Scorchers brush off collapse to shut out Renegades

Perth Scorchers have overcome a batting collapse and a Shaun Marsh masterclass to post a 13-run KFC BBL win over the Melbourne Renegades in front of 42,226 fans at Optus Stadium.

The Scorchers lost a remarkable 7-5 in the space of 18 balls late in their innings to be bowled out for 162 in 19.4 overs in Tuesday night's match.

In reply, Marsh scored 59 off 36 balls to guide the Renegades to within touching distance of victory.

The Renegades needed 35 more runs off 20 balls after Marsh departed and the equation came down to 17 needed off the final over to be bowled by AJ Tye.

Jonathan Wells was caught on the second ball of the over and Kane Richardson fell next delivery, with the Renegades limping to 8-149.

It left the Renegades winless after five games and bottom of the BBL|13 standings, while the Scorchers (three wins and one no result) are yet to lose this season and are second on net run-rate behind the Brisbane Heat.

Marsh, a former Scorchers star, had been sidelined from the first four games this season due to a lingering knee injury that has affected him for the best part of 2023.

A sloppy misfield during the Scorchers' innings showed Marsh's rustiness.

But he looked far more at home with bat in hand, cracking four fours and three sixes during his stylish knock.

Marsh needed just 28 balls to bring up his half-century, with his knock proving crucial after the Renegades had made a slow start to the run chase.

The veteran, batting at No.4, arrived at the crease for the start of the seventh over after Jake Fraser-McGurk had been run out at the non-striker's end in unlucky fashion.

Tye got his boot to a Joe Clarke straight drive, catching Fraser-McGurk short of his ground.

With Clarke (32 off 33 balls) struggling for fluency, Marsh ensured the scoreboard ticked over at an adequate rate before upping the ante later in his innings.

Marsh received a life on 24 when he was dropped by a diving Cooper Connolly, and he finally fell in the 17th over when he edged a 118kph Lance Morris slower ball behind.

The wheels fell off for the Renegades after that, with Jhye Richardson, Jason Behrendorff and Tye producing some tight overs at the death to tie down the visitors.

Earlier, the Scorchers slumped to 2-4 in the second over after openers Zak Crawley (1) and Connolly (0) departed in quick succession.

Crucial knocks from Josh Inglis (64 off 44 balls) and new skipper Aaron Hardie (57 off 41) put the Scorchers on track for a score close to 200.

But from 3-157 in the 17th over, the Scorchers lost 7-5 in the space of 18 balls to be bowled out with two balls still remaining.

Hardie was the first to fall in that sequence when he was caught in the deep.

Three balls later, Nick Hobson holed out.

Will Sutherland then sent Laurie Evans (24 off 15), Ashton Agar and Tye packing in the 19th over, with all three batsmen caught.

The Renegades completed a team hat-trick when Jhye Richardson fell first ball of the 20th over, and the Scorchers were put out of their misery when Morris was run out three deliveries later.

Paceman Tom Rogers was the standout bowler for the Renegades with figures of 3-18 from his four overs, while Sutherland's late heroics ensured he ended with 3-36.

Star spinner Adam Zampa (1-48) copped a battering, but his wicket of Hardie helped spark the massive collapse.

KFC BBL|13 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Brisbane Heat Men HEA	10	7	1	0	2	0.972	0	16
2 Sydney Sixers Men SIX	10	6	2	0	2	0.339	0	14
3 Perth Scorchers Men SCO	10	6	3	0	1	0.725	0	13
4 Adelaide Strikers Men STR	10	5	4	0	1	0.331	0	11
5 Hobart Hurricanes Men HUR	10	4	6	0	0	-0.268	0	8
6 Melbourne Stars Men STA	10	4	6	0	0	-1.051	0	8
7 Melbourne Renegades Men REN	10	2	6	0	2	-0.288	0	6
8 Sydney Thunder Men THU	10	1	7	0	2	-0.652	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points

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