Ben McDermott bashes his way past Renegades as Hurricanes notch up another BBL|10 win
The Hobart Hurricanes have notched up another win over the Melbourne Renegades thanks to a brutal innings from Ben McDermott.
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BEN McDermott’s decision to relinquish vice-captaincy duties for BBL|10 is reaping immediate dividends as another sublime innings steered the Hurricanes to victory against the Melbourne Renegades.
After a substandard campaign last summer by his lofty standards batting at No.5 – a role designed to align with his position in Australia’s T20 side – McDermott has hit the ground running this season back up the order.
His brutal unconquered 89 from 55 balls at Blundstone Arena on Saturday guided Hobart to a six-wicket win, with the hosts overhauling their 158-run target in the 18th over.
McDermott backed up his 46 against Adelaide on Tuesday in Launceston, his first appearance in the tournament after missing the first two matches to Australian A duties, by anchoring a chase which Tim David (21 not out) finished in emphatic style with consecutive sixes from Kane Richardson.
BIG BASHING BEN BACK TO HIS BIG BASH BEST
Hobart again recovered from the loss of openers D’Arcy Short (one) and Will Jacks (10) inside the powerplay, with McDermott turning the momentum in one over from a wounded Josh Lalor.
Lalor struck early when he skittled Short but spent several overs off the field battling an apparent side strain.
His return to the attack immediately after the halfway point of the chase proved the difference, where he conceded 23 runs in an over, including a pair of free-hits.
It pushed the equation to a near run-a-ball scenario before McDermott added the exclamation mark with a pair of towering sixes over the leg side from Will Sutherland in the “Power Surge”.
Melbourne’s 5-157 always appeared under par despite the efforts of Sam Harper (66 not out from 52) and Rilee Rossouw (59 off 40), who combined for a 109-run stand for the third wicket after the visitors crashed to 2-4 in the second over.
POWERPLAY SPECIALIST
At the peak of his powers for Australia, James Faulkner was regarded as the “finisher” but for the Hurricanes he is without doubt the “starter”. In three of Hobart’s matches this tournament, the left-arm swing king has taken a wicket in his opening over – including two against Adelaide on Tuesday night – while in the first match against the Strikers last Sunday he struck in his second.
BABY FACED DEBUTANT
Afghanistan’s spin stocks have been show for several seasons in the BBL, with Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rehman, Mohammad Nabi and Qais Ahmad all previous participants. Another two signed contracts for BBL|10, including Melbourne Renegades teenager Noor Ahmad. At just 15 years and 351 days, the left-arm wrist spinner became the youngest ever player in the Big Bash, surpassing ur Rehman, who was 17 and 266 days when he made his Brisbane Heat debut.
OUT OF SHORTS
For the third time in four innings, Hurricanes linchpin D’Arcy Short failed to survive past the second over to continue his tough start to the summer. The two-time player of the tournament has scores of 0, 2 and 1, split by his brilliant 72 in the first meeting against Adelaide – where he was dropped on 23 and reached 38 from 40 balls before exploding in one Rashid Khan over.
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