Englishman Harry Gurney backs Melbourne Renegades to win Big Bash

Melbourne Renegades are the only Big Bash team yet to win a semi-final, but all that’s about to change, crafty English import Harry Gurney says.

Harry Gurney has backed his Renegades to win their maiden Big Bash title in 2019. Picture: AAP

Melbourne Renegades import Harry Gurney has backed his franchise to break its Big Bash League championship duck after steering the red team to second on the ladder.

The Gades are the only club yet to win a semi-final but with captain Aaron Finch back from international duty and a tricky bowling unit they have jumped to 6-5 this season.

The Renegades play the Scorchers (Perth Stadium), Thunder (Marvel Stadium) and ladder-leader Hobart Hurricanes (Blundstone Arena) in the run home.

TOO GOOD: GADES HOLD OFF THUNDER

Harry Gurney has backed his Renegades to win their maiden Big Bash title in 2019. Picture: AAP

With a compact ladder, a pair of wins is expected to secure the Renegades’ third semi-final appearance in eight seasons.

They could even sneak in with one more win.

“We’re every chance (of winning the title). Every chance,” Gurney said.

“We’ve got some really good cricketers sitting on the bench as well.

“With Finchy coming back in now, hopefully for the rest of the competition, we’ve got good depth with the bat and the ball and good options on the bench for when the conditions determine (making changes) is the right thing to do.”

Gurney, 32, dropped two skied catches off his own bowling against Sydney Thunder at Spotless Stadium on Tuesday night but was still able to restrict the home side.

Harry Gurney and Dan Christian are great mates off the field after playing on the same team in English county cricket. Picture: Getty Images

Renegades teammate Dan Christian also plays with Gurney and Nottinghamshire and said he was “the best death bowler I’ve played with at any level anywhere in the world”.

Gurney put his excellent craft down to extensive training and a game plan of trying to scramble the batsmen’s brain with unpredictability.

“Something I’ve always done is try and mix it up and be as unpredictable as possible at the end, with similar fields so that the batsman finds it more difficult to predict,” Gurney said.

“I’m always trying to think, ‘What’s the last thing the batsmen is expecting now’.

“Even if he is expecting something generally if you execute your skill well it’s hard to hit anyway.

“I’m a better white-ball bowler than red-ball bowler, and that’s because I practice those specific deliveries quite religiously.”

Gurney played a grade cricket season in Sydney six years ago and was set to stay there to catch up with old friends.

A bemused Gurney lays on the ground after one of two dropped catches of his own bowling against Sydney Thunder. Picture: AAP

The left-arm Englishman joked he would find a local ground on the way to the airport for some catching practice.

“Once the first one went down it always follows you,” he said.

“The second one went up and was up there so long I was thinking, ‘I’m dropping this as well’ which is probably the wrong frame of mind. Thankfully, we got over the line.”

Kane Richardson grew his reputation as the BBL’s celebration stealer, mimicking Gurinder Sandhu’s send-off after directing a Marcus Stoinis hulk-like celebration at Stoinis the nonstriker last Saturday night.

Richardson leads the BBL with 18 wickets while Finch joined Chris Lynn with 16 BBL half-centuries. No other player has posted more than 13.

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