Top 20 in 2020: Biggest BBL moments, 11-9

Big sixes, great catches and thrilling finishes - the first nine seasons of the KFC Big Bash League has had all that and much, much more.

Top 20 Biggest BBL Moments: 20-18 | 17-15 | 14-12

To mark the competition's 10th season this summer, we're counting down 20 of the biggest moments from the competition's history, be they good, bad or just downright bizarre.

We continue today with numbers 11 to 9 in the countdown and will continue to re-live some more classic moments over the next six days.

11) McDermott's miracle under the roof

Melbourne Renegades v Hobart Hurricanes, Melbourne, BBL|06

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By Sam Ferris

Long before the Melbourne Renegades' home ground in Docklands was called Marvel Stadium, a superhero wearing purple swooped in and performed a daring rescue.

No, it wasn't The Phantom (technically a DC original) or Thanos (technically a bad guy) or Grimace (technically not sure what he is), it was Hobart Hurricanes' batsman (not Batman) Ben McDermott, tasked with a mission even the Caped Crusader would consider close to impossible.

McDermott entered the action at 2-19 in the third over of Hobart's chase of 223 having been in the field as the Renegades posted a colossal 4-222, the highest team score ever in the then six-year history of the BBL.

Despite the escalating required run rate, the right-hander took his time to read the situation and assess the conditions, which were extremely in favour of batting.

With just a single from his first six balls, it was time to launch. Left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty was the first (of many) to be dispatched, lofted handsomely down the ground for six.

The following over, McDermott took West Indian finger spinner Sunil Narine for four before tucking into Doherty again for a huge straight six and four more.

Spin was spared momentarily as speedster James Pattinson was deposited over backward square leg for a pair of sixes, the second blow landing in the second tier of the roofed stadium.

McDermott brought up his 50 in the 10th over from just 31 balls and then targeted evergreen wrist-spinner Brad Hogg three overs later, taking the 45-year-old for 17 runs.

At that point the Hurricanes still needed 93 from the final 42 balls, but that intimidating equation did not frighten McDermott, who had raced to 80.

Image Id: 48986F55D3E44DC9A604BA603E7AAE99 Image Caption: McDermott gets a standing ovation from his the entire crowd // Getty

Six balls later, he had his hundred.

Pattinson returned and was hammered by McDermott to the mid-wicket rope, over short fine-leg's head from a lap shot, carved over point for six and for another maximum on the opposite side of the field to reach his maiden BBL century.

McDermott's second 50 came from just 16 balls and he recorded the third fastest hundred in the competition's history.

He hit one more six, his ninth to go with eight fours, and another boundary before he was trapped lbw to Narine having missed an audacious reverse sweep.

McDermott departed with the Canes still needing 53 from 29 balls, but his heroics were not in vain as his teammates completed the job, with Stuart Broad, so often Australia's supervillain, hitting nine runs from the final three balls to secure the win.

10) Morgan's last-ball fairytale

Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Stars, Sydney, BBL|06

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By Martin Smith

Of the 15 matches in BBL history that have been tied or decided on the final ball, it’s hard to find a better finish than the Thunder’s win over the Stars in early 2017.

Englishman Eoin Morgan, in what was and remains his final BBL match for the Thunder, lived out every child’s cricketing dream by hitting the final ball of the game for six, leading to celebrations in the stands – and the commentary box – that are not easily forgotten.

But less than six overs before Morgan's winning hit thudded into the sightscreen, fans of the winless Thunder could have been forgiven for heading for the exits at the Sydney Showground.

Having lost the opening four matches of their title defence, the Thunder's season was all but over when they fell to 4-95 at the end of the 14th over in their pursuit of 167 to win, leaving them with 72 runs to get from just six overs.

And with power hitter Andre Russell unable to bat due to injury and Morgan on a scratchy 22 from 32 balls with just a single boundary to his name, the Stars looked set to continue their winning run.

But Morgan wasn't finished; he targeted the spin of Michael Beer and combined with Pat Cummins – promoted to No.6 in the order – to squeeze 39 runs off the next three overs, reducing the equation to 33 needed from the final three.

The first five balls of the 18th over, bowled by Ben Hilfenhaus, yielded just three runs before a fortuitous edge from the blade of Cummins off the final ball found the rope and left the Thunder with 26 to win from 12 balls.

The penultimate over followed the same pattern; Scott Boland conceded just four runs from the opening five balls before Morgan muscled the final delivery over the rope at long-on, leaving 16 to get from Hilfenhaus's last over for the Thunder to keep their season alive.

Image Id: D999FADE14484E52962061FC61C3FC1C Image Caption: Morgan left the Thunder as a hero // Getty

Hilfenhaus, who had 2-23 from his three overs to that point, started the over just as he’d done the 18th, with both Thunder batsmen unable to make meaningful contact and leaving the hosts needing 14 off four balls and with Cummins on strike.

But the fast bowler delivered, clipping the third delivery over the rope at mid-wicket and then scampering a single to bring the in-form Morgan on strike with seven needed from two balls.

A well-run double set-up the grandstand finish – one ball left, four runs for a tie, and five to win.

Having bowled so expertly in the previous 1.5 overs, Hilfenhaus finally missed his length and Morgan took full toll, powering the ball high down the ground before he dropped his bat, leapt in the air and then into the arms of Cummins.

The noise from the Thunder faithful was matched by that coming from Mark Waugh in the commentary box, the Thunder's 'Governor' roaring in delight as the ball sailed over the rope.

For Morgan, it was the perfect send-off before he headed to India for international duty, and – for now, at least – it remains his final act as a Big Bash player.

9) Warne v Samuels adds fire to the BBL

Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne, BBL|02

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By Andrew Ramsey

The spat between Australia's leg-spin legend Shane Warne and Jamaica's hot-tempered 'Mr Cool' Marlon Samuels that ignited in 2013 and smouldered for years after was sparked by an ill-advised prank.

When Warne's talent-laden Melbourne Stars – every one of whom had represented their country in long or short-form cricket – took on Melbourne Renegades in front of almost 50,000 fans, the cross-town rivalry Big Bash League organisers had hoped to build seemed to have arrived.

However, a below-par batting effort saw the Stars post 9-146, which meant the expected fireworks failed to launch as the Renegades - already assured of a finals berth in BBL|02 - made short work of the chase to reach 1-70 after nine overs.

That was when Warne suddenly aimed a verbal spray at Samuels, citing the West Indian's tug on the shirt of David Hussey when the Stars batter was turning for a second run earlier in the evening as the apparent catalyst.

Hussey later claimed Samuels was "just having a bit of a joke" but Warne – attempting to rouse his listless team and pique the Jamaican's notoriously febrile temper – upped the ante in the following over when he fielded the ball and lobbed it directly into Samuels' right forearm.

Samuels reacted by hurling his bat down the pitch in Warne's vicinity as the pair traded further insults, prompting umpires Simon Fry and Sam Nogajski to once more intervene as the crowd found voice and the bad blood simmered.

Through his on-field microphone, Warne later conceded he was "just trying to get something happening".

The then 43-year-old, who called time on his playing career when the Stars famously lost their semi-final against Perth Scorchers 10 days later, was banned for one match and fined $4000 when charged with a range of offences including the use of obscene language and dissent.

Image Id: B457823C473B4CAEB982F185D7DD352C Image Caption: Samuels gestures after flinging his bat // Getty

Samuels was only reprimanded for his conduct but took no further part in the Renegades' campaign after being struck by a bouncer from Stars pacemen Lasith Malinga later in that incendiary game, which resulted in double fracture of his eye socket.

He and Warne continued a running feud in the years to follow and Samuels was singled out several times for criticism by Warne (in his guise as a television commentator) during the West Indies Test tour of Australia in 2015-16, and then the subsequent T20 World Cup in India.

But Samuels had the final say, and the last laugh, when his unbeaten 85 in the final of that tournament carried the West Indies to victory over England and he accepted his player of the match award by acerbically noting: "This is for Shane Warne".

Return to cricket.com.au tomorrow as we continue our countdown of the most memorable moments in BBL history

Top 20 Biggest BBL Moments (so far)

20) BBL makes bloody big impact

19) Bob Quiney and the seagull

18) Dan Christian hits the roof

17) Zampa uses his head to get a wicket

16) Peter Handscomb arrives

15) Lynn hits five sixes in a row

14) Magician Malinga takes six of the best

13) Gayle equals world record for fastest fifty

12) Warne commentates McCullum’s wicket

11) McDermott's miracle under the roof

10) Morgan's last-ball fairytale

9) Warne v Samuels adds fire to the BBL