Renegades take Melbourne derby thriller as Stars bottle chase

Melbourne Renegades 162 for 7 (Harper 51, Wells 44) beat Melbourne Stars 156 for 7 (Clarke 59) by six runsMelbourne Renegades conjured a rousing comeback victory to seriously dent crosstown rival Melbourne Stars' already slim finals chances in a tense contest at a roofed Marvel Stadium.Chasing 163, Stars were cruising after an 88-run opening partnership between Joe Clarke and Tom Rogers. They still appeared well in the box seat needing 21 runs off 25 balls with seven wickets in hand before crumbling under pressure.With Stars requiring 12 runs off the final over, seamer Will Sutherland held his nerve and ran out Luke Wood on the fourth delivery. But Nick Larkin then hit a boundary and needed a six off the last delivery to force a super over.A composed Sutherland landed a wide yorker as Renegades again claimed the bragging rights in the Melbourne Derby after prevailing in a controversial contest at the MCG on January 3.Renegades seamer Kane Richardson finished with 2 for 17 in his 100th BBL game, as bottom-placed Stars' finals chances have virtually been extinguished.Fawad turns back the clock in Renegades return Veteran spinner Fawad Ahmed's last appearance with Renegades was eight years ago, but the 40-year-old returned as an injury replacement for experienced batter Shaun Marsh.He came into the attack in the sixth over, but was hit for six by Rogers. As he so often has done over his career, Fawad fought back and dismissed Rogers after Sutherland claimed a superb juggling catch around the boundary rope.With Stars starting to wobble, Fawad bowled a maiden in the 13th over and then came back in a pivotal 17th over where he conceded just four runs to ensure a tight finish. Fawad finished with 1 for 20 from his four overs but left the field in the dying overs with an apparent knee injury. Renegades will hope it is not serious after Fawad proved he has something left in the tank.Stars fail to cash in on good fortune Marvel Stadium's roof was closed after oppressive weather in Melbourne with temperatures hitting 37 deg