Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Renegades: match preview

Match facts

Who: Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Renegades

What: Match 26, KFC BBL|14

Where: Optus Stadium, Perth

When: Tuesday, December 7. Bat flip at 3.30pm local (6.30pm AEDT), first ball at 4.15pm local (7.15pm AEDT)

How to watch: Channel Seven, 7plus, 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 and Steve Dionysius (field), Troy Penman (third), Jamie Thomas (fourth), Steve Davis (match referee)

Final XIs

Perth Scorchers: Aaron Hardie, Finn Allen (wk) (New Zealand), Mitch Marsh, Cooper Connolly, Ashton Turner (c), Nick Hobson, Ashton Agar, Matthew Kelly, Jhye Richardson, Jason Behrendorff, Lance Morris

Aussie T20 skipper Mitch Marsh returns for his first BBL game in almost three years, with Jhye Richardson also back from the Test squad. Ashton Agar has recovered from back spasms, with Aaron Hardie promoted to open and veteran quick Andrew Tye left out.

Melbourne Renegades: Tim Seifert (wk) (New Zealand), Marcus Harris, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jacob Bethell (England), Laurie Evans (England), Jonathan Wells, Will Sutherland (c), Tom Rogers, Gurinder Sandhu, Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson

Big-hitting opener Josh Brown is a late out for the Renegades who have rejigged their top order, with Tim Seifert promoted to opening while Jake Fraser-McGurk drops down to No.3. Marcus Harris will partner Seifert for his first game of the season.

Match squads

Perth Scorchers: Ashton Turner (c), Ashton Agar, Finn Allen, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Sam Fanning, Aaron Hardie, Nick Hobson, Matt Kelly, Mitch Marsh, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Matthew Spoors, Andrew Tye.

 

Ins: Mitch Marsh, Jhye Richardson. Outs: Matthew Hurst (omitted), Bryce Jackson

Mitch Marsh and Jhye Richardson are set to make a return to the Perth Scorchers line-up after an extended time away with the Test team. 

Meanwhile, Matthew Hurst comes out of the squad with in-form New Zealand international Finn Allen set to be an option for the wicketkeeping duties.

Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar is eyeing a potential return to the starting XI as he continues to build his fitness after suffering back spasms. 

Melbourne Renegades: Will Sutherland (c), Jacob Bethell (England), Xavier Crone, Laurie Evans (England), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Marcus Harris, Fergus O'Neill, Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Gurinder Sandhu, Tim Seifert (New Zealand), Callum Stow, Jon Wells, Adam Zampa

 

Ins: Kane Richardson, Marcus Harris. Outs: Mackenzie Harvey, Josh Brown (late out)

The Renegades have been forced into a late change for their trip west with Josh Brown out with a wrist injury, with Callum Stow back into the squad after initially missing out. Kane Richardson returns after missing the Melbourne derby due to soreness and batter Marcus Harris included for the first time this season. Mackenzie Harvey also drops out of the 14 from last game.

Club news

Perth Scorchers

Melbourne Renegades

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Top performers

Most Runs

BBL|14 BKT Golden Bat

Player	Total
1 Mitchell Owen M Owen	452
2 David Warner D Warner	405
3 Cooper Connolly C Connolly	351
4 Glenn Maxwell G Maxwell	325
5 Marcus Stoinis M Stoinis	311
6 Matthew Renshaw M Renshaw	280
7 Sam Billings S Billings	271
8 Max Bryant M Bryant	259

Full Table

Most Wickets

BBL|14 BKT Golden Arm

Player	Total
1 Jason Behrendorff J Behrendorff	17
2 Riley Meredith R Meredith	16
3 Tom Rogers T Rogers	16
4 Mark Steketee M Steketee	15
5 Lance Morris L Morris	15
6 Lloyd Pope L Pope	15
7 Ben Dwarshuis B Dwarshuis	14
8 Spencer Johnson S Johnson	13

Full Table

Most sixes scored

BBL|14

Player	Total
1 Mitchell Owen M Owen	36
2 Glenn Maxwell G Maxwell	27
3 Cooper Connolly C Connolly	19
4 Tim David T David	17
5 Matthew Renshaw M Renshaw	17
6 Max Bryant M Bryant	14
7 Josh Brown J Brown	12
8 Jake Fraser-McGurk J Fraser-McGurk	12

Full Table

Local knowledge

Rapid stats

• Melbourne Renegades will be aiming for consecutive wins against the Perth Scorchers for only the second time in BBL history (December 2018 to January 2019) following their two-wicket victory when they last met earlier this season at Marvel Stadium.
• Five of Perth Scorchers last six BBL matches have been won by the team bowling first on the day; the Scorchers have won three of those six games.
• Melbourne Renegades have made 28 catches in BBL|14, as many as they logged across the entire BBL|13 season (28); the Renegades have made at least one run out when fielding in three of their last five BBL innings against Perth Scorchers including each of their last two.
• Cooper Connolly (Perth Scorchers) has not been dismissed in each of his last two BBL innings (48no, 43no) and scored 66 runs when he last faced the Melbourne Renegades earlier this season.
• Tom Rogers (Melbourne Renegades) has a bowling strike rate of 11.8 in BBL|14 – the best of any player to take more than 10 wickets for the Renegades in a single season in BBL history.

What's on the line?

The Scorchers (currently fourth) can entrench themselves in the top four with a win ahead of a tough road trip to Sydney, while the Renegades need to snap a four-game losing streak otherwise they'll see their finals chances slip further away.

KFC BBL|14 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 Hobart Hurricanes Men HUR	10	7	2	0	1	-0.12	0	15
2 Sydney Sixers Men SIX	10	6	2	0	2	0.156	0	14
3 Sydney Thunder Men THU	10	5	3	0	2	0.34	0	12
4 Melbourne Stars Men STA	10	5	5	0	0	0.135	0	10
5 Perth Scorchers Men SCO	10	4	6	0	0	0.219	0	8
6 Melbourne Renegades Men REN	10	4	6	0	0	0.139	0	8
7 Brisbane Heat Men HEA	10	3	6	0	1	-0.831	0	7
8 Adelaide Strikers Men STR	10	3	7	0	0	-0.122	0	6

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points