An outstanding display of power hitting from allrounders Dan Christian and Mohammad Nabi has propelled the Melbourne Renegades to a stunning five-wicket victory over the Adelaide Strikers in the BBL.
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Chasing 175 for victory in front of 34,214 fans at Adelaide Oval, the Renegades looked in trouble when they slumped to 5-82 before Christian (49 not out) and Nabi (48 no) combined for an explosive sixth-wicket partnership of 96 in just eight overs.
Christian deposited Billy Stanlake high into the Sir Donald Bradman Pavilion in the penultimate over, which went for 20, helping the undefeated Renegades to victory with five balls to spare and launching them to the top of the BBL ladder.
The Renegades absorbed the early exit of Tim Ludeman (eight) to get off to a flying start before legspinning wizard Rashid Khan (2-13) - easily Adelaide's best bowler - struck twice in his second over.
He trapped Sam Harper (28) and red-hot Cameron White (32) lbw with perfect wrong 'uns.
Captain Tom Cooper departed first ball to give BBL debutant Cameron Valente his maiden Twenty20 wicket as the Renegades lost 3-2 and looked in trouble, with the asking rate climbing to 100 off the last 10 overs.
Earlier, Matt Short's career-best 65 accelerated the home side's innings late to lift the home side to 5-174.
Short thumped five sixes and combined for a Strikers fourth-wicket record 104-run union with Jono Wells (42).
Both men fell to paceman Kane Richardson (2-39) in the last over of the innings which gained serious momentum in the back half.
After Alex Carey (five) was run out in a horrible mix up early, Jake Weatherald (32) and captain Colin Ingram (21) picked up the pieces before Short and Wells smashed 87 off the last seven overs.
Christian said the 19th-over assault on Stanlake was no accident.
"We set ourselves for that over, just because the (on-side) boundary was so short, only 55m," said Christian, who was named man of the match after visiting hospital earlier in the morning with gastro.
"We really targeted that one and luckily we got away with a few.
"It was a pretty good chase."
Rashid acknowledged Christian and Nabi were supreme in the clutch.
"I think they played good cricket under pressure," the Afghani tweaker said.
"I think it was a good total. We had in mind 165-170 would be a good total on this wicket but Nabi and Christian played good cricket.
"They controlled their nerves under pressure and tried to rotate the strike and hit boundaries in every over."
Australian Associated Press
