With the five-day BBL break, Saturday marked a big day of club cricket action with relevant performances from Jake Fraser-McGurk, Shaun Marsh, Riley Meredith, Ben Manenti and Beau Webster.

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The Brisbane Heat offered positive updates on Matt Renshaw and Josh Brown after their injuries against the Sydney Thunder last week, which may impact the role of Sam Billings and selection of Jack Wood.

The Heat said: “Matt Renshaw (hamstring tightness) and Josh Brown (bruised foot) will continue their return to play preparations after receiving positive medical reports yesterday. Both players did not field as a precautionary measure during the Heat’s win over the Sydney Thunder in Canberra last week.”

Perth Scorchers fast bowler Andrew Tye offered an update on the likely return of close friend and teammate Ashton Agar ($105k BAT/BWL) who missed their opening two games with a calf injury.

Tye told SEN: “I’m glad I’m not a selector but I think Ash is chomping at the bit raring to go. They’ve been super cautious with him. I think we’ll see him in the very near future.”

Tye also spoke about Cooper Connolly. He said: “The selectors saw he has the game ot be flexible wherever he wants. I think he’s wanted the challenge and taken to it like a duck to water. We need flexibility in our squad and he’s there to provide it.”

The agent of Glenn Maxwell ($130k B/B) has offered a positive outlook on his likely return for the Melbourne Stars’ Round 3 game.

Maxwell’s agent Ben Tippett told SEN: “He’s going really well. There was a grade 2 strain so he’s really lucky with the BBL break for this Test match that he only misses 1 game. It’s a couple of week injury but it means he only misses 1.”

Victoria Premier Cricket – T20s

Jake Fraser-McGurk kept up his brilliant form with a dashing 69 from 24 balls for Richmond against Northcote, before being dismissed for a second ball duck in his two T20s on Saturday.

JFM’s dashing knock, opening the batting, included four fours and eight sixes.

Gades bat Mackenzie Harvey kept the pressure on JFM with scores of 45 from 27 and 90* from 50 for Carlton on Saturday.

Gades skipper Nic Maddinson played only one of S Kilda’s two T20s, scoring 74 from 52 balls, while he bowled 1 over, going 0-10. Jon Merlo took 4-17 (2.5) and 1-28 (4) in St Kilda’s two games.

Gades all-rounder Ruwantha Kellapotha took 3-16 from 4 overs before blasting 67* from 48 balls as Casey-South Melbourne beat Will Sutherland’s Prahran comfortably.

Stars’ Pakistani spinner Usama Mir claimed 2-17 from 4 overs as Fitzroy-Doncaster eased past Kingston Hawthorn. Usama also took 0-18 against Ringwood.

In that game, Stars’ English all-rounder Liam Dawson impressed with 55* from 36 balls and 3-18 from 4 overs. Tom Rogers made 54* from 27.

Melbourne fielded a star-studded side with Sam Harper (51 from 24) and Joe Clarke (54 from 32) scoring half-centuries while Campbell Kellaway added 27 from 20 in the top 4. Fergus O’Neill smashed 17* from six balls and took 2-24.

Will Sutherland didn’t bowl all day for Prahran, batting first drop for scores of 29 from 19 and 22 from 25. Northcote’s Nick Larkin was dismissed for a golden duck.

WA Premier Cricket – one-dayers

Renegades top-order batsman Shaun Marsh returned from injury but managed only 33 from 49 balls batting first drop for Fremantle as they lost to Joondalup.

Gades middle-order bat Jonathon Wells scored 125 from 126 at 3 and took 1-33 (8) while Hurricanes recruit Liam Guthrie took 4-54 from 8 overs for Perth.

Scorchers bat Nick Hobson made 44 from 40 balls at 4 while Liam Haskett took 1-55 (9). Stars spinner Corey Rocchiccioli took 2-49 for 10 overs for University.

SA Premier Cricket – one-dayers

Adelaide Strikers spinner Ben Manenti did his chances of a game in their Round 2 double no harm with 2-23 from 10 overs for Adelaide before smashing 87 from 49 balls batting at 3 against the SACA Under-19s on Saturday.

Manenti’s knock with the bat included 11 fours and five sixes, after earlier dismissing opener Kane Halfpenny and bowling 7 Thomas Brown.

Thomas Kelly also enhanced his claims on Adelaide’s number 5 batting spot with 130* from 135 balls for Sturt, batting at 3, as they chased down Northern Districts’ target with 10 balls left.

Henry Hunt made 55 from 73 for Kensington, while Jordan Buckingham took 0-21 (9) for West Torrens.

Tasmania Premier League – T20s

Hurricanes quick Riley Meredith shook off his midweek side injury to bowl 4 overs and take 1-19 for Clarence as they beat North Hobart.

Canes bowler Iain Carlisle took 6-12 from 4 overs in that game and made 27 from 17 before being caught off Meredith’s bowling.

Stars all-rounder Beau Webster found some form with 2-23 (4) and 3-17 (4) in Kingborough’s two T20 games plus scores of 28 (36) and 66 (32) opening the batting.

Hurricanes bat Mac Wright managed 60* (51) and 56 (33) for Lindisfarne, while Nikhil Chaudhary took 2-12 from 3 overs for Glenorchy.

NSW Premier Cricket – one-dayers

Sixers bat Kurtis Patterson kept up his good local form with 90 from 89 for St George, while Thunder bat Blake Nikitaras was dismissed for a golden duck.

Thunder wicketkeeper-bat Matthew Gilkes made 53 from 41 for UNSW, while Sixers spinner Joel Davies took 3-41 (10) before getting out first ball.

Queensland Premier Cricket – two-day games

Max Bryant was unable to boost his bid to regain his Brisbane Heat spot, managing only 17 from 13 for Valley.