Melbourne Renegades cruise to victory over Covid-depleted Brisbane Heat

Fielding eight debutants, Brisbane Heat battled to 128 for 6 but had no answer for Shaun Marsh, who scored player of the match-winning half-century in his second appearance of the season

Geelong: Brisbane Heat 128-6, Melbourne Renegades 129-5 – Melbourne Renegades won by five wickets

Melbourne Renegades recorded back-to-back victories for the first time since January 2020 after defeating a Covid-depleted Brisbane Heat by five wickets in Geelong.

Following a mass Covid outbreak within their squad, the Heat were forced to field eight debutants, with Sam Heazlett, Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman and stand-in skipper Tom Cooper the only familiar faces in the XI.

And despite a half-century from Jake Lehmann which helped the Heat to a respectable 128 for 6, they had no answer for the power of Shaun Marsh, who struck 57 runs off 35 balls to help his side to victory with five overs to spare.

Sent in to bat by the Renegades, opener Lehmann proved an unlikely star with the bat for the Heat.

Making his first Big Bash appearance since February 2019 and without a T20 half-century to his name, the 29-year-old scored 65 runs off 52 balls to help his side beyond the 120-mark before being removed by Kane Richardson with seven deliveries remaining.

^{Jake Lehmann scored a half-century for Brisbane Heat [Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images]}

Unfortunately, he found little support from his teammates, with Pakistan international Fakhar Zaman (3) and Heat regulars Heazlett (12) and Cooper (4) falling cheaply. Debutant and opening partner Jack Clayton was Heat’s second-highest scorer with 15 runs.

Mohammad Nabi was the pick of the Renegades bowlers, posting 2 for 19 with the ball and taking the catch to dismiss Lehmann after coming on as an X-factor replacement for James Pattinson. Richardson and Zahir Khan were the other wicket-takers, taking 2 for 22 and 2 for 21, respectively.

In reply, David Grant had a dream first over with the ball, bowling Sam Harper for a duck with the third delivery of his Big Bash career.

However, Harper’s departure brought the experienced Marsh to the crease and in partnership with Aaron Finch, he added 96 runs in a little under 10 overs before being removed by Mujeeb for 57.

Finch followed 10 balls later, caught by Ronan MacDonald off Grant for 37, but despite the wickets of Will Sutherland and Mackenzie Harvey also falling, a Renegades victory was never in doubt. And after hitting his first delivery of the day for six, Nic Maddinson sealed the deal with a single.

Picking up their second win in a row, Melbourne Renegades are now just two points behind fourth-placed Hobart Hurricanes. Brisbane Heat are fifth, with one win in their past four matches.

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