Melbourne Renegades bounce for GMHBA Stadium to face Sydney Sixers
Warm weather will add some bounce to the surface at GMHBA Stadium as the Renegades back their experience to rebound with the bat on Friday.
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A “firmer and faster” pitch is set to add further spice to a crucial game for the Melbourne Renegades at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night.
After winning their first three games of the BBL season, the Renegades have lost their last two, including a disappointing 34-run defeat to the Sydney Sixers on Wednesday night.
Despite the loss, all-rounder Will Sutherland believes the experience in the Renegades batting order will pay off, with Martin Guptill, Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb each playing their first game of the season against the Sixers.
The same two sides will meet again in Geelong on Friday, on what is shaping to be a quicker and harder surface than when the Renegades topped the Brisbane Heat on December 21.
In that game, Andre Russell and Aaron Finch guided the home side to victory despite a Michael Neser hat-trick, on a pitch that had a little for the bowlers and plenty for the batters.
Kardinia Park Stadium Trust chief executive Gerard Griffin said dry weather would lead to a firm pitch on Friday.
“The stadium pitch has dried out further since the first game and we expect it to be firmer and faster,” he said.
Sutherland said the pitch had a bit of everything on December 21.
“Certainly there was a bit for bat and ball given (the hat-trick) happened,” he said.
“I think it was probably a bit low scoring and maybe that was a bit of poor batting and good bowling. The boys love playing down (in Geelong) and I’m sure the wicket will be even better the second time around.”
On club debut, Guptill was knocked over for a duck on Wednesday, while Marsh made 28 from 25 balls and Handscomb only contributed three as the Renegades were bundled out for 115.
The Renegades sit third on the BBL table but a defeat will see the Sixers jump them, with the Sydney team coming to Geelong on a three-game winning streak.
But Sutherland said he was certain the experience of the batting order would pay off.
“They know their game so well compared to the younger guys,” he said.
“They are cool heads out there and we can rely on them to play some experienced innings.”
The match will begin at 6.30pm, with the free Festival of Sport to be held on Kardinia Park West from 3pm, featuring over 20 activities to get moving.
Monster hit so clean Sutherland ‘didn’t really feel it’
Melbourne Renegades all-rounder Will Sutherland says his hit was so clean he “didn’t really feel it” when he belted the ball out of the ground at GMHBA Stadium earlier this month.
The towering big hitter strode out to the middle in the Renegades clash against Brisbane Heat on December 21 with his side needing nine runs off seven balls to win.
With only one ball remaining in the over, Sutherland was determined not to get a single so partner Aaron Finch would have strike next over, and he proceeded to smash Mark Stekete onto the roof of the eastern side Hickey Stand.
The monster hit echoed one teammate Andre Russell put onto the same roof earlier in the innings.
“It was pretty cool, I didn’t really feel it off the bat which generally means you got it pretty close to the middle,” Sutherland said.
“I am a Geelong (AFL) supporter so to see one fly out of the ground that I have watched a lot of footy at was pretty cool.”
Sutherland said he was “very happy with” a TV measurement that put his long ball at 103m, one of the largest hits ever at GMHBA Stadium.
Finch would go on to smack the winning runs off the next over.
“It was a great feeling, obviously it has been a tough couple of years for the Renegades so to contribute like that and not rely solely on Finchy was great,” Sutherland said.
The all-rounder will return to Geelong with the Renegades on Friday night to host the Sydney Sixers at GMHBA Stadium from 6.30pm.
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Originally published as Melbourne Renegades bounce for GMHBA Stadium to face Sydney Sixers
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