For the first time of this KFC BBL|10 season, Pete Handscomb won the toss and elected to send the Renegades into bat; a decision that really set the tone for the day.
James Faulkner (1-30 off four overs) and Scott Boland (2-19 of four) set the tone for the day, dismissing Renegades’ openers Shaun Marsh (1) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (2) in the first two overs of the match.
Slumping to 2-4 in the second over, the Renegades had a task ahead of them to avoid the repeated capitulation of the previous game, but Sam Harper (66* off 52) and Rilee Rossouw (59 off 40) were more than up to the task, combining for an innings-changing 109-run partnership. In the end it was Nathan Ellis who got the breakthrough – clean-bowling Rossouw – and the Hurricanes took control of the back end of the innings, limiting the Renegades to 5-157 off their allotted 20 overs.
The Renegades had set a competitive total to defend, but also an achievable one to chase. Things did not get off to an ideal start for the home side however, with D’Arcy Short being dismissed for a single run in the first over, followed three overs later by fellow opener, Will Jacks, for 10.
Enter, Ben McDermott. Boosted by the confidence of his current form, McDermott put on a show for the adoring home crowd, notching up an unbeaten 89 runs off 55 balls, in an innings that included seven fours and five sixes.
He was helped along with handy cameos by Handscomb (13 off 15), Colin Ingram (19 off 18) and Tim David (21* off 12), but McDermott was the undisputed Player of the Match when the winning runs were hit – with 14 balls to spare.
At the conclusion of today’s match, incredibly it’s two Hurricanes who lead the competition in terms of runs made and wickets taken. Ingram remains his grasp on the BKT Golden Bat Cap with 145 runs to his name, whilst Faulkner now holds the BKT Golden Arm Cap, having taken eight wickets for the tournament thus far.
The Renegades will travel to Brisbane on Monday and enjoy a short break over Christmas ahead of their next match against the Brisbane Heat on Sunday 27 December.