Relaxed Ben McDermott is back to his Big Bash belting best after handing back the captaincy duties

Ben McDermott has returned to his destructive best in the Big Bash League after his multiple roles last season became “a bit too much”.

HURRICANES blaster Ben McDermott has admitted last year’s Big Bash League became “a bit too much” as he attempted to juggle captaincy, wicketkeeping and his own Australian ambitions.

McDermott filled the void as skipper and gloveman while Matthew Wade was on national duties, while also sliding to five in the batting order to match a “finishing” role he was striving to perform after earning an international call-up.

It led to a below-par campaign for the man who shot to BBL prominence in 2016-17 when he scored the first century for the Hurricanes in a then-record run chase against the Melbourne Renegades.

But freed up by handing leadership duties to Phil Handscomb and moving back to first drop, McDermott has returned to his destructive best.

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Ben McDermott belted seven boundaries and five sixes as he steered the Hurricanes to another victory. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

His 55-ball 89 not out against the Renegades on Saturday — which contained seven boundaries and five sixes — secured Hobart it’s third win from four starts and continued a rich vein of form, which includes a century for Australia A against India A last week.

“That was a tricky period for me because I was fringing on Australian duties, trying to play that middle-order role for the Hurricanes when I think I play my best up the top of the order,” McDermott said.

“And it was my first year wicketkeeping as well, and throw the captaincy on that, it was a bit too much for me.

“But this year it’s back to the top, which is nice, and keeping feels good. It’s just a clear sort of headspace to be in, last year was a bit much.”

While McDermott’s pyrotechnics earned him player of the match honours in the six-wicket win, it was the effort of the bowlers to restrict Melbourne to 5-157 that proved crucial.

Ben McDermott is also able to enjoy the wicket keeping duties again after handing over the captaincy role. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

An unbeaten 66 not out from 52 balls from Sam Harper and Rilee Rossouw’s 59 off 40 resurrected a Renegades innings which started 2-4 in the second over, but ultimately it was not enough.

“Facing ‘Baz’ (Scott Boland) at 11 o’clock, it was nipping around a little bit so that was a tough challenge firstly to get through and then we just had to build a score,” Harper said.

“Whenever you are 2-5 in the powerplay there’s always a fair bit of work to be done, we were just trying to play good cricket shots and hopefully we could get to a score.

“Sometimes you just have to go hats off, we had our plans to him [McDermott], but when he’s batting like that, especially with the [Power] Surge and two out, not that it mattered he was clearing our blokes by 30m anyway.

“It was a very good innings.”