The Melbourne Renegades produced a disciplined all-round performance to defeat the Perth Scorchers by four wickets in Match 26 of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26 at Perth Stadium. After opting to bowl first, the visitors restricted the Scorchers to a modest total before calmly chasing it down, led by a composed knock from Ollie Peake, who was named Player of the Match.
Perth Scorchers struggle after shaky start
Asked to bat first, Perth Scorchers never truly settled at the crease and were bundled out for 127 in 19.2 overs. Early wickets hurt their momentum, with Finn Allen and Cooper Connolly falling cheaply, putting pressure on the middle order. Mitchell Marsh attempted to stabilize the innings with a cautious 27 off 25 balls, while Aaron Hardie top-scored with a gritty 44 off 40 deliveries, anchoring the innings amid regular wickets.
Ashton Turner and Jhye Richardson provided brief cameos, but the lack of boundaries and sustained partnerships proved costly. Perth lost their final five wickets for minimal runs, underlining the Renegades’ stranglehold in the latter half of the innings.
Melbourne Renegades bowlers set the tone
The Melbourne Renegades’ bowling attack was clinical, led by Gurinder Sandhu, who ripped through the Scorchers’ batting with figures of 4 for 28 in his four overs. Jason Behrendorff was equally impressive with the new ball, conceding just 11 runs in three overs while picking up a key wicket. Hassan Khan chipped in with two scalps, ensuring Perth never gained control of the innings despite Hardie’s resistance.
Ollie Peake anchors Renegades’ thrilling chase
Chasing 128, the Renegades adopted a cautious approach on a tricky Perth surface. Josh Brown gave them early impetus with a brisk 22 off 14 balls, but wickets at regular intervals kept the contest alive. Mohammad Rizwan and Tim Seifert tried to steady the innings, yet the Scorchers’ bowlers ensured the required rate never became too comfortable.
The turning point came through Ollie Peake, who played a mature and composed knock of 42 off 30 balls. Mixing patience with timely boundaries, Peake guided the Renegades through the middle overs and took the pressure off the lower order. Will Sutherland provided useful support as Melbourne reached the target in 20 overs with four wickets in hand.
For Perth, Joel Paris was outstanding, conceding just seven runs in his two overs, while Turner impressed with a rare over that yielded a wicket for just one run. However, inconsistent spells from the rest of the attack allowed the Renegades to keep chipping away at the target as they sealed a four-wicket victory.
Impactful innings from Oliver Peake against the Perth Scorchers 🙌#BBL15 #PerthScorchers pic.twitter.com/pSBvXbgUQ0
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) January 7, 2026
