SCORCHERS STEAMROLL RENEGADES

THE Melbourne Renegades have taken their disappointing form with them to Western Australia.

A 96- run loss to the Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium on Sunday has extended their winless streak to six games. They sit at the bottom of the BBL table at the halfway mark of their tournament.

It would be easy to criticise the batting line- up for the result, after they were dismissed for just 89 runs.

But the Renegades bowlers and fielders were again unable to hold the opposition batsmen to a total they should have been able to chase.

The Scorchers’ 3- 185 from their 20 overs was the sixth biggest total of BBL10. The Renegades were well on top at the halfway mark of the Scorchers innings.

Melbourne’s trio of spinners, Mohammad Nabi, Peter Hatzoglou and Noor Ahmad frustrated the Perth openers, who struggled to get rolling. Perth managed just 2- 63 after 10 overs.

But wicketkeeper Josh Inglis and Colin Munro shared in a 117- run partnership from just 63 balls.

Inglis finished unbeaten on 72 from just 41 balls. Munro scored the fifthfastest half- century for the Scorchers ( 51 from 24 balls) before falling for 52.

The Renegades run chase was derailed early. Sam Harper opened the batting with Shaun Marsh and after hitting the first ball for four, he smashed the second into his stumps.

ADELAIDE’S Afghanistani tweaker Rashid Khan left the Sixers in a spin at Metricon Stadium last night — but the Sydney team still proved a class above the Strikers to leapfrog Hobart and Thunder at the top of the BBL ladder.

Khan claimed 3- 18 from four quality overs, but the rest of the Strikers’ attack couldn’t put enough pressure on the powerful Sixers batting line- up, who reached their 151run target with seven wickets and two overs to spare.

James Vince ( 45no) steadied the Sixers’ chase after they had slumped to 3- 80 in pursuit of the Strikers’ solid 4- 150, an innings built around Jonathan Wells’ superb 66.

He was well supported by Josh Philippe ( 41 from 24 balls).

LADDER: Sixers 21 ( 7 games), Thunder 19 ( 6), Hurricanes 18 ( 7), Strikers 13 ( 7), Stars 11 ( 6), Scorchers 9 ( 6), Heat 8 ( 6), Renegades 5 ( 7)