Twitter Reactions: Sydney Thunder annihilate Melbourne Renegades by 129 runs

Not too long ago were the Melbourne Renegades thrashed by the Sydney Sixers to suffer the largest defeat in the BBL history. And they managed to script the second-worst against the Sydney Thunder in the 14th encounter of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2020-21. The result for the Renegades, who won the toss and elected to field first, could not have been any worse. The Thunder piled up a mammoth 208 for 9 after getting a spectacular start from openers Usman Khwaja (34 from just 18) and Alex Hales (35 from 21), who both compiled 70 runs for the first wicket in just 6 overs.

Aaron Finch, the Renegades’ skipper, got a slight breather when Thunder lost both Khwaja and Hales in a space of 5 balls, however, little did anyone know about the blitz that was to follow. Mohammad Nabi got the first breakthrough as he got Khwaja caught at deep midwicket, whereas Peter Hatzoglou undid Hales by trapping the batsman LBW. At three, skipper Callum Ferguson did not quite manage to get into the groove as he continued to throw the strike to Oliver Davies during the duo’s 58-run stand for the third wicket.

A string of cameos after a sturdy start

Unmoved by the sluggishness of Ferguson at the other end, Davies unleashed the beast within him as he raced off to 48 from merely 23. En route to his blinder knock, he slammed 5 sixes, as many as four of which were slammed off consecutive deliveries of Mohammad Nabi. His carnage did not stop until Will Sutherland’s yorker broke his stumps. Despite his loss, some sparkling cameos from Daniel Sams (22 from 12) and Nathan McAndrew, who slammed three sixes in his 5-ball 20, powered the Renegades to 209.

Renegades’ powerless performance

While defending a massive target, the bowlers ensured that none of the opponent batsmen could find themselves at ease. The largest partnership the Renegades could manage was 16 for the second wicket, whereas the highest any batsman could reach was skipper Finch (20).

Not that a chase over 10 runs per over was ever going to be easy, Tanveer Sangha – who bagged 4 wickets giving merely 14 from his four overs, and Chris Green – who finished with figures of 2-0-7-2, ensured that Renegades could not even imagine themselves close to chasing it down. Daniel Sams and Nathan McAndrew – after their brilliant cameos with the bat – managed to pick two wickets amongst themselves as Finch and his men tumbled for 80 runs, managing to survive only 12.2 overs.

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