Chris Lynn powers Adelaide Strikers to victory over Melbourne Renegades

Chris Lynn delivered a scintillating performance to help the Adelaide Strikers end their three-match losing streak with a convincing five-wicket win over the Melbourne Renegades at Marvel Stadium on Thursday.  

Promoted to open the innings, Lynn smashed a remarkable 88 off 51 balls, his highest Big Bash League (BBL) score since the 2019-20 season and his first half-century of the current campaign. His blistering knock, which included 10 fours and four sixes, propelled the Strikers to successfully chase down the 143-run target in just 17.1 overs.  

The Strikers' chase started explosively, with Lynn dominating the 104-run opening stand alongside D'Arcy Short. While Lynn raced to 37 runs in just four overs, Short was yet to get off the mark after facing three balls. Short eventually contributed 27 off 20 balls before being bowled by Tom Rogers in the 11th over.  

A century seemed within reach for Lynn, but he fell in the 12th over, driving Adam Zampa straight to cover fielder Laurie Evans. Despite his dismissal, Lynn's innings had already put the Strikers in a commanding position, ensuring the result was never in doubt.  

Earlier, the Strikers opted to field first, and the Renegades struggled to build momentum despite a promising start. Opener Josh Brown was the standout performer, blasting 66 off 41 balls, including five fours and six sixes. His efforts took the Renegades to 80 for 2 at the halfway mark.  

However, Brown's dismissal in the 14th over, caught at long-off off Cameron Boyce's bowling, proved to be the turning point. The Renegades lost their momentum and slumped from a decent 100 for 4 to finish at 142 for 9. No other batsman managed to score more than 21 runs.  

Henry Thornton led the Strikers' bowling attack with impressive figures of 3 for 22. Spinner Lloyd Pope, despite conceding 20 runs in one over, recovered well to claim 2 for 34 in his three overs, while Boyce chipped in with a key wicket.  

Nick Sutherland showed some promise for the Renegades with a quick 18, including a six and a four, but was caught behind off Pope on video review, further denting their innings.  

The victory was a much-needed boost for the Strikers, improving their record to 2-4 and moving them off the bottom of the table. The Renegades, on the other hand, dropped to fifth place with a 2-3 record.