BBL6 Game 24 Recap - Melbourne Renegades v Hobart Hurricanes @ Docklands

Melbourne Renegades 4/222 (20 Overs) Defeated by Hobart Hurricanes 8/223 (20 Overs) 

Hurricanes Stun Renegades With Record Chase

In the most remarkable game of BBL6 to date, the Hobart Hurricanes have come from the clouds to defeat the Melbourne Renegades on the final ball of the match. The Hurricanes overhauled a massive 4/222 set up by the home side earlier in the match. With 14 runs required from 4 balls, the Hurricane's season looked over, before Stuart Broad pulled the game out of the fire, with ensuing wild scenes on the Hurricane's bench. Ben McDermott produced the innings of BBL6 by a country mile as he torched the Renegades for an amazing 114 from just 52 balls. McDermott combined for an astonishing 151-run partnership with George Bailey to completely turn the tide of the game that was looking like a one-sided rout for the home side. Despite a flurry of late wickets, the Hurricanes were able to sneak home to secure their third win of the season to remain alive as they head to Perth for their final game of the regular season. The Hurricanes must win to finish at 4-4 and see where the cards fall to determine whether their net run rate will be enough to sneak them into 4th spot. 

Who Is Ben McDermott?

We have been waiting for a century in BBL6 and it was well worth the wait in Game 24 as Ben McDermott played the innings of his life to lift the Hurricanes over the line. It now seems unfathomable that this man could have been warming the Hurricane's bench for their first five games, given his immediate impact against the Thunder and the Renegades. While his 31 against the Thunder showed promise, there was no sign of the blitzkrieg that was about to come from McDermott against the Renegades. McDermott scored just one run from his first five balls, before launching into a stunning series of sweeps, pulls, cuts and drives. The hard hitting and strongly built right handed batsman made it look like men against boys at times, as he cleared the ropes with ease, hitting an incredible nine 6s in one of the best displays of T20 hitting ever seen. McDermott racked up an incredible 85 from his final 27 deliveries as he truly announced himself as a player on the scene. Having played just 7 First Class matches for a moderate average of 26, not a whole amount was known about McDermott. However I expect the 22 year old to be in hot demand for BBL teams going forward. An innings like that might even prick the attention of wealthy IPL teams. In this day and age, it can be a career changer. 

Renegades Heartbroken Again

I said at halftime in this game I thought the Renegades were a team that could win this competition. However, having watched them fail to defend a record BBL score of 222, I am just about prepared to consign this team to the dust bin in BBL6. It was an unforgivable loss really for a side that has invested heavily in the off-season. You get the feeling the Renegades will be looking back on BBL6 with plenty of regrets. Currently languishing in 7th spot, things could have been oh so different for the Renegades had they won the close games. When any professional sporting team looks back on their season, it is usually how many of the close games you win which determines your fate. If a team wins 75% of their close games, they are probably a strong final's team that might finish a couple of spots higher than their percentages suggest. If you win 50% of your close games, a team will probably be a borderline final's team and finish roughly where many people thought they would. If a team loses all their close games then they are going to look back at what might have been. The Renegades are that team now, having had three heartbreaking losses, with two coming on the final ball of the match. All three of those close losses came when defending in the field in the final over. Now you could say that is particularly unlucky, to which there is element of truth. However, when you lose over and over the same way, it is also about execution and a lack of poise under pressure. The Renegades now need to win their final two games and hope results go their way to sneak into the finals. 

Yorker A Lost Art

The ability to hit a yorker at the base of the stumps at the death seems to have gone out the window a bit in BBL6. New tactics of wider yorkers, slower balls and bouncers seem a lot more fashionable. Whilst there is no doubt variety is a key component to a fast bowler's make up, I thought Thisasa Perera got it wrong in the final over for the Renegades. Bowling to Stuart Broad, with 14 required from 4 deliveries, I'm not sure slower balls were the ideal tactic. I thought he tried to get a bit funky and played the price. It must be said Broad got lucky, edging one ball for 4, however Perera bowled "length balls" which are always a chance of going the journey. I thought Perera needed to adjust his tactics and keep a far simpler approach with the longer straight boundaries at Docklands crying out for yorkers to be nailed. 

Lurker Shell Shocked

With 4 balls left, The Lurker looked set to deliver his battlers a perfect treble. Having landed a massive Aaron Finch and Sunil Narine High Bat/Bowler double, The Lurker was curling his moe. Tom Cooper had scored 25+ so all The Lurker needed was for the Renegades to hold on for victory. Alas, it was not to be, as the Lurker slumped to 16-8 to continue a frustrating 2017. With a double header tonight, can he bounce back in style, or will he continue to stumble?