Matt Renshaw blasted an unbroken 90, including a boundary off the penultimate ball, to help the Brisbane Heat overcome the Melbourne Stars by three wickets in the BBL. Matt Renshaw’s magnificent boundary off the penultimate ball gave the Brisbane Heat a critical three-wicket victory against the Melbourne Stars, keeping their KFC BBL|12 finals hope alive.
Brisbane Heat still alive in BBL|12
The visitors faltered and surged many times before achieving their objective in a frantic finish at the MCG on Monday night, chasing 160 for victory. Renshaw won the match with an undefeated 90 from 56 deliveries in a total of 7-160. With nine runs needed off the last over, the Brisbane Heat were aided by the Stars being confined to four men outside the circle due to a sluggish over rate. Beau Webster added to their case by starting the 20th over with a wide.
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The Heat needed four runs off the last ball, and Renshaw delivered, collecting Webster’s penultimate delivery over the infield to the rope. Renshaw had a lifeline on 47 when Clint Hinchliffe misread the flight of the ball in the deep. After a mix-up with Jimmy Peirson, Adam Zampa couldn’t retrieve Nathan Coulter-throw Nile’s with the batter far short of his ground, allowing the Stars to score Renshaw on 63. Renshaw and Peirson’s 83-run partnership (22 from 18) was crucial before the former led his team home with the tailenders.
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Renshaw hit six fours and four sixes in his innings. Brisbane won despite Usman Khawaja (14) and Marnus Labuschagne (six) struggling with the bat. It improved the Brisbane Heat’s record to 4-6-1, while the Stars (3-9) are out of the playoff picture in last place in the standings. Earlier, Nick Larkin led the Stars in scoring with 58 from 36 deliveries for a total of 7-159. With fielding limits in effect, Michael Neser (4-25) was brilliant for the Heat during the Powerplay and Power Surge, taking 3-11 from his three overs.
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However, Larkin scored 14 runs off the first four deliveries of Neser’s fourth over – the last of the innings – before the Test fast avenged himself by removing the Stars hitter. The Stars were helped by Webster (36 off 34) and Tom Rogers (26 off 23), as well as James Seymour (13 off 6), whose short inning contained two sixes.
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Neser claimed Webster and Coulter-Nile in successive deliveries during the 16th over, although he fell short of his second hat-trick of the season. Marcus Stoinis, the Stars’ star allrounder, was missing for the fourth week in a row due to a hamstring injury. Stoinis was selected to the extended squad but did not make the final roster after pulling up sore during a fitness test.
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