Brutal Sams, Hales hand 'Gades third largest BBL loss

Spectacular hitting from Daniel Sams and Alex Hales has powered the Sydney Thunder to a 129-run thrashing of the Melbourne Renegades and second spot on the KFC BBL|11 ladder.

Sams fell agonisingly short of his first century in his professional career as he and English import Hales put the Renegades to the sword at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.

Needing a six off the last ball for his first hundred across all formats, Sams could only manage a four but his 98 not out off 44 balls was still his career best score.

Hales came to life with a season-high 63 off 28 as the pair set up a formidable score of 7-209.

In reply, the Renegades chase never got going got as they crashed to 6-46 after 6.5 overs and were dismissed for 80 off just 14.2 overs, with the 129-run margin the equal third largest victory in BBL history.

Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Hasnain (3-23) took the last two wickets with successive deliveries, bowling Renegades' top-scorer James Seymour (25) and Zahir Khan (0) to take his tally of wickets to six in just two games

The Thunder's fifth straight win takes them up to second, above cross-town rivals Sydney Sixers and to within two points of the ladder-leading Perth Scorchers, who they have beaten twice.

Promoted to No.4 after the Thunder's other English international Sam Billings was called up to the England Test squad, Sams thrashed eight sixes and seven fours in an innings of frightening brutality and clean hitting, especially square of the wicket.

He easily exceeded his previous highest T20 score of 65 and was responsible for all but one of the 28 power surge runs.

The Thunder belted 14 sixes after being sent in, with Hales also clearing the boundary five times.

He rediscovered his touch and timing, after not passing 35 in his seven previous BBL innings.

When the Renegades batted, Sam Harper, Nic Maddinson and Mackenzie Harvey all fell to catches and Shaun Marsh was run out.

The home team, who were chasing a third straight win, had one stroke of luck as Aaron Finch got a life on his third ball, with Nathan McAndrew spilling two attempts at a slip catch.

McAndrew's pain increased in the next over when Finch (17 off 12) hit him for six over long on.

But any hopes the home side had of mounting a comeback were dashed after Marsh and Finch fell.

Finch was bowled, bamboozled by leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha (2-12) who struck with his fourth ball in his first match back after a bout of COVID-19.

The Thunder's win was even more impressive considering captain Chris Green was unavailable and isolating from the squad after being deemed a close contact of a person who tested positive to COVID, and speedster Saqib Mahmood was also recalled by England.

Green was a late out and is set to spend the next seven days in isolation, meaning he will miss the Thunder's next match against the Hobart Hurricanes on Monday but could potentially return for the Sydney derby next Saturday night.