Renegades out to regain winning status against Strikers
MELBOURNE Renegades skipper Aaron Finch will be determined to bounce back against the Adelaide Strikers in tonight's crucial Big Bash match at Etihad Stadium.
Finch is the leading run-scorer in the competition with 229 at an average of 76.33, but he was knocked over for just eight in the team's first loss of the campaign against the Perth Scorchers last time out.
To illustrate how important Finch is to the Renegades, Ben Rohrer is their next best scorer with 161, but after that it drops away to Tom Cooper who has just 66.
The Strikers have added left-arm paceman Gary Putland to their squad for tonight's clash at the expense of all-rounder Matt Johnston.
Putland can bowl a good slower ball, something the other Strikers bowlers - apart from West Indian import Kieron Pollard - where unable to do in the eight-run loss to the Melbourne Stars last week.
Adelaide has shown it has the batsmen capable of beating any opposition, but the key against the Renegades may be how quickly fast men Kane Richardson and Shaun Tait adapt to the drop-in Etihad Stadium pitch.
Tait can lose his line easily when he pitches short, but no bowler is tougher to keep out when he directs his 150kph deliveries at the toes of the batsmen.
