Hobart Hurricanes opener Ben McDermott wreaked havoc on Melbourne Renegades bowlers to score his second century on the trot in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) 2021-22. McDermott scored the fastest century on the season off 53 deliveries to help his side post a huge total of 206/5 after being asked to bat first by Renegades skipper Nic Maddinson.
Records galore
With a 126-run knock, McDermott became the first batsman in BBL history to hit two centuries on the trot. He also became the only batsman in BBL to hit three centuries. Several batsmen including McDermott had hit two centuries in BBL including Usman Khawaja, Finch, Luke Wright and others. In his innings, he scored nine fours and nine sixes. The 90 runs he scored from just fours and sixes is the second-highest after Marcus Stoinis’ 100. It is also the third-highest individual score by a batter in BBL. His previous century came against Adelaide Strikers on December 27.
Mammoth total after poor start
After losing opener and skipper Matthew Wade for a duck followed by D’Arcy Short, Hurricanes could manage to score only 28 runs in the powerplay overs. Till the sixth over, McDermott was playing with a strike rate below 100. He started hitting boundaries after the fielding restrictions were lifted. He reached his half-century from 37 deliveries. In the 14th over, he completely broke free and hit Kane Richardson for two fours and three sixes. In the 16th over, he completed his century with a six against Richardson. He took just 17 more deliveries to get his score from 50 to 100.
Meanwhile, Peter Handscomb contributed with a 20-run 24 from the other end. In the death overs, he found support from Tim David. In the 19th over, David hit two sixes and one four followed by two more sixes in the last over. McDermott got run out of the last ball of the innings. David played a fantastic unbeaten cameo of 30 off nine deliveries to get Hurricanes’ score past 200. Richardson bowled the second-most expensive spell in BBL as he conceded 63 runs from four overs.
Another Renegades collapse
Chasing a 207-run total, Renegades got off to a poor start losing three wickets within four overs. Opener Sam Harper kept the required run rate in check till the seventh over but too many wickets fell at the other end. Harper departed after scoring 57 runs off 35 deliveries including four fours and three sixes. Harper got run out in the 12th over. In the end, Renegades collapsed again and were bundled out for 121 in 15.5 overs. Thomas Rogers took three wickets for 24 runs. Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane was impressive in the middle overs taking three wickets for 32 runs.
