Stars Country claim bragging rights over Renegades

The Stars cruised past the Renegades total of 140 with the loss of just three wickets.

Left-hander James Ryan and wicketkeeper Andrew Poppa opened for the Renegades as the pair faced two right-arm quicks in Max Cairns and Liam Fitzsimmons first up.

The Stars got the breakthrough in the fourth over as Ryan was caught for seven by Koby Brann off Fitzsimmons for seven.

Fitzsimmons took the second wicket as he bowled Brodie Couch for 15 with the score on 36.

The third wicket stand of 32 between Poppa and Darby Semmens was the most fruitful for the Renegades.

It was broken when offbreak bowler Jonah Serong came into the attack and Poppa was caught by Joel Sanford for 21.

With the score still on 68, the Renegades went on to lose a further two wickets as first Jordan Cleeland was bowled by Connor Hughes for a duck and then two balls later Hughes had Logan Taylor caught Brann.

After just five runs were added to the Renegades total their number four, Semmens, was bowled by James Long for 23 which left the lower order and the tail-enders to score runs if they were to post a defendable score.

The Renegades scored 140 all out as the last four partnerships accumulated 67 runs.

Five of the Stars’ bowlers claimed two wickets and Serong was the most economical of them as he went at 2.74 per over.

The Stars got off to a solid start in their chase of 141 to win with an opening partnership of 20 between Henry Alexander and Zac Hurley.

The first wicket came with the final ball of the seventh over as Hurley was caught by Poppa off right-arm quick Brodie Couch for nine.

The highest partnership of the match, 41, ensued between Alexander and Brann. Leg spinner Jack Cook got the breakthrough as he had Brann caught Poppa for 24.

Cook took his second wicket in his following over, the 19^th of the innings, as Alexander was caught by Semmens for 22 with the Stars on 71.

Kim Drew and Jai Elcock then shared a 36-run stand for the fourth wicket before James Ryan had Elcock caught by Bailey Henderson for 21.

Drew and Ben Perry knocked off the remaining runs to secure a seven-wicket win for Stars Country.

Drew finished on 45, an innings which included six fours and Perry on nine.

Jack Cook was the pick of the bowlers finishing with 2-20 from his three overs.