Young Renegades urged to shine

After his side’s sixth consecutive BBL loss, Melbourne Renegades coach Michael Klinger is calling on the younger members of his squad to step up and make names for themselves.

The Renegades were bowled out for just 89 at Optus Stadium on Sunday chasing the Perth Scorchers total of 3-185.

They head to Adelaide for back-to-back games against the Strikers on Tuesday and Friday without star opener Shaun Marsh and South African import Rilee Rossouw.

Marsh will stay in Perth for the birth of his third child, while Rossouw injured a hamstring in the field on Sunday.

The Renegades are also waiting for a decision to be made on when Afghanistan spinner Mohammad Nabi will join his national team for an ODI series against Ireland.

Klinger said he was looking for youngsters to make their mark over the next couple of games as they try to get back into the tournament.

He used 20-year-old Sydney Thunder batsman Oliver Davies as the benchmark that some of his players should be aiming for.

“A lot of our young guys will get opportunities now,” Klinger said.

“Guys like (Jake) Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, they are going to get a chance to put their mark forward and do a Davies, who is the same age as them, at the Thunder, and put their name in headlights – not just be a contributor, but be a match winner.”

Not a day to a remember out West.#FinalScore | #GETONRED pic.twitter.com/YBeO9UxF2m

Batting at No.4, Davies hit 84 runs from 45 balls in his first two innings for the Thunder.

Fraser-McGurk and Harvey have scored a combined 24 runs from five innings this campaign.

Klinger may also continue with Sam Harper as an opener while Marsh is unavailable.

Harper replaced Aaron Finch at the top of the order against the Scorchers, but lasted just two balls before hitting a Jhye Richardson ball on to his stumps.

“That could happen down the track with Marsh missing the next two,” Klinger said.

“But it was also tactically, even before the game started, it wasn’t in-between innings.

“We felt we’d try to get Sammy into the tournament. He’s an aggressive player up front. That was the main reason we did that.

“After not winning the past few games, that change, we were hoping, would help him get away.”

Batting at No.3, Finch scored only eight runs before he was unluckily run out by Jason Behrendorff, who got a fingertip on a straight drive from Marsh that continued onto the stumps.

Imad Wasim has already arrived into Adelaide and will play for the Renegades on Tuesday after being forced to sit out of Sunday’s game.

The Pakistani spinner was in New Zealand less than two weeks ago, so could not play against the Scorchers due to Western Australian State Government quarantine restrictions.

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