Brisbane Heat get off the mark with Melbourne Renegades victory

James Bazley takes 3 for 28 and hits an unbeaten 16 in a routine chase as Darren Lehmann's side record their first win of the 2021-22 campaign

Carrara: Melbourne Renegades 140-6, Brisbane Heat 141-5 - Brisbane Heat won by five wickets

Brisbane Heat recorded their first win of the new Big Bash League season after overcoming Melbourne Renegades by five wickets.

James Bazley was key with figures of 3 for 28 and then an unbeaten 16 in the routine chase.

Renegades, who are now winless since their opening game, put on 140 for 6 from their 20 overs after failing to put the hammer down in the death overs.

They were 117 for 3 with 21 balls remaining but lost three for 23 - a passage of play that included just one boundary and six dots.

Bazley, Mujeeb ur Rahman (0 for 19) and Liam Guthrie (1 for 10) kept things tight to put the Heat in charge.

Mackenzie Harvey backed up his performance from the opening game with a second half-century worth 71, but no other player managed to go past 20.

Chris Lynn lashed 32 from 15 balls to kick-start the chase but he, Max Bryant (18) and Ben Duckett (11) all fell in the space of three overs.

Three key wickets and handy late runs - James Bazley is tonight's player of the match #BBL11 pic.twitter.com/xP0tbPaKdl

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 13, 2021

Tom Abell (9) went cheaply too but Sam Heazlett held firm with a four and three sixes on his way to an unbeaten 44 from 29 balls.

Bazley joined him towards the put the cherry on top of his performance, hitting two boundaries to secure a much-needed victory for Heat.

All eight teams in the men's Big Bash League have now won at least one game, 11 matches into the 2021-22 tournament.

"It is a nice feeling obviously to get our first win, get out campaign underway," said player of the match Bazley. "I thought we started really well with the ball, obviously nice conditions. It is nice to polish off our win with the bat.

"Quite early (I knew slower balls were working), from the last couple of years we know that works.

"Getting a bit older I'm understanding my game more, sticking to my process, working hard and being resilient."