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The Renegades made it back-to-back victories to start their Big Bash campaign with a comfortable seven-wicket win over the Heat. Here are my five main takeaways.
1. Renegades ease to another win
The Melbourne Renegades have started BBL07 with back-to-back wins after a convincing seven-wicket victory over the Brisbane Heat at Etihad Stadium last night.
The Renegades restricted a Heat side missing Chris Lynn and Joe Burns to 8/132, before easing over the line in the 19th over thanks to half centuries from Cameron White (51) and Tom Cooper (52n/o).
Earlier in the night, new Renegades’ paceman Jake Wildermuth had ripped the heart out of the Heat’s batting line up, claiming 3/16 from his overs including the key scalps of Pierson, Hewlett and Labuchagne.
The Renegades now top the table with two wins from two rounds, while the Heat are third on percentages after one win and one loss.
2. Renegades look the team to beat
It’s very early days in BBL07 however there has been no more impressive side than the Renegades through the first couple of games.
The Renegades sit alone on top of the competition ladder heading into Christmas, after two comfortable victories where they barely got out of second gear.
Perhaps an even better sign is the ‘Gades have managed win both games against the Hurricanes and Heat without significant contributions from lynchpin and skipper Aaron Finch.
Finch has failed to fire in both games, and will be unavailable for the second half of the tournament with the Australian ODI team, so the Renegades need to prepare somewhat for life without their skipper.
They have a very experienced T20 team when you consider names like Cameron White, Dwayne Bravo, Brad Hogg and import Mohammad Nabi.
3. White fires again
Cameron White is enjoying another Indian summer as the veteran batsman presses his claim for a return to white ball cricket for Australia.
White has been in imperious form in the domestic 50-over competition, and the BBL in the past two summers, and looks even better than when he played the last of his 88 ODI games for Australia.
With Australia struggling to find a reliable No.4 since axing George Bailey, White looks the perfect man to me to come in and give the side a couple of quality years leading into the 2019 World Cup in England.
He is a very intelligent batsman capable of being both subtle and brutal with his stroke play in the same over.
White will be even more important to the Renegades should he not get back in the Australian ODI side, particularly when Aaron Finch links up with Australia.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
4. Heat lacking firepower without two big names
One or two injuries to a batting line-up can make a big difference; just ask the Brisbane Heat who were missing senior players Chris Lynn and Joe Burns last night.
While Lynn has been their dynamo over the past couple of years, Burns has played an, at times, understated and undervalued role in the middle overs, controlling the later overs of the innings.
While Alex Ross played well again for his 44 from 44 balls, the Heat were always going to be too reliant on Brendon McCullum to fire last night and, when he was bowled for 5, they were limited to how many they could set for the Renegades.
The likes of Heazlett, Labuchagne and Ross are not explosive players and, while Cutting is a great hitter, he is not a legitimate top order batsman likes Burns.
The Heat will just be happy to be 1-1, and hope to get both players back on the park, because with Lynn and Burns they will be more than a handful for all sides.
5. Cutting’s career heading down a different path
Ben Cutting is a player at the crossroads a little bit, after having not played first class cricket for Queensland this year.
His bowling has really dropped off over the past couple of years, with a combination of injuries and confidence playing a role.
However, his batting is something he should really be focusing on as he could easily become a gun for hire in various leagues around the world as a No.5 or 6 batsman.
Cutting hits the ball extremely hard and long and, with a little more polish, could become more consistent.
While in 76 T20 games his average of 21 isn’t high, he often comes in with five or six overs to go, so his strike rate of 157 is perhaps more telling.
He has looked really good in both games so far this year, and gives the Heat great depth to their battling line up.
However, I don’t think Brendon McCullum will be relying on him for too many overs given what he has shown in the T20 format lately.
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