Fraser-McGurk blasts Renegades to huge chase against Heat

Jake Fraser-McGurk has finally found his hard-hitting best, blasting the Melbourne Renegades to a thrilling three-wicket BBL win over Brisbane that ends the Heat's title defence.

Out-of-form this summer for South Australia and the Renegades, Fraser-McGurk smashed 95 from 46 balls to help the Renegades pull off the second-highest successful BBL chase at Marvel Stadium.

The dynamic 22-year-old attempted to reach his maiden BBL century with a six down the ground, but Matt Renshaw took an impressive catch near the rope with the Renegades still requiring 17 to win.

But Fergus O'Neill (16no) finished the job as the Renegades chased down the Heat's 4-196 with 12 balls to spare.

Fraser-McGurk, who missed out on selection for Australia's Champions Trophy squad last week, entered the match having made just 93 runs from his first nine BBL games this season.

But he destroyed a star-studded Heat bowling attack containing internationals Spencer Johnson, Xavier Bartlett, Mitchell Swepson and Michael Neser.

It was the dynamic 22-year-old's best BBL score and his third fifty in 45 matches in the competition.

After winning last year's title, Brisbane needed to defeat the Renegades to be any chance of qualifying for the finals.

The Heat racked up 4-196 after being sent in to bat as opener Jack Wood (45), keeper Tom Alsop (42 no) and Renshaw (40) unleashed on the hapless Renegades attack.

During a bizarre innings, Renegades captain Will Sutherland and fellow pacer O'Neill were both banned from bowling for the rest of the match following intervention from umpire Donovan Koch.

Sutherland was taken out of the attack with a ball to go in his third over after Donovan spoke to him, while O'Neill still had nine deliveries he could have bowled for the innings.

It is rare for one player to be removed from bowling mid-over, but two in the same match is virtually unheard of.

Renegades opener Josh Brown, who has never bowled before in his 37 previous T20 appearances, was forced to fill the void left by Sutherland and O'Neill.

Brown's 2.4 overs went for a whopping 0-48, as the Heat piled on 4-196 – the highest total at Marvel Stadium this season – from their 20 overs.

Sutherland had a nightmare start to the match, twice being hit for three-consecutive sixes – first by Wood in the third over, then by Renshaw in the 12th.

KFC BBL|14 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Hobart Hurricanes Men HUR	9	7	1	0	1	0.135	0	15
2 Sydney Sixers Men SIX	10	6	2	0	2	0.156	0	14
3 Sydney Thunder Men THU	10	5	3	0	2	0.34	0	12
4 Perth Scorchers Men SCO	10	4	6	0	0	0.219	0	8
5 Melbourne Renegades Men REN	10	4	6	0	0	0.139	0	8
6 Melbourne Stars Men STA	9	4	5	0	0	-0.073	0	8
7 Brisbane Heat Men HEA	10	3	6	0	1	-0.831	0	7
8 Adelaide Strikers Men STR	10	3	7	0	0	-0.122	0	6

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points