Matt Renshaw’s good boundary off the ultimate ball has secured the Brisbane Heat a vital three-wicket win over the Melbourne Stars to assist maintain their BBL finals dream alive.
Chasing 160 for victory, the guests surged and stuttered a number of occasions earlier than reaching their goal in a dramatic end on the MCG on Monday night time.
Renshaw was the matchwinner, top-scoring with an unbeaten 90 from 56 deliveries in a complete of 7-160.
The Heat wanted 9 runs off the final over and have been aided by the Stars being restricted to 4 males exterior the circle due to a gradual over fee.
Beau Webster additional helped their trigger when he started the twentieth over with a large.
But the Heat nonetheless wanted 4 off the final ball and Renshaw delivered, scooping Webster’s ultimate supply over the in-field to the rope at nice leg forward of determined fielders.
“I tried to hit the absolute living daylights out of the first five and that didn’t work, so Matty Kuhnemann, the left-arm orthodox (bowler), came down and told me to ramp it,” Renshaw stated.
“It’s his go-to shot and fortunately it paid off. I knew I got it pretty well and fortunately it just rolled over that rope.”
Renshaw was given two lifelines, firstly when he was dropped on 47 by Clint Hinchliffe, who misjudged the flight of the ball within the deep.
The Stars additionally did not run out Renshaw on 63 when Adam Zampa could not collect Nathan Coulter-Nile’s off-target throw, with the batter effectively in need of his floor.
“You reflect on that stuff and we probably could’ve killed the game there, but those things happen,” Stars batter Nick Larkin stated.
“Guys are trying their arses off out there and unfortunately sometimes catches don’t stick and run-outs don’t hit the stumps.
“It was most likely nice cricket to look at (on the finish) however it was heartbreaking to be concerned in.”
A 66-run partnership between Renshaw and Jimmy Peirson (22 from 18) was important before the 26-year-old left-hander steered his side home with the tailenders.
Renshaw’s innings included six fours and four sixes.
Brisbane’s win came despite Test duo Usman Khawaja (14) and Marnus Labuschagne (six) failing to fire with the bat.
It improved the Heat’s record to 4-6-1, while the Stars (3-9) are out of the finals mix in last spot on the ladder.
Earlier, Larkin top-scored for the Stars with 58 from 36 deliveries in a total of 7-159.
Michael Neser (4-25) was outstanding for the Heat during the powerplay and power surge, taking 3-11 from his three overs with fielding restrictions in place.
But Larkin took 14 runs from the first four balls of Neser’s final over – the last of the innings – before the Test quick finally got his revenge by dismissing the Stars batter.
Webster (36 off 34) and Tom Rogers (26 off 23) also did some damage for the Stars.
Neser claimed the wickets of Webster and Coulter-Nile in consecutive deliveries through the sixteenth over however missed out on what would have been his second hat-trick of the season.
