Big Bash Daily: X Factor errors, Ben McDermott's form and a 15-year-old wrist-spinner

Hobart Hurricanes had too much for Melbourne Renegades, who made life hard for themselves with a curious substitution, before Ben McDermott took full advantage

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X-Factor backfires

If nothing else, the introduction of mid-match substitutes has added another dimension to this year’s Big Bash.

Earlier in the week, spinners Danny Briggs and Johan Botha were replaced when Adelaide Strikers faced Hobart Hurricanes, with Matt Short and Mac Wright coming in to little real effect.

They made more of an impact, however, than Mackenzie Harvey. The Australia Under-19 batsman was drafted in somewhat out of the blue by Melbourne Renegades to replace leg-spinner Peter Hatzoglou.

At the time, Michael Klinger’s side were progressing nicely with the bat; Rilee Rossouw and Sam Harper were midway through a 109-run partnership. And so, it came as some surprise when Harvey, a top order batsman, was called upon.

As it transpired, the decision only came to look stranger as the game wore on. Renegades lost five wickets but Harvey never came to the crease. In Hurricanes’ successful chase, which was completed with 14 balls to spare, they were left a bowling option short. Only Noor Ahmad, himself a wrist-spinner, conceded his runs at an economy rate of under seven runs per over.

Perhaps the episode revealed an inherent sense of caution from Klinger’s thinktank: an extra batting option to attack the end of the innings at the expense of a sixth bowler. Either way, if Renegades had their time again, one wonders which way they might have gone.

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Noor Ahmad made his Big Bash debut

Ben McDermott’s happy run of form

By his own Big Bash standards, 2019 was a mediocre campaign for Ben McDermott. When he spoke to The Cricketer ahead of this year’s competition, he sounded like a man back at full confidence, knowing how best to make the most of his talent.

“I played a few games for Australia and got really excited about it,” he explained. “I thought this is a chance to put my name up there and get into those other leagues. I probably just put a bit too much pressure on myself to be honest.

“You are never going to knock down playing for Australia – it is always good, but it is a different sort of pressure. It wasn’t like anything I have ever experienced before. At the start you are thinking: ‘Oh yeah, this is awesome, this is where I want to be,’ but after a few it starts to almost be a burden if you don’t do well.

“You are thinking: ‘I need to score runs, I need to score runs,’ and you lose sight of what you are actually playing for. Then when you go back and play domestic cricket you are still thinking about how to play for Australia. That is not a good head space to be in. You need to be playing for your friendships and with your mates. You need to play to enjoy yourself and whatever else happens is a bonus, I reckon.”

And, that attitude was there for all to see in a one-man show that knocked the stuffing out of Renegades’ bowling. With D’Arcy Short yet to fully ignite this year as he has done in previous Big Bash tournaments – apart from one half century, he has made three runs in three innings, McDermott has taken on the mantle.

He made an unbeaten 89, including five sixes and seven fours. All this, after making a hundred for Australia A against India last week.

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James Faulkner added another wicket to his promising start to the campaign

15 years young...

A milestone occasion for 15-year-old left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad, who became the youngest player in Big Bash history in turning out for Melbourne Renegades, having completed his fortnight-long period of quarantine.

Still awaiting his international debut, Ahmad – one of two Afghan left-arm wrist-spinners involved in this year’s Big Bash, along with Zahir Khan – bowled beautifully. He had Peter Handscomb caught for his first wicket and went about his work at a cost of just 27 runs.

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