Herschelle Gibbs and Shaun Marsh returned to form in emphatic fashion to steer the Perth Scorchers to a formidable 3-187 against the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League at the WACA Ground on Saturday night.
After Renegades captain Aaron Finch won the toss and sent the Scorchers in to bat, Gibbs got the home side off to a blistering start by belting 56 from 39 balls before Marsh took over and smashed five sixes in a brutal 52-ball innings of 85.
Adam Voges was run out in the last over for 40 with Nathan Coulter-Nile (0 not out) and Tom Triffitt (2 not out) seeing out the 20 overs.
The Scorchers lost their first two BBL matches at home but bounced back on the road with wins over Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat, and that gave their batsmen confidence to come out and set the unbeaten Renegades a big target.
South African veteran Gibbs was the star of the first 10 overs with four boundaries and four sixes before he was caught in the deep by Aaron O’Brien off Aaron Finch (1-46).
That provided the signal for Marsh to start teeing off, and Voges was also impressive in making 40 from 27 balls.
Muttiah Muralitharan was the pick of the Renegades bowlers despite not picking up a wicket – taking 0-29 from his four overs – while Will Sheridan took 1-22.