Finch brilliance gives Gades finals berth

It was a see-sawing game on a tricky wicket under the roof, but the Renegades will be looking at a few keys moments that saw them break their finals drought.

 

In Finch We Trust

 

Aaron Finch has done it again.

 

Throughout the year, the Renegades great has been a beacon of consistency for his side, and it was fitting that he was the man to led the Gades into the finals for the first time in three years.

On a difficult track that seamed and spun, Finch weathered the storm early as he played a classic T20 innings of dragging it deep before exploding at the end to put together his second straight half-century.

 

In his 14 games this season, the Gades stand-in skipper has belted 418 runs at an average of 41.80, with four half-centuries - and will be looking to take this form into the Gades first finals campaign since BBL|08.

 

Buck brilliant once more

 

Across the entire BBL|12 season, Tom Rogers has showcased time and time again his class both early and late into the innings, and tonight was no different.

With just the third ball of the match, the Tasmanian claimed the massive wicket of the competition’s leading run-scorer in Matt Short, with a clever catch off his own bowling.

 

While it would be the only wicket for Rogers, the rest of his spell was electric, bowling a maiden to Travis Head in his second before finishing with figures of 1-12 off his four, including 14 dot balls.

 

The Fuzz is back

 

Fawad Ahmed continues to prove that age is just a number, with the 40-year-old leg-spinner bowling magnificently to pick up 3-17 under the roof at Marvel.

 

The tweaker was superb as he mixed up his flight and pace to beat the bat on numerous occasions before seeing the back of Travis Head, caught on the boundary.

He then had Colin De Grandhomme caught by Wells before Rogers gave Fawad his third, taking a mistimed slog sweep off the bat of Ryan Gibson.

 

The Richo and Wellsy Connection

 

Not once, but twice it was the combination of Kane Richardson and Jon Wells which saw the backs of two batters for the Adelaide Strikers.

The first came off the bat of the dangerous Alex Carey, who had blasted 65 off 46 balls before skying one off Richardson to the waiting hands of Jon Wells on the boundary.

 

It was a massive wicket for the Gades, with the Australian Test keeper having been the anchor across the entire Adelaide innings before holing out.

 

They wouldn’t have to wait long for their next wicket either, with Cameron Boyce run out in the same over - Wells throwing to the bowler’s end where umpires deemed that Richardson had collected the ball and broken the stumps in the same action.