Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Renegades BBL 2026 Recap

Big Bash LeagueResult

Melbourne Renegades

130/6

Optus Stadium, Perth · Wednesday, 7 January 2026

Melbourne Renegades won by 4 wicketsPlayer of the match: OJ Peake

Match preview

Renegades chase down Scorchers at Optus Stadium to claim a 4-wicket win

Match overview

Melbourne Renegades beat Perth Scorchers by 4 wickets at Optus Stadium on 7 January 2026, chasing a modest target of 128 to record an important BBL victory. Renegades won the toss and chose to field, a decision that proved sound as the Scorchers were bowled out for 127. The chase was not entirely smooth: Renegades lost 4 wickets in the middle overs for 33 runs and briefly looked in danger of squandering their position. A composed death-overs phase of 46/1 settled matters. OJ Peake was named Player of the Match for his contribution to the win.

The result is a significant one given the history between these sides. Perth Scorchers have won 17 of 24 BBL meetings against the Renegades, and came into this fixture having beaten them by 50 runs earlier in the 2026 season. A second win in the last five head-to-head encounters gives the Renegades some genuine grounds for optimism as the competition progresses.

Venue and conditions

Optus Stadium in Perth is generally a high-scoring ground. Across 65 BBL matches, the average first-innings total sits at 179 and the average second-innings score at 152. Both teams fell short of those benchmarks on this occasion. The venue's average powerplay contribution is 37 runs; Perth Scorchers managed only 33/2 in theirs, while Renegades posted a considerably healthier 51/1, which set the tone for the chase.

The toss tends to carry some weight here: fielding first is the choice in 52% of cases at this ground, and the chase success rate is 49% across the 65 matches on record. On this occasion, the Renegades' decision to bowl first was vindicated, though the relatively low first-innings total simplified the equation considerably. The death overs are often where matches at this venue are decided. Scorchers managed only 27 runs in the last four overs while losing 5 wickets, a phase that effectively handed Renegades the game before the chase had started.

How to watch

BBL matches are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, with live streaming available through Sky Go and NOW TV for subscribers. Given the time difference between the UK and Perth (Western Australia is 8 hours ahead of GMT in January), most Optus Stadium matches kick off in the late evening for UK viewers. It is worth checking the Sky Sports schedule for specific broadcast times. Highlights and clips are also available through the official BBL and Cricket Australia digital channels.

Recent form

Perth Scorchers came into this fixture in reasonable shape, having won three of their previous five BBL matches including back-to-back wins against Adelaide Strikers and Hobart Hurricanes in 2026. Losses to Hobart Hurricanes and Brisbane Heat earlier in the season tempered expectations slightly. This defeat to the Renegades will be a setback, particularly given the manner of the batting collapse in the death overs.

Melbourne Renegades' form heading into 7 January was patchier. They had won two of their last five, beating Melbourne Stars and Brisbane Heat but suffering defeats to Sydney Sixers and two losses to Hobart Hurricanes. This win, coming away from home against a historically dominant opponent, represents their most creditable result of the current campaign. How they manage the middle-overs wobble in future chases will determine whether they can string results together in the back half of the BBL season.

Talking points

What to look out for

5 angles

Headline angle

Renegades win despite a stuttering middle phase

Melbourne Renegades reached 130/6 to win by 4 wickets, but the chase was far from straightforward. After a fast start of 51/1 in the powerplay, the middle overs cost them 4 wickets for just 33 runs before a strong death-overs finish of 46/1 sealed it.

Angle 02

Scorchers well below the venue average

Perth Scorchers posted 127 all out, significantly short of Optus Stadium's average first-innings score of 179 across 65 matches. A collapse of 5 wickets in the death overs for only 27 runs proved particularly costly and left Renegades a manageable target.

Angle 03

Powerplay contrast told the story

The Scorchers managed just 33/2 in their powerplay, well below the ground's average of 37. Renegades in contrast hit 51/1 in theirs, building the platform that made the chase comfortable despite the middle-overs wobble.

Angle 04

OJ Peake named Player of the Match

OJ Peake took the Player of the Match award for Melbourne Renegades. His contribution was central to a Renegades side that came into the game with a mixed record, having won two and lost three of their previous five BBL fixtures.

Angle 05

Renegades buck a lopsided head-to-head record

Perth Scorchers have dominated this fixture historically, winning 17 of 24 meetings to Melbourne Renegades' 6. This result is only the second time in the last five encounters that Renegades have won at Perth Stadium, making it a notable result in the context of the rivalry.

Context

Key insights

Historical · Not official

Venue par

179

Avg 1st innings score at Optus

65 matches · 2017–2025

Chase success

52%

Chases completed successfully at Optus

65 matches · 2017–2025

Powerplay

39/1.5

Average runs/wickets in overs 1–6 at Optus

Historical aggregates derived from Cricsheet (cricsheet.org) under ODC-BY licence. 2001/02–2026 IPL seasons. For editorial context only — not official live match data, not a forecast, and not betting advice. Projections and comparisons above are frozen from the live state and may not match final statistics.

The rivalry

Who could decide it

Perth Scorchers have long held the upper hand in this fixture, winning 17 of 24 BBL meetings against Melbourne Renegades. Renegades have claimed just 6 victories, with 1 no result. Recent history is slightly more balanced: three of the last five encounters have gone to the Scorchers, but Renegades have now won two of those five, both by narrow margins.

Recent meetings

Last 5

2026: Perth Scorchers won by 50 runs at Docklands
2025: Melbourne Renegades won by 4 wickets at Perth Stadium
2024: Melbourne Renegades won by 2 wickets at Docklands
2023: Perth Scorchers won by 13 runs at Perth Stadium
2023: No result at GMHBA Stadium

Key player · Melbourne Renegades

OJ Peake

Peake was awarded Player of the Match for his role in the Renegades' chase. His performance in what was a pressure finish at Optus Stadium made him the standout individual of the evening.

Melbourne Renegades

MA Starc

Mitchell Starc brings genuine pace and swing to T20 cricket. His ability to take wickets in the powerplay and at the death makes him a consistent threat, and he has a strong record operating in Australian conditions.

Career stats →

Perth Scorchers

DA Warner

David Warner is one of the most destructive T20 openers in the competition and is well acquainted with Optus Stadium conditions. If the Scorchers are to bounce back in the coming fixtures, his form at the top of the order will be central to that.

Career stats →

Perth Scorchers

M Labuschagne

Marnus Labuschagne provides solidity in the middle order and can accelerate when required. With the Scorchers having lost this contest, his contribution will be scrutinised as the BBL season continues.

Career stats →

Angles to watch

Analytical angles worth tracking

Observations from the venue data, recent form and historical trends. Editorial context, not betting advice.

Top batter markets may reflect the Scorchers' poor powerplay conversion, as their openers failed to reach the ground's average of 37 powerplay runs in this fixture.
Death-overs run lines could be of interest given the contrast between the two sides: Scorchers managed only 27 runs in the death with 5 wickets falling, while Renegades scored 46/1 in the same phase.
The venue's chase success rate sits at 49% across 65 matches, making outright winner markets relatively open at Optus Stadium regardless of first-innings totals.
Total runs markets may factor in the fact that 127 was well below the ground's average first-innings score of 179, suggesting this was an unusually low-scoring encounter by Perth's standards.

For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.

Questions

Frequently asked

Melbourne Renegades won by 4 wickets at Optus Stadium in Perth. They chased down a target of 128, finishing on 130/6. OJ Peake was named Player of the Match.

Perth Scorchers were bowled out for 127 in their innings. Melbourne Renegades reached 130/6 in reply to win with 4 wickets in hand.

Across 24 BBL meetings, Perth Scorchers lead the head-to-head with 17 wins to Melbourne Renegades' 6, with 1 no result. The 7 January 2026 match was only Renegades' second win in the last five encounters between the sides.

BBL matches are available to UK viewers on Sky Sports Cricket, with streaming options via Sky Go and NOW TV. Coverage schedules can vary, so it is worth checking the Sky Sports listings for broadcast times in GMT.

OJ Peake of Melbourne Renegades was named Player of the Match for his contribution to the four-wicket chase at Optus Stadium on 7 January 2026.

Across 65 BBL matches at Optus Stadium, the average first-innings score is 179 runs. Perth Scorchers' total of 127 in this match was well below that benchmark, which made the chase considerably more straightforward for Melbourne Renegades.

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