Captain Aaron Finch hit 81 off 51 balls to lead the Melbourne Renegades to a 57-run win over Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League on Monday night.
James Pattinson celebrates with Renegades teammates after dismissing Craig Kieswetter. Pic: Scott Barbour Source: Getty Images
AN impromptu Major League Baseball tryout from Ben Rohrer revived the Melbourne Renegades' season at Etihad Stadium on Monday night.
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It was going to take something special to upstage the earlier batting heroics of Aaron Finch (81 off 51 balls) and Jos Buttler (61 off 36) as the home team batted first and posted an equal Big Bash League record 3-210.
Aaron Finch has praised his aggressive top order after they put the Melbourne Renegades in what proved to be an unbeatable position against Brisbane Heat.
But Rohrer, who played an equally dazzling innings in the club's first home game last season, obliterated 36 runs off just 11 balls to set up a dominant 57-run victory over the strangely lacklustre Brisbane Heat.
The win couldn't avenge the Gades' semi-final loss to the same opponent last season, but was critical after the team lost its opening two matches of BBL03.
Rohrer took singles off his first two balls in the 18th over, providing no hint of the fireworks ahead for the Renegades' non-derby record crowd of 19,832.
He took a hip-high full-toss off Alister McDermott over the square-leg fence for six on his third ball, then took an even higher delivery into the second deck in the same direction.
McDermott was replaced because of the "intimidatory bowling" rule, but the only people in danger were those in the cheap seats.
Brisbane Heat batsman Peter Forrest took a superb catch to send Jos Buttler on his way in the Big Bash League clash with Melbourne Renegades.
Amazingly, replacement Ben Cutting then served up three more full-tosses in a row, two of which went for doubles and the final one another "home run".
A boundary midway through the final over was the precursor to another full-toss six on the second last delivery to smash the ground record score and doubtless whet the appetite of any baseball scouts on hand.
In reply, the Heat stumbled out of the blocks and never got going, eventually all out for 153 two balls into the 20th over.
James Pattinson (3-36) impressed early and looked fluent in his return from stress fractures of his back, but was clobbered in a late Ben Cutting onslaught.
The Australian Test paceman edged into the low 140km/h range, bowled some nice out-swingers and took the key wicket of English opener Craig Kieswetter.
But Cutting twice smashed him into the city side crowd as two of his five sixes in a 19-ball, 40-run cameo that gave the Heat's score some respectability.
Renegades' Test call-up Alex Doolan earlier made a run-a-ball 13 before a soft dismissal playing a half-baked hook shot.
But he had a strange reprieve on just one when he was run out but remained because nobody appealed.
The Tasmanian looked well home after a comfortable single, but his bat dug in short of the crease and his feet were in the air when the return hit the stumps with his score on one.
Re-live the Renegades' thumping victory right here with our live blog, featuring social media updates and commentary on all the big moments!
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