Versatile Brisbane Heat star Matt Renshaw would prefer to open for Australia

Brisbane Heat’s bid to reach the BBL finals series is being helped by the form of Matt Renshaw, who would love the chance to again open the batting for Australia.

Brisbane Heat star Matt Renshaw believes he could be positioned “anywhere” in Australia’s batting order, but his preference would be to open if recalled to Test duty.

Batting at No.4 for the Heat on Monday night, Renshaw – a former Test opener – guided Brisbane to a five-wicket BBL win over the Sydney Thunder with an unbeaten 48 off 33 balls.

His 108-run fifth-wicket partnership with Max Bryant (72) proved the difference after the Heat was struggling at 3-43 in the ninth over.

“We came together in a pretty tough time and knew that we were probably the two that needed to be there by the end,” Renshaw said.

“We just tried to look at the right options and took them.

“When our backs are against the wall, we just find performances, and against a team (the Thunder) that’s second on the table, we showed that we can dominate them in our own conditions.”

Renshaw, who played the most recent of his 14 Test matches in February 2023, has been somewhat of a forgotten man in battle to be David Warner’s replacement at the top of Australia’s batting order, particularly this summer, where he has fallen behind the likes of Nathan McSweeney, Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris.

Matt Renshaw (left) and Max Bryant combined to help the Heat beat the Thunder. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“I probably wouldn’t say that I got caught up in the opener race – I don’t think I was in it at all,” Renshaw told SEN Mornings with Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka looming.

“I’m probably further away than a few of the boys (to be selected) but most of my Tests have been in Asia so I’ve got a fair bit of experience there if called upon.

“It’s been (about) me trying to play my cricket the way I want to and I’ve really enjoyed it.

“(I’m) feeling really good about my cricket and how my batting is going, and obviously there’s aspirations there but I’m really enjoying my cricket right now,

“I feel like I could bat anywhere if that (Test) opportunity came, but I’ll keep opening for Queensland (in the Sheffield Shield) because it brings me the most satisfaction when you succeed.”

Current Test batsmen Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne will be unavailable for Brisbane’s battle with the Adelaide Strikers on Saturday night at Adelaide Oval.

However, the pair are set to play for Brisbane on Thursday week at the Gabba against the Hobart Hurricanes, before missing the Heat’s final match of the regular season – against the Melbourne Renegades at Marvel Stadium on January 18 – due to their departure for a training camp ahead of Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka.

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