BBL 2017/18 2nd Semi-final: Head stars as Strikers hold nerve to advance to BBL final

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Travis Head 85 Adelaide Strikers Melbourne Renegades BBL semi-final cricket

Travis Head helped his side qualify for the BBL final

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Adelaide Strikers captain Travis Head walloped an unbeaten 85 as his side triumphed over the Melbourne Renegades by one run in a thrilling semi-final showdown.

As a result of their victory, the Strikers will take on the Hobart Hurricanes in the final on Sunday after they beat the Perth Scorchers, who were the defending champions.

Choosing to bat first, Strikers opener Jono Dean got off to a quick start, but he was ultimately caught by Kieron Pollard at deep midwicket off the bowling of Chris Tremain for an eight-ball 19.

Head and Jake Weatherald made up for the loss of Dean as they amassed a 104-run partnership, during which Weatherald brought up his fifty.

However, he was unable to make the most of it as he was caught by Jon Holland at short third man off the bowling of Pollard for 57, which came off 43 balls and included seven boundaries and a six.

Even though Colin Ingram, Jonathan Wells and Jake Lehmann fell shortly after, the Strikers finished on 178/5 thanks to Head’s unbeaten 85, which came off 57 deliveries and included eight boundaries and a six.

Tremain, Pollard, Jack Wildermuth, Dwayne Bravo and Joe Mennie picked up one wicket apiece.

Chasing 179 to win, the Renegades lost opening batsman Cameron White on the seventh ball of the innings as he was caught by Peter Siddle at mid-on off the bowling of Michael Neser for two runs.

Marcus Harris and Tim Ludeman steadied the innings with a 71-run partnership before Harris was dismissed by Head for a 29-ball 45.

Ludeman ended up falling for 28, but Bravo and Tom Cooper kept the Renegades in contention with a 52-run stand.

Despite Bravo being removed for a 17-ball 26, Cooper and Pollard helped the Renegades crawl ever closer to victory.

Heading into the last over of the match, the Renegades needed 13 to win. The Renegades scored eight runs off the first four balls, which left them needing five to win off the last two deliveries.

Another two runs were scored off the penultimate ball of the match, but the Renegades could not get the runs they required off the final ball as they only conceded a leg bye. As a result, they escaped with a nail-biting one-run win and booked their spot in the final.

Head, Neser, Rashid Khan and Ben Laughlin claimed one wicket each.

Head was named Man of the Match.

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