Big Bash Daily: Thunder march on and Alex Hales lights up as Renegades' horror run continues

Four wins in their last 20 Big Bash games for Melbourne Renegades, while Thunder clinch a fifth successive victory to stretch their group stage lead

Thunder strike once again as winning streak continues

Five wins in a row for Sydney Thunder, who are shifting from strength to strength and pulling away as league leaders in the round-robin phase.

Even without New Zealand seamer Adam Milne, who sat out as a precaution after sustaining some soreness to his ankle, Thunder look well-stocked and well-drilled, helped as well by the addition of Sam Billings after the conclusion of his quarantine period.

A good dose of confidence goes a long way in T20 cricket; since losing to Melbourne Stars in their first game of the tournament, Callum Ferguson’s side have been unstoppable.

And having beaten Melbourne Renegades by 129 runs in the return fixture between the sides less than a week ago, they carried that momentum into a brutal run-chase before the rain sealed victory, even after Aaron Finch’s Renegades – led by Shaun Marsh’s 87 – had racked up 166 in just 17 overs.

Renegades’ dire run goes on

By the same token, Renegades are stuck in a rut. Since winning their opening game – a convincing seven-wicket success over Perth Scorchers, they have lost five on the spin, including a record 145-run defeat at the hands of Sydney Sixers, during which they were bowled out for 60.

This, at least, was a far better display: a challenging total set by Marsh’s excellence and a defeat – in part – down to the elements. But the wider context is concerning for Finch, head coach Michael Klinger and their thinktank.

This latest loss means that Renegades have won just four of their last 20 Big Bash encounters. In the last game before that poor run began, they became champions by beating their local rivals in a remarkable final.

^{Shaun Marsh made 87 for Renegades in defeat}

From that side, key players have departed: Dan Christian, Tom Cooper and Cameron White represented an experienced core, but all three have either moved on or retired.

Premier leg-spinner Cameron Boyce has been unavailable, while Harry Gurney – an overseas gun in that title-winning side – is absent after shoulder surgery. Chris Tremain, who dismissed Glenn Maxwell and Peter Handscomb in that final, was in Thunder colours this time around.

Two years on, they look a shadow of that side despite notable additions to fill those voids; Rilee Rossouw, Mohammad Nabi and Imad Wasim are all world-class T20 cricketers, while Peter Hatzoglou has done an admirable job in Boyce’s absence.

But results have not clicked.

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Alex Hales begins new year as he finished the last

Alex Hales has enjoyed a fruitful, if bizarre, start to his Big Bash campaign: two first-ball ducks and three swashbuckling, domineering cameos.

This one fell into the latter category as he stepped into 2021 in the same vein as he ended 2020. Having brutally taken Imad Wasim for 16 runs from his first over, he welcomed debutant Mitchell Perry to the Big Bash with 22 runs from his first five balls as a Renegades bowler.

By the time he fell – in spectacular, albeit controversial circumstances, much of the damage had been done, especially amid the lingering threat of rain that would ultimately curtail proceedings in Thunder’s favour.

If Hales’ half century against Melbourne Stars had been characterised by an exhibition in slog-sweeping to a short legside boundary, his 45 off just 19 balls was a more cultured affair: he cut, pulled and swept powerfully, while also opening himself up to punch mercilessly over the offside.

Whatever differences remain between him and England’s national setup, it is hard on this form to believe that Eoin Morgan’s batting unit wouldn’t be even stronger for the opportunity to have him at their disposal.

^{It feels a long time since Renegades won the title...}

Another umpiring woe, although this time not costly

And now, to his dismissal: a superb catch by young batsman Mackenzie Harvey – according to Finch, the world’s best fielder.

Only, in a competition already this year marred by some desperately poor umpiring, Hales should have survived. He cut a wide full-toss from Perry to the left of Harvey, who dived full length to hang onto a fine grab.

The delivery should have been called a no ball, however. Perry, whose first five balls had been taken for a pair of fours and two sixes, comfortably overstepped.

But the error went unspotted and unpunished – with no technology available to assist the on-field officials, not that it mattered in the end, with Usman Khawaja leading his side to a win confirmed by Duckworth-Lewis-Stern.

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