The Perth Scorchers have overcome a batting collapse and a Shaun Marsh masterclass to post a 13-run BBL win over the Melbourne Renegades in front of 42,226 fans at Optus Stadium.
The Scorchers lost a remarkable 7-5 in the space of 18 balls late in their innings to be bowled out for 162 in 19.4 overs in Tuesday night's match.
In reply, Marsh scored 59 off 36 balls to guide the Renegades to within touching distance of victory.
The Renegades needed 35 more runs off 20 balls after Marsh departed.
The equation came down to 17 needed off the final over - bowled by AJ Tye.
Jonathan Wells was caught on the second ball of the over and Kane Richardson fell next delivery, with the Renegades limping to 8-149.
It left the Renegades winless after five games, while the Scorchers (three wins, one no-result) are yet to lose this season.
Marsh, a former Scorchers star, had been sidelined from the first four games this season due to a lingering knee injury that has affected him for the best part of 2023.
A sloppy misfield during the Scorchers' innings showed Marsh's rustiness.
But he looked far more at home with bat in hand, cracking four fours and three sixes during his match-winning knock.
Marsh needed just 28 balls to bring up his half-century, with his knock proving crucial after the Renegades had made a slow start to the run chase.
The veteran, batting at No.4, arrived at the crease for the start of the seventh over after Jake Fraser-McGurk had been run out at the non-striker's end in unlucky fashion.
Tye got his boot to a Joe Clarke straight drive, catching Fraser-McGurk in no-man's land.
With Clarke (32 off 33 balls) struggling for fluency, Marsh ensured the scoreboard ticked over at an adequate rate before upping the ante later in his innings.
Marsh received a life on 24 when he was dropped by a diving Cooper Connolly, and he finally fell in the 17th over when he edged a 118km/h Lance Morris slower ball behind.
Morris gets Marsh ☝️— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) Huge wicket for the Scorchers and we're set for a thriller at The Furnace! #BBL13 pic.twitter.com/LMP8PS26KzDecember 26, 2023
The wheels fell off for the Renegades after that, with Jhye Richardson, Jason Behrendorff and Tye producing some tight overs at the death to tie down the visitors.
Earlier, the Scorchers slumped to 2-4 in the second over after openers Zak Crawley (1) and Connolly (0) departed in quick succession.
Crucial knocks from Josh Inglis (64 off 44 balls) and new skipper Aaron Hardie (57 off 41) put the Scorchers on track for a score close to 200.
Josh Inglis smacked 64 of 44 balls as the Perth Scorchers made 162 against Melbourne Renegades. (Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS)
But from 3-157 in the 17th over, the Scorchers lost 7-5 in the space of 18 balls to be bowled out with two balls still remaining.
Hardie was the first to fall in that sequence when he was caught in the deep.
Three balls later, Nick Hobson holed out.
Will Sutherland then sent Laurie Evans (24 off 15), Ashton Agar and Tye packing in the 19th over, with all three batsmen caught.
The Renegades completed a team hat-trick when Jhye Richardson fell first ball of the 20th over, and the Scorchers were put out of their misery when Morris was run out three deliveries later.
Paceman Tom Rogers was the standout bowler for the Renegades with figures of 3-18 from his four overs, while Sutherland's late heroics ensured he ended with 3-36.
☝️ Crawley— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) ☝️ Inglis☝️ HobsonImpressive display with the ball from Tom Rogers. #BBL13 pic.twitter.com/qMkEAiVwt2December 26, 2023
Star spinner Adam Zampa (1-48) copped a battering, but his wicket of Hardie helped spark the massive collapse.