By 22 runs, the Melbourne Renegades 166 for 7 (Maddinson 87, Russell 35, Kuhnemann 3-32) defeated the Brisbane Heat 144 for 6 (Peirson 43, Munro 35, Hosein 3-15). Melbourne Renegades captain Nic Maddinson smashed 87 against Brisbane Heat to set up a 22-run win in his 100th BBL game. Maddinson got out of the blocks quickly, kept his cool when four wickets fell in a row and put his foot down late to lift the Renegades to 7 for 166 after being sent in to bat first in Cairns.
Maddinson and Hosein fire Renegades to big win in Big Bash
West Indies international Akeal Hosein opened the bowling for the Renegades, dismissing opener Max Bryant for a duck with his fifth delivery. Renegades maintained their momentum from then on. Hossein was playing his first BBL game and was the dominant bowler on the night, giving Renegades a strong start to the new season after finishing at the bottom of the table last season. Colin Munro (35 off 30 balls), a Heat recruit with 65 T20 internationals for New Zealand, was in fine form with the bat until he was run out by a direct hit from Tom Rogers.
Also Read: Sydney Thunder beat Melbourne Stars in a thrilling last-ball finish in Big Bash opener 2023, Match 1
When Hossein bowled Heat skipper Jimmy Peirson for 43 off 30 deliveries in the 15th over, the required rate was approaching the unachievable. Maddinson had previously laid the groundwork for victory. He scored 20 off Xavier Bartlett’s second over and 22 off his third in a 49-ball innings that included 10 fours and three sixes, his highest score in T20 cricket. Andre Russell (35 off 28 balls) made his Renegades debut with powerful innings that included three sixes. The visitors raced to 0 for 65 in six overs before Sam Harper was well caught at fine leg by Josh Brown off the first delivery bowled by James Bazley.
Also Read: All-round Adelaide Strikers down Sydney Sixers by 51 runs in Big Bash 2023, Match 2
Renegades lost 4 for 13 in four overs thanks to Peirson’s astute captaincy and the bowling of spinners Mitch Swepson and Matt Kuhnemann. Swepson landed a classic googly on Jake Fraser-McGurk. Then, by slowing down his pace and confusing Aaron Finch and off-season recruit Jono Wells, Kuhnemann took two wickets in one over. That’s when Maddinson and Russell took command with a 78-run standoff with 46 pitches. When he was 42, Maddinson was involved in an unusual incident when he played a pull-shot off Mark Steketee. The ball was lobbed over the stumps, but one bail broke. The dislodged bail was an unexplainable mystery, but it was not the batter’s fault.
Also Read: PSL 8, Final Draft HBL PSL 8th Edition