Klinger ton sets up Scorchers win
Michael Klinger's second Twenty20 hundred sent Perth Scorchers on their way towards their first victory of the season - a 35-run win against Melbourne Renegades at the WACA Ground
ESPNcricinfo staff
26-Dec-2014
Perth Scorchers 3 for 192 (Klinger 105*, Harris 53) beat Melbourne Renegades 9 for 157 (Russell 43, Behrendorff 2-16, Agar 2-22) by 35 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Michael Klinger's second Twenty20 hundred sent Perth Scorchers on their way towards their first victory of the season - a 35-run win against Melbourne Renegades at the WACA Ground. The 34-year-old opener powered Scorchers to a mammoth 3 for 192, and Renegades' batsmen wilted under the pressure of a large chase, as none of the batsmen could raise a much-needed fifty.
Scorchers had paid the price for a sedate batting effort in their previous game, against Adelaide Strikers, but on Friday, they raced off the blocks early, as the openers Klinger and Marcus Harris added 103 in 12 overs. That partnership, though, could have been sniped as early as the second over had Andrew Fekete held on to a straightforward catch to dismiss Harris.
The pair's stand was worth just 13 then, and by the time Harris was finally removed - top-edging Matthew Short straight to Aaron Finch at cover - he had already slammed 53 off 39 balls, with five fours and a six. Harris began with four early boundaries, but with Klinger running riot at the other end, was more content playing the supporting role later on, rotating the strike with singles and twos.
Klinger, though, after a relatively slow start that reaped just 30 runs from his first 26 balls, broke the shackles in the 14th over, coming down the track to loft Short for six. Klinger's last 34 deliveries fetched 75 runs, including 20 off an over from Dwayne Bravo. In all, he drilled seven fours and four sixes, the last of which brought up his hundred, off the last ball of the innings.
It meant that Renegades had to score at more than nine an over right from the off, and in an attempt to do so, their top order all got out playing expansive strokes, as Jason Behrendorff, Ashton Agar and Andrew Tye claimed two scalps apiece to hamper the visitors' progress. Callum Ferguson chipped in with 39 and Andre Russell top-scored with 43, but no other player was able to contribute more than 15, as Renegades were restricted to 9 for 157.