BBL 2017-18, Match 19 Review: Melbourne Renegades jump to the second position with a thumping win

On the back of another scintillating batting performance, the Melbourne Renegades escalated to the second position on the points table. The “Melbourne Derby” proved to be a one-sided contest. The Stars registered their fourth defeat in four games, much to the disappointment of their fans.

Batting first, Ben Dunk finally got some runs after his name. After Luke Wright departed very early in the game, Dunk and Pietersen stitched a decent stand. Both players exhibited some good attacking cricket and mixed caution very well. This helped them dominate the middle overs, but neither of these players went on to score big.

The duo added 71 runs for the second wicket and the scoring rate was closing in on 9. But when both these players got dismissed inside 13 balls, the game’s momentum changed. Dunk was dismissed for 47, whereas Pietersen registered a crucial 40. In the final few overs, the scoring rate dipped thanks to a wonderful exhibition of death overs bowling.

Dwayne Bravo, Jack Wildermuth and Mohammad Nabi stemmed the run flow towards the end. Marcus Stoinis registered a run-a-ball 24 and Glenn Maxwell registered a 23-ball 33, but that wasn’t enough. Their side could only manage to score 157 on the board, which was definitely a give away after how they started.

The Renegades shifted the game in their balance in the death overs. Stoinis could only score one boundary, whereas Maxwell scored just 3 fours. Nabi, Richardson, Wildermuth, and Bravo returned with a wicket each for the Renegades.

Nabi and Finch dance their way towards the target

Marcus Harris remained a mere spectator in the first four overs as Finch clobbered the bowlers to all parts. He scored 7 fours and a six en route to a 22-ball 43. It was exactly the kind of start the Renegades wanted and despite losing Harris in the fifth over, it didn’t have a huge impact on them. Finch continued his onslaught for another couple of overs after Harris’ dismissal.

After Finch was dismissed by Adam Zampa, Cameron White was accompanied by Mohammad Nabi. The Afghan all-rounder was promoted in the batting lineup and he registered a scintillating half-century to justify his skipper’s decision. Whilst he was in an over-drive mode, White simply kept tucking singles and twos.

Nabi’s carnage started with two consecutive sixes off Zampa in the 10th over. He then kept clobbered another couple of boundaries in the next two overs. Boundaries didn’t come very easily, but these both batsmen kept taking singles and twos very well. Nabi got to his fifty in 30 balls and almost immediately, Hastings sent him back.

The game was pretty much done and dusted by then and the veteran Brad Hodge came in to complete the formality. Hastings dismissed him as well with six more runs remaining to get and all this effort was too little too late. Dwayne Bravo came in and finished the innings with a big six down the ground. This 7-wicket win took them to the second spot and the Perth Scorchers were pushed to the third position.

Brief Scores

Melbourne Stars: 157/4 in 20 overs (Ben Dunk 47, Kevin Pietersen 40, Glenn Maxwell 33; Mohammad Nabi 1/27)

Melbourne Renegades: 159/4 in 17.5 overs (Mohammad Nabi 52, Aaron Finch 43, Cameron White 35*; John Hastings 2/24)

For more news and updates from the BBL and other cricketing events, keep following Crictracker