The Scorchers host the Renegades at Optus Stadium in the second match of the KFC BBL|13 Boxing Day double-header
All you need to know: Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Renegades
Match facts
Who: Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Renegades
What: Match 15, BBL|13
Where: Optus Stadium, Perth
When: Tuesday, December 26. Bat flip at 5.30pm local (8.30pm AEDT), first ball at 6.15pm local (9.15pm AEDT)
How to watch: Channel Seven, Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports
Buy tickets: Tickets are on sale here
Live scores: Match Centre
Highlights, news and reactions after the match: cricket.com.au, the CA Live and Big Bash apps
Officials: Shawn Craig (field), Greg Davidson (field), Nathan Johnstone (third), Ashlee Gibbons (fourth), Kent Hannam (match referee)
Match squads
Scorchers: Aaron Hardie (c), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Zak Crawley (England), Stephen Eskinazi (England), Laurie Evans (England), Cameron Gannon, Liam Haskett, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis (vc), Matt Kelly, Hamish McKenzie, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman
Renegades: Nic Maddinson (c), Joe Clarke (England), Quinton de Kock (South Africa), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Shaun Marsh, Fergus O'Neill, Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Will Sutherland, Jon Wells, Adam Zampa
Form guide
Scorchers: WWDWW (most recent first)
The two-time reigning champions are unbeaten in their last eight games with only a dangerous pitch in their previous match against the Renegades stopping them from claiming full points in all those fixtures. Flexed their muscle in their first match at the Furnace for BBL|13 with a comfortable nine-wicket victory over the Hurricanes by chasing down 173 with 23 balls to spare. If that's anything to go by, the Renegades will have their work cut out for them on Boxing Day.
Renegades: LLDLL
Winless from four games in BBL|13, the Renegades season is fast slipping away from them. They've got a quality list on paper that has the ability to contend for the title but haven't been able to put a complete game together so far this season.
KFC BBL|13 standings
| Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | NRR | Ded. | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
HEA
|
10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.972 | 0 | 16 |
|
2
SIX
|
10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.339 | 0 | 14 |
|
3
SCO
|
10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0.725 | 0 | 13 |
|
4
STR
|
10 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0.331 | 0 | 11 |
|
5
HUR
|
10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -0.268 | 0 | 8 |
|
6
STA
|
10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -1.051 | 0 | 8 |
|
7
REN
|
10 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | -0.288 | 0 | 6 |
|
8
THU
|
10 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | -0.652 | 0 | 4 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
Players to watch
Aaron Hardie takes the reins as captain following Ashton Turner's season-ending knee surgery. Hardie was the competition's leading run-scorer last season and has started hot in BBL|13 with 85 not out from 45 balls to see them home against the Hurricanes. Experienced swing bowler Matt Kelly returns to the Scorchers squad for Boxing Day after recovering from a calf complaint, replacing Turner in the 17-played squad.
"Clearly losing AT is disappointing, but his injury presents an opportunity for Aaron to display his leadership skills during the tournament," Scorchers coach Adam Voges said. "We have long viewed Aaron as a leader of promise. He has been part of WA and Perth Scorchers leadership programs and certainly has the trust of his teammates, both on the field and off. We have full faith the group will rally around Aaron and attack the rest of the season with the same intensity and focus that has brought us success in recent years."
Jon Wells – the BBL's third highest run-scorer of all-time with 2877 – has quietly gone about his business in their opening games of the season with scores of 34no and 40no. Watch for another strong performance in his hometown where he captains Perth Premier Cricket club. Another local Perth boy, Shaun Marsh, comes into the squad for the first time this season, replacing Aaron Finch who has been rested due to back soreness.
Head-to-head
Overall: Scorchers (15 wins), Renegades (3 wins), no result (1)
At Optus Scorchers: Scorchers (3 wins), Renegades (1 wins)
Most runs: Shaun Marsh (485), Aaron Finch (481), Michael Klinger (332), Mitchell Marsh (305), Cameron Bancroft (267)
Most wickets: Kane Richardson (18), Jason Behrendorff (15), Andrew Tye (15), Ashton Agar (9), Jhye Richardson (8)
The venue
Rapid stats
- Perth Scorchers are on a five-game winning streak over the Melbourne Renegades stretching back to December 2020 when Kane Richardson took three wickets and Shaun Marsh hit a 62 to help the 'Gades beat the Scorchers at Blundstone Arena. Prior to that, the Scorchers also won eight games in a row against the Renegades from BBL|01 to BBL|07.
- Melbourne Renegades have won only one of their last 11 BBL matches outside Victoria – a 22-run victory against the Brisbane Heat in December 2022.
- Perth Scorchers have a bowling economy rate of 6.8 this BBL season, the best of any team in the tournament. The Scorchers' bowling dot ball rate (49 per cent) is also seven percentage points more than the next best team (Sydney Sixers – 42 per cent).
- Jake Fraser-McGurk (Melbourne Renegades) has made a strong connection on 33 per cent of 48 balls faced this BBL season, the best rate of any player in the competition (minimum 25 balls faced).
- Andrew Tye (145) is five away from reaching 150 BBL wickets. He will be just the second bowler to reach the milestone behind Sean Abbott (155) if he achieves the feat in this match.
- Jon Wells (2877) is 123 away from reaching 3000 BBL runs. He will be the third batter to reach the milestone behind Chris Lynn (3472) and Aaron Finch (3311).
- Peter Siddle (96) is four away from becoming the 10th bowler to take 100 BBL wickets.
What's on the line?
A third win for the season would put the Scorchers inside the BBL|13 top two and keep their unbeaten record intact. Perth could potentially end Boxing Day at the top of the standings if the Sixers lose to the Stars in the earlier game. A Renegades victory would be their first of the campaign and crucially keep them in touch with the top four.
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