Usman Khawaja and Alex Hales hit half-centuries as the Sydney Thunder maintained their unbeaten start to the BBL season.
Shaun Marsh top-scored for his new team but couldn’t prevent the Melbourne Renegades suffering a narrow defeat to the Thunder in the opening match of their Big Bash League title defence.
The champions’ boom recruit, who defected from his hometown Perth Scorchers this year, peeled off 42 from 33 balls to steer the Renegades through their middle overs at Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium.
Marsh and in-form opener Sam Harper (39) helped set the Thunder a target of 170.
But patient half-centuries from openers Usman Khawaja (66) and Alex Hales (68) laid a solid platform for the run chase before Alex Ross got the visitors over the line with the winning boundary in a frenetic final over.
(Photo by Chris Hyde – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
The Thunder reached 4-171 to win by six wickets with just two balls to spare and maintain their unbeaten record, having downed the Brisbane Heat in the season opener 48 hours earlier.
Khawaja slipped at one point while turning for a second run and looked to have hurt the same knee he’d previously had surgery on. But he batted on and allayed injury fears post-match.
“It hurts a little bit now, but it’s just that first five seconds when you think is everything alright,” Khawaja said.
“I knew straight away it was alright, it was just pain. I’ve done my knee before, so I know the feeling.”
The knock was a timely reminder of Khawaja’s white-ball capabilities after he was this week left out of Australia’s ODI squad for the tour of India in January.
Marsh, too, was left out of the ODI squad, with Australia T20 and Renegades captain Aaron Finch later declaring the West Australian the world’s most underrated T20 batsman.
Marsh began his new life in red in typically steady fashion before opening the shoulders in the second over after the Renegades called their strategy time-out.
It eventually took a brilliant diving catch from Thunder all-rounder Daniel Sams on the boundary to dismiss Marsh, who batted at No.3.
“It was nice to spend a bit of time out there,” Marsh said.
“I thought I left a few out there at the end, but it was nice to get my first game with the Renegades.
“We’re obviously disappointed with the loss, but it was good fun out there.”
Diminutive wicketkeeper Harper picked up where he left off with the bat after scoring a blistering century in a warm-up match against Melbourne Stars three days earlier.
He sent left-arm seamer Sams to the fine-leg boundary with a ramp shot off the second ball he faced and put the next one back over the bowler’s head.
Harper (39) managed four fours and a pair of sixes in 19 balls before Sams eventually got his revenge, with a leading edge proving the batsman’s downfall.
Sams had a hand in three key wickets, removing Harper and Dan Christian either side of his excellent catch in the deep to get rid of Marsh.
He finished with 2-26 from three overs, with off-spinner Arjun Nair (2-32, four overs) also claiming multiple wickets by dismissing Finch and Marsh.
© AAP
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