Just three days after stepping off a plane, Arafat starred with the ball, taking 3-15 to inspire his team to an unlikely six-run win over the Melbourne Renegades at the WACA Ground on Thursday night.

The result also goes in to the history books, with the Scorchers 7-117 the lowest score defended over a full 20 overs Big Bash clash.

People questioned Perth coach Justin Langer's decision to replace batsman Dwayne Smith with a bowler after the West Indian failed to board a plane to Australia last week because of personal reasons.

But the decision paid off on Thursday night, with the Scorchers are now 1-1 and the Renegades no wins from two matches in the Big Bash League.

In a match dominated byt the ball, the visitors got off to a terrific start to their run chase, getting to 0-38 after four overs, with Aaron Finch and Alex Doolan hitting seven boundaries between them, just two fewer than the Scorchers tally for their entire innings.

But Arafat's wicket-maiden in the fifth over saw the momentum swing. He had Finch (15) caught by Hogg at point.

Jason Behrendorff followed up with the wicket of Doolan for 21 in the following over, the opener hitting the ball back on to his stumps.

But it was an impressive 10th over by Mitch Marsh that turned the game on its head - a rare double wicket maiden.

He had Ben Rohrer brilliantly caught by newcomer Tim Armstrong at backward point with his first ball and then Jos Buttler caught behind by keeper Sam Whiteman for a duck.

Will Sheridan (12 from 14 balls) and Aaron O'Brien (10 from 10) settled things down and stopped the flow of wickets, but the Renegades could manage a total of only 8-111.

Melbourne needed 21 from the last two overs. Arafat claimed the wicket of Sheridan (caught by Shaun Marsh) with his fourth ball of the second last over, with the Renegades still requiring 17 for victory.

T20 cricket allows for quick redemption and fittingly Alfonso Thomas completed the win for the Scorchers, allowing just six off the final over when the Renegades needed 13.

On Sunday, the 19 he allowed off his final over, the second-last of the Brisbane Heat's innings, gave Perth's opposition a nail-biting three-wicket win.

Melbourne could have been forgiven for thinking it had done enough in the field, keeping the Scorchers to 7-117 from their 20 overs.

The home side went 14 overs without a boundary after Simon Katich hit five in his 19 ball innings of 29.

They managed just nine boundaries in their innings and strangely neither side was able to clear the boundary rope during their innings.

Katich's opening partner Shaun Marsh toiled away and top-scored for the Scorchers (and the game) with 31 runs from 34 balls.

Spinner Muttiah Muralidaran put the pressure on the Scorchers in the middle overs, with only 13 runs being taken from his four overs.

Nathan Rimmington, who plays with the Warriors in longer formats of the game, did the damage though with 2-15 from his four.

Man-of-the-match Arafat said he had recieved advice from Langer and Thomas going into the match.

"They told me where to bowl, especially on this bouncy track and this seaming track, which helped me today," he said.

"Because the ball was seaming today on a seaming track, so the plan was the bowl up to the batsman and not too short which paid off in the end."

Langer said this week that he hoped Arafat and Thomas would create a bond like his spin twins Brad Hogg and Michael Beer have.

Hogg went for 21 from his four overs, while Beer had a quiet night, not used by captain Simon Katich with the bat or the ball.

Perth will play the Adelaide Strikers on New Year's Eve at Adelaide Oval.

Nathan Coulter-Nile is expected to be released from duties with the Australian Test team in time to return for that match.