‘Couldn’t have had a worse night’: Renegades run riot on Hurricanes in nightmare all-time low

The Melbourne Renegades have enforced a demolition of the highest order on the Hobart Hurricanes, chasing down their franchise record-low target of 75 in just nine overs. WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS

The Melbourne Renegades have enforced a demolition of the highest order on the Hobart Hurricanes in Geelong, winning by six wickets in their chase of a franchise record-low target of just 75 runs.

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The purple brigade were bowled out by the Sydney Sixers for 91 all the way back in 2015, but tonight’s dismal effort at GMHBA Stadium down in Geelong well and truly eclipsed that record.

Things went pear-shaped from the get-go for Jeff Vaughan’s side, with retired Australian wicketkeeper Matthew Wade nicking off in the second over.

It was Tasmania domestic seamer Tom Rogers who first wreaked havoc on Hobart, taking the first three wickets of the match to also see the back of Mitch Owen and Ben McDermott; who departed first ball via a chip to short mid-wicket.

Geelong’s pitch — which forced the abandonment of a Big Bash game last year due to safety concerns — was evidently slow-paced, with the Renegades seamers taking full advantage of the conditions.

Gun bowling all-rounder Fergus O’Neill was next to cash in, taking three wickets in his second over; including that of Tim David (second-ball duck) and England veteran Chris Jordan (golden duck), who was undone by a brilliant leg-side catch from Kiwi keeper Tim Seifert.

Reeling at 6/32, the Hurricanes were already on the cusp of a premature loss, but Will Sutherland ensured that the match’s result was beyond doubt with three more wickets in succession.

Australian star Adam Zampa put the final nail in the coffin of Hobart by bowling Billy Stanlake, and officially handing the Hurricanes their worst-ever team total in 14 seasons of Big Bash cricket.

Hobart captain Nathan Ellis was the only batter who could hold his head high amid his side’s catastrophic collapse, whacking a quick-fire 35 runs off 26 balls that included five fours and one six.

“This is not a good night for the Hurricanes,” Fox Cricket’s Mark Howard said on commentary after Shai Hope departed in the eighth over, when his undisciplined shot found cow corner.

As expected, Jake Fraser-McGurk started his innings with a bang — timing a beautiful square drive through the field for four off the first ball of the Renegades’ chase.

His innings was short-lived after chopping on Billy Stanlake for five, but his replacement at the crease Seifert inflicted plenty of damage instead, fresh off his 55 on BBL debut against the Sydney Sixers on Monday.

He stayed at the crease right until the end for red ink, hitting 37 off just 19 balls; a fine knock that included four fours and two sixes.

Mackenzie Harvey also finished not out with 10 runs from eight balls, as the Renegades chased down 75 in just nine overs.

Much like his efforts with the bat, Nathan Ellis was the best with the ball to finish with figures of 2/12 off three overs.

Speaking post-game, Fox Cricket’s Michael Vaughan summed up the anomaly of a performance in simple terms.

“The Hurricanes couldn’t have had a worser night,” the former England captain emphasised.

And in a further blow to the Hurricanes, veteran Matthew Wade left the field of play while wicketkeeping with a calf complaint; prompting an agricultural break in play as McDermott replaced him behind the pegs.

Caleb Jewell (left) and Matthew Wade (right) with ice and a compression sleeve on his right calf.

On Fox Cricket’s commentary, Wade revealed that he’s never had a calf twinge before, leaving him uncertain on what had happened before eventually leaving the field of play.

ROGERS TURNS TIDE

It was seamer Tom Rogers who was the first to flip the game on its head, taking three wickets in five balls across his first and second overs for the evening — but it wasn’t initially all smooth sailing.

The 30-year-old was hit for back-to-back fours to start his spell, as his Tasmanian teammate Mitch Owen swung at balls outside off stump early doors.

But as history now tells us, the fun for Hobart stopped there, with Rogers inflicting pain on Nathan Ellis’ side’s top order in the blink of an eye.

He dismissed Wade, Owen and McDermott in quick succession to effectively begin the Hurricanes’ demise.

SPECTACULAR SEIFERT CONTINUES EPIC BBL START

In just two games with maiden Big Bash franchise, New Zealand wicketkeeper Tom Seifert has now made some serious first impressions with both bat and gloves.

On the back of a half-century on Renegades debut, Seifert has already proven himself with the bat — and his epic catch down the leg side of English rival Chris Jordan proved he’s just as reliable behind the pegs.

And funnily enough, the dismissal was his 450th in his professional T20 cricket career.

The 30-year-old finished with three dismissals, before putting the cherry on top of an epic night out for his side with an unbeaten 39 runs at a very good lick.

catch to remove Chris Jordan summed up his side’s fielding performance.

Originally published as ‘Couldn’t have had a worse night’: Renegades run riot on Hurricanes in nightmare all-time low