Sam Harper fires Melbourne Renegades to Hobart Hurricanes victory

The 2018/19 champions secure their fifth victory of BBL|12 as Hurricanes are beaten for the third time in four games

Melbourne: Hobart Hurricanes 162-8, Melbourne Renegades 164-4 - Melbourne Renegades won by six wickets

Scorecard

Sam Harper's career-best 89 helped Melbourne Renegades claim a six-wicket victory over Hobart Hurricanes at Marvel Stadium.

The Victorian recorded his best score in senior white-ball cricket, cracking four fours and seven sixes from 48 deliveries.

It ensured Renegades safely chased down their target of 163 with 11 balls to spare.

Hurricanes, who have now lost three of their last four, managed to register 162 for 8 from their 20 overs after a stop-start innings.

^{Tom Rogers was on top form in the field (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)}

Caleb Jewell and Ben McDermott both scored 28 and a late cameo from Joel Paris (16 not out, eight balls) ensured they posted a score.

They were pegged back thanks to a superb fielding display from Tom Rogers, who ran out first Matthew Wade (20) and then Tim David (9) with direct hits.

He capped a fine performance with the wickets of Jewell and Faheem Ashraf (26) to end the Pakistan allrounder's first BBL innings.

Martin Guptill's 36 from 19 deliveries put Renegades ahead in the chase but Hurricanes staged a comeback thanks to wickets for Riley Meredith and Joel Paris, while David ran out Marcus Harris.

^{Nathan Ellis was close to dismissing Harper before he completed a match-winning innings (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)}

Reduced to 54 for 3, Harper took control and brought up his half-century, off 35 balls, with a huge six over cow corner.

Harper was given a life on 59 after top-edging a short ball from Nathan Ellis, but Meredith was unable to take advantage.

Renegades triggered the power surge in the 16th over and it paid dividends, as Harper hit Paris for three sixes and two fours in a set worth 28.

Dismissed from the first delivery of the 17th over by Ellis, with just eight required the damage had already been done.

Jonathan Wells (22 not out) played a smart cameo and struck the winning runs with 1.5 overs remaining, hitting a straight four off Ellis to make it back-to-back wins for the Renegades.

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