||Desk Report||

Melbourne Renegades lifted their maiden BBL title beating Melbourne Stars by 13-run in the Big Bash League (BBL) Final held in Melbourne on Sunday.

Tom Cooper (43*) and Dan Christian (38*) made an unbeaten 80-run partnership in the fifth-wicket-stand that helped Renegades to post 145 for 5. Chasing of 146, two openers Ben Dunk (57) and Marcus Stoinis (39) gave a nice start for Stars with a 93-run-stand. But what happened next, Renegades turned the BBL final 180-degree, claimed 7 wickets for 19 and handed them the heavy loss.  Renegades’ Chris Tremain, Cameron Boyce, Cameron Boyce picked up two wickets each.  

Earlier, Melbourne Stars won the toss and invited Renegades to bat first. Renegades got the first blow when they lost opener Marcus Harris (12) for total 16. After then, Sam Harper (6), captain Aaron Finch (13), Cameron White (6), Mackenzie Harvey (14) went back to the dressing room one by one.  The score was 65 for 5 within 10.2 overs.

Renegades were on batting collapse while Tom Cooper along with Daniel Christian took the charge, shared the 80-run partnership in fifth-wicket-stand and lifted the team to 145 for 5. Jackson Bird and Adam Zampa picked up two wickets each.

In the reply, Ben Dunk (57) and Marcus Stoinis (39) shared a 93-run-stand in the opener for Stars. After departure of Stoinis, Stars lost 6 wickets for 39 runs. Ben Dunk who gave a magnificent start dismissed by Cameron Boyce after Peter Handscomb’s (0) departure.  After then, Glenn Maxwell (1), Nic Maddinson (6), Seb Gotch (2) and Dwayne Bravo (3) gradually sent back to the pavilion. Adam Zampa and Jackson Bird were not out for respectively 17 and 4.  

Brief scores

Melbourne Renegades: 145/5

Cooper 43, Christian 38*; Zampa 2-21

Melbourne Stars: 132/7