Match 36, Melbourne, January 13, 2024, 02:00 PM
137/8(20.0ov)
139/4(17.2ov)
Melbourne Renegades beat Melbourne Stars by 6 wickets
Right then, as the Sun goes down on a long and prosperous career for Aaron Finch, we move into the business end of the competition with still one place up for grabs in the playoffs. Next up, Sydney Thunder take on Adelaide Strikers at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Sunday, 14 January. If the Strikers win that game they will be through and Melbourne Stars will be knocked out but if they lose, we will have to wait for the Sarrs' final game to find out who goes through. That game will begin at 1.45 pm IST (8.15 am GMT) but our build-up will begin much sooner. Do join us then. Till then, take care and goodbye!
Shaun Marsh is the Player of the Match for his lovely knock. He says that it was a tough wicket to bat on throughout and he decided to play ground shots as much as possible and hold one end. Adds that it was important to win for them. He mentions that it's always fun to bat with Jake Fraser-McGurk and says that he has a very bright future ahead with the way he is batting. Says that Aaron Finch is an absolute legend and they had to win it for him and says that he is happy that they ended up on the winning side.
The Presentation ceremony...
Earlier in the game, the Marvel Stadium geared up to bid adieu to their hometown hero and one of the game's greats, the man who led them to that elusive Big Bash title a few years back as well and it was an emotional moment for Aaron Finch as well. Melbourne Renegades put the Stars into bat first and took full advantage of the pitch which had a lot in it early on. They didn't get too many wickets early on but after the Powerplay, they did pick up crucial wickets. The likes of Akeal Hosein and Kane Richardson bowled superbly with others pitching in as well. Thomas Rogers, Beau Webster and Glenn Maxwell all got off to starts but gave their wickets away at crucial times and it was then Hilton Cartwright who played a gritty knock and took his side to 137. A small yet defendable total given the conditions and the Stars bowling lineup but Melbourne Renegades came out guns blazing with the bat and did enough in the first 10 overs to ensure no hiccups and picked up a big win over their rivals.
Melbourne Stars will be disappointed with that effort and they now have to win their final game and hope that Adelaide Strikers lose their final game. The Stars just didn't have the runs on the board but the bowling was fairly lackluster as well. Joel Paris was brilliant upfront and got the big wicket of Aaron Finch as well and troubled Shaun Marsh on numerous occasions. Nathan Coulter-Nile was the other one who bowled well and got wickets in the Surge but by then it was too late. Scott Boland and Imad Wasim didn't quite do well and maybe Glenn Maxwell missed a trick by not bowling himself a lot earlier in the game.
What a derby win for Melbourne Renegades, just their second win of what has been a difficult season but in the end, Aaron Finch will bow out as a winner! The bowlers had done the job up front for the Renegades and the batters have now come good as well. They lost Finch for a duck which was a huge letdown for him and all the fans but then the exciting young talent Jake Fraser-McGurk came in and smashed the ball to all parts of the ground. Shaun Marsh played and missed a few deliveries before getting in his groove and the pair added on 68 crucial runs to break the back of the chase. Jake Fraser-McGurk did look pretty edgy and got out in the Power Surge and the Renegades lost a couple of more wickets in those two overs of the Surge. However, the runs required were less than run-a-ball and Marsh played a lovely experienced knock of 64 unbeaten off 49 balls to seal the win.
In over# 18
4
1
Scott Boland 27/1(3.2)
17.2
4
FOUR! Smashed away and Shaun Marsh seals the win for Melbourne Renegades in Aaron Finch's farewell game. Dug in short and outside off, Marsh rocks back and gets across a bit before crunching the pull shot down in front of mid-wicket to end proceedings in style. Melbourne Renegades win by 6 wickets and Melbourne Stars are all but out of the competition.
17.1
1
On a hard length and in the channel, Jonathan Wells waits and plays it away with an angled bat down to third man for a single.
Scott Boland comes back into the attack.
In over# 17
1
0
1
0
4
4
Nathan Coulter-Nile 25/2(4)
16.6
1
Full and straight at the stumps, Jonathan Wells with a gentle punch off the front foot to the right of mid off and they scamper through for a quick run.
16.5
.
Bangs it into the deck and over off, Jonathan Wells comes down the pitch to pull it over long on and end proceedings but miscues it back to the bowler.
16.4
1
Full again and outside off, driven nicely through the cover region for a single.
16.3
.
Hard length around off, nudged away towards short third for no run.
16.2
4
FOUR! Two in a row for Shaun Marsh! Bowled fuller and in and around the off stump, Marsh stays deep in the crease and heaves it away wide of mid on and the ball races away to the fence.
16.1
4
FOUR! Shot! A bit of a nothing ball from Nathan Coulter-Nile as he serves it in the slot outside off. Shaun Marsh just gets on the front foot and thumps it flat over mid off for a boundary. Melbourne Renegades have the finish line in sight now.
In over# 16
2lb
1
0
2
0
1
Beau Webster 4/0(1)
15.6
2lb
TWO LEG BYES! Shorter in length again and on the hips, Jonathan Wells misses the tuck and the ball goes off the thigh pad past the keeper who chases it down and keeps it down to two runs.