The Melbourne Renegades showcased their might on Thursday night, securing a stunning six-wicket victory over the Hobart Hurricanes during the fifth match of the Big Bash League (BBL) at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong. Chasing down what turned out to be the Hurricanes' lowest total ever recorded, the Renegades finished their innings with 11 overs to spare.
From the get-go, the pressure was on the Hurricanes as they opted to bat first. Their decision quickly spiraled out of control, resulting in them being skittled for just 74 runs within 12.4 overs—marking the franchise's all-time low score, eclipsing their previous record of 91 runs against the Sydney Sixers back in 2015. The Renegades’ captain, Nathan Ellis, emerged as the lone fighter for the Hurricanes, managing to score 35 runs off 26 balls, closely followed by Shai Hope with 13.
Renegades bowler Tom Rogers started the ball rolling for his side, claiming the wickets of Matthew Wade, Mitchell Owen, and Ben McDermott within his first two overs. "We couldn’t have had a worse night for the Hurricanes," aptly stated Michael Vaughan during the Fox Cricket commentary, capturing the dismal spirit surrounding the Hobart side.
Wade, who captained the Hurricanes, was also forced to withdraw from the game with a calf injury just two overs after beginning the innings. The former Australian wicketkeeper expressed his frustration during the match's commentary, lamenting the length of time taken to replace him. “We will just monitor it over the next couple of days...I will get a scan when we get back,” he mentioned, indicating the severity of his condition at the end of the game.
After Rogers’ explosive start, Fergus O’Neill took the stage, claiming three wickets, one of which was famously caught by New Zealand wicketkeeper Tim Seifert, who had the crowd cheering for what many deemed one of the catches of the season. Will Sutherland also joined the wicket-taking spree, posting impressive figures of three for 14, contributing to the chaos within the Hurricanes’ lineup.
Faced with what seemed to be insurmountable pressure and the humiliative prospect of achieving the lowest score ever, the Hurricanes faltered. By the time they reached 32 runs, they found themselves 6 wickets down. Despite Ellis’s best efforts, with boundaries hitting the grass, the remaining batsmen crumbled, leading to the team being all out for 74.
Commenting on the pitch condition, Seifert remarked, “It looks like a good wicket, but the odd one...is a little inconsistent.” His statement highlighted the challenges batters faced throughout the match.
When it came time for the Renegades to bat, they made quick work of the paltry target, with Seifert leading the charge. The 30-year-old, who has made quite the impression since debuting, ended with 37 not out after only 19 balls, ensuring the Renegades crossed the finish line comfortably. Joining him not out was Mackenzie Harvey, who contributed ten runs to the effort.
Despite the Renegades losing Jake Fraser-McGurk early on for just five runs, the match quickly turned their way, with Seifert putting on quite the show, effortlessly guiding his team to victory.
This match was the first played at GMHBA Stadium since it was deemed unplayable last year. The Renegades' performance marks their first win of the BBL|14 season after losing their opening match against the Sydney Sixers.
On December 21, the Hurricanes will return home to face the Perth Scorchers, hoping to put this nightmare outing behind them and seek redemption. The road forward for the Hurricanes seems steep, especially after such a dismal performance.
With the dust now settling on this catastrophic game, fans will be left wondering how the Hurricanes plan to redirect their ship toward success as the season continues.
