scene. When Jono Dean plundered Sunil Narine for consecutive sixes in the penultimate over, the stadium began to erupt. However, Thisara Perera successfully defended 18 runs off the final over to eke out a tense victory for Renegades and thus silence the arena.
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