Melbourne Renegades win Big Bash final

Cricket update

Melbourne: Aaron Finch lifted the Big Bash trophy for the first time, but not before he took out an innocent plastic chair. The Melbourne Renegades won Australia’s T20 competition for the first time in a low-scoring final yesterday at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, successfully defending their total of 145-5 for a 13-run win against the Melbourne Stars. While the match ended well for Renegades captain Finch, it started in tough fashion. Finch was run out at the nonstriker’s end after Stars quick Jackson Bird stuck his boot out to a Cameron White drive that deflected into the stumps. After a tough summer with the bat for Finch, his frustration at the unlucky dismissal boiled over, cameras catching the ODI skipper twice belting a chair as he disappeared down the tunnel.

Stars captain Glenn Maxwell sent the Renegades in after winning the bat flip and his bowlers soon gained the upper hand, the home side slumping to 5-65 in the 11th over.

But Tom Cooper (43 runs from 35 balls) and Dan Christian (38 from 30) steadied the ship with an unbeaten 80-run partnership from 58 balls. Legspinner Adam Zampa went for 11 runs in his first over, but recovered to post figures of 2-21 from his four overs.

Bird took 2-25 from three overs and affected the run-out that sent Finch on his way for 13 runs from 10 deliveries.

The Stars appeared to be cruising in their chase as openers Ben Dunk (57 off 45) and Marcus Stoinis (39 off 38) got them through to 93-0 in the 13th over. But Cameron Boyce removed both of them in a match-changing spell of 2-30.

Chris Tremain and Christian also took two wickets as the Renegades suffered an almighty collapse of 4-6 in 13 balls, eventually finishing on 132-7.

-Stuff, AAP