Scorcher-turned-Renegade Jason Behrendorff isn’t expecting an overly friendly reception from the passionate Perth locals when he faces his former side at Optus Stadium
Jason Behrendorff may have won four championships and taken 140 wickets for the Perth Scorchers, but the veteran seamer isn’t anticipating warm welcome home when he returns to Optus Stadium for the first time in his new club colours.
After 106 matches across an immensely decorated decade in orange, Behrendorff became the first player to switch allegiances as part of the BBL’s first Player Movement Window ahead of BBL|15, joining the Melbourne Renegades on a three-year deal.
The Renegades and Scorchers will lock horns on Wednesday evening after incredibly contrasting — but equally inspiring — triumphs against the Stars and Strikers respectively.
A heaving MCG crowd was treated to a final over thriller in the Melbourne Derby which ended with a brilliant Will Sutherland six, while the Scorchers defended an under-par 153 to knock over the Strikers by 33 runs.
Although only having four wickets to his name to-date with the Renegades, Behrendorff’s experience and success at Optus Stadium — as well as that ex-Scorcher and current ‘Gade, Andrew Tye — is sure to be a crucial advantage for the traveling party.
“I’ve played a game or two here (in Perth),” Behrendorff joked.
“It is different. I’m not knowing exactly what to expect in terms of coming back. I know the wicket, I know the stadium and I know how much fun it is to play here as a Scorcher, so it’s definitely going to be different pulling on a different uniform.
“The thing that I’ve sort of thought about before — and I’ve said it before — is if Shaun Marsh got booed, I think everyone will get booed that’s not playing for the Scorchers any more.
“We’ll see what happens tomorrow. There might be a few cheers as well which would be cool.”
Behrendorff is far from the first player to move clubs across the competition’s 15 seasons, however the usually parochial and fiercely loyal Perth crowd rarely forget players who seek pastures elsewhere.
Shaun Marsh’s move to the Renegades from the Scorchers in BBL|09 wasn’t greeted with much enthusiasm from the latter fanbase; a move which interrupted the Marsh family’s lifelong association with Western Australian cricket.
But Marsh’s glowing endorsement of the Renegades to his former Scorchers teammate in Behrendorff shelved any doubts about a move across the country.
“I had a chat to Shaun a little while ago and he was just overwhelmingly positive about the Renegades,” Behrendorff said.
“(It) was something that was a really nice thing for me to hear from a good mate who made the move across as well.
“He basically said ‘go and enjoy it’. It’s a lot of fun, there’s a great group of guys there and we’re really led well by Cameron White and Will Sutherland.
Behrendorff’s impact on the traditionally pacy and bouncy wickets of Western Australia has been a given in recent years, however it’s been the slow bowlers dispensing the most damage of late.
The Scorchers and Strikers registered a combined 25 overs of spin during last night’s KFC BBL|15 clash; a record for a T20 match (international or domestic) at Optus Stadium.
Over the past three seasons, slower bowlers at Optus Stadium have been responsible for more wickets than any other BBL venue.
“It’s a tough one because the pace and the bounce in the wicket is conducive to fast bowling and swing bowling,” Behrendorff said.
“Some teams have talked about in the past different match-ups and how the Scorchers potentially play spin.
“It’s a lot around match-ups these days and that’s why teams will bowl certain bowlers to certain players and I think the thing for us going forward is we’re going to look to play the conditions.
“The way we pick our team is always based on the best team possible for each condition and each surface.”
Behrendorff’s Renegades have only made the one change to their triumphant Melbourne Derby squad, with former Hurricane Caleb Jewell — yet to feature in his new club colours — coming in for Harry Dixon.
Meanwhile, the Scorchers have been buoyed by three powerful inclusions, headlined by Jhye Richardson, who has been released from national duties after earning a long-awaited Baggy Green call-up for the fourth NRMA Ashes Test at the MCG.
International signing David Payne is in the frame to feature in Scorchers orange for the first time since BBL|12, while fellow Englishman Finn Allen is firming towards a return after a finger injury precluded him from action in the Scorchers’ latest fixture.
“We know what we’re going to get from Finn,” Scorchers stalwart Aaron Hardie said.
“Opposition bowlers certainly fear bowling to him. He’s a great player of spin throughout the middle overs, so it’s great to have him back in the line-up.”
KFC BBL|15 standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Total points
PTS
1
HUR
7
5
2
0
0
0.187
0
10
2
SCO
6
4
2
0
0
1.32
0
8
3
STA
6
4
2
0
0
1.091
0
8
4
SIX
6
3
3
0
0
0.316
0
6
5
STR
6
3
3
0
0
0.016
0
6
6
HEA
7
3
4
0
0
-0.773
0
6
7
REN
5
2
3
0
0
-0.636
0
4
8
THU
7
1
6
0
0
-1.255
0
2
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
