McDermott's history making knock pummels Renegades

It was a record-breaking night in Melbourne, as Ben McDermott became the first player in KFC BBL history to score back-to-back hundreds, setting up an 85-run victory for the Hobart Hurricanes.

Guiding his side home with a flawless 110 not out against the Adelaide Strikers just two nights ago, McDermott topped that with a ruthless 127 against the Melbourne Renegades, taking a liking to Kane Richardson (0-63 off four overs) and Zahir Khan (0-37 off three).

Now with scores of 41, 8, 67, 110 not out and 127 in his five BBL|11 matches, McDermott can lay claim to the title of the competition's most in form batter and overtook Josh Philippe as the current BKT Golden Bat holder.

It could be argued that not since the 27-year-old's 114 in BBL|06, against the same opposition, has such clean ball striking been seen at Marvel Stadium, with McDermott clubbing nine boundaries and nine maximums in a perfect display of T20 batting.

Speaking on Fox Cricket during the innings break, just minutes after sacrificing another red ink century when he was run out by wicketkeeper Sam Harper trying to sneak a bye on the last ball of the innings, McDermott was in disbelief at what he'd just achieved, but stayed true to his team-orientated mindset.

"It's pretty special but I'll soak it in after hopefully, a win here," he said.

"I just try and keep backing my plans and keep playing to the aggressive style that I want to play, so lucky enough it came off tonight."

It has been a masterstroke decision by the 'Canes to move McDermott to the top of the order, consequently sending D'Arcy Short to number three, and the new opener said this position switch and some technical tweaks had been the catalyst for his strong form.

"I'm a bit more compact in the longer format, but I sort of loosen my hands up (in T20) and free them up to swing," McDermott said.

"Obviously the mindset changes, if it's in my zone I'm going to try and hit it for six or four.

"I know I'm strong enough to clear the rope if I need to."

After being sent into bat, Matthew Wade and the red-hot McDermott strode out confidently to a true Marvel Stadium wicket, however, Wade's innings was over just three balls into the match, mistiming a pull shot off Reece Topley to be gone for a duck.

Short's stay wasn't much longer, departing for only five, with his top-edge landing safely in the gloves of Harper, handing Topley his second wicket.

That brought Englishman Harry Brook to the crease, whose scores of one, two, zero and six so far in BBL|11 left him under pressure coming into the Hurricanes' innings.

But he could only manage a scratchy 11 off 16 balls, with 'Gades skipper Nic Maddinson's left-arm orthodox undoing him.

The Renegades were in control of the match at 3-52 after nearly nine overs, but that control was quickly snatched by the breathtaking McDermott.

Much like during his knock on Monday night, the 'Canes opener was circumspect early and was happy to manoeuvre the ball in gaps and run hard when not monstering balls over the fence, sitting on 39 off 31 balls at the halfway point.

However, from here on, McDermott's innings could only be described as brutal.

It seemed as if every ball would be sent into the Marvel Stadium stands, with his miss hits teasing Renegades fielders and resulting in six, and the one's he middled putting those in even the top tier in serious danger.

No part of the ground missed out on the action, with sixes to cow-corner, straight down the ground, and a slice over cover-point, which brought up his century, his third ever in the BBL, in the 16th over, making him the first ever batter to record three Big Bash hundreds.

By the 18th, when Peter Handscomb (24 off 20) departed with a handy innings, out there solely to return the strike to McDermott, the 'Canes had reached 169, and would've been happy with another 20 runs off the remaining two overs.

But the carnage didn't stop, and surprisingly, McDermott played very little part in it.

Tim David came to the crease and wasted absolutely no time, crunching his third ball for six over cover, and hitting three more and a four from the innings' remaining deliveries to finish a remarkable 30 off nine balls.

Set 207 for victory, the Melbourne side started strongly with 19 coming off the opening over from Riley Meredith.

But the soft dismissal of Aaron Finch, chipping Tom Rogers' first ball straight to cover (his second wicket off his opening delivery in as many games), put the Renegades on the back foot.

Maddinson came in at first drop and was given a life on just one, with Jordan Thompson spilling a simple chance running back with the flight, however, it mattered little, as Short hung on to the second chance the 'Gades skipper offered off Rogers' bowling.

As if this match, and indeed this night of BBL needed any more highlights, Meredith provided them with an absurd catch to remove the in-form Mackenzie Harvey for a golden duck, handing Rogers (3-24 off three) a third wicket in the process.

Harvey was rushed by a rising ball, edging it to second slip, where Handscomb was standing for the new batter.

The ball flew so quickly off the shoulder off the bat that it burst through slip fielder's hands and it appeared Harvey had been afforded a second chance.

But he had no such luck, as out of nowhere, Meredith came diving over from short third-man, scooping his hands under the ball just centimetres from the ground, completing an extraordinary catch that topped off the Hurricanes' night.

Harper, who opened with Finch, was watching his teammates drop like flies from the non-strikers end and yet among it all, was striking some lusty blows of his own.

He briefly found an ally in Jake Fraser-McGurk (21 of 13), as the two kept the match alive, taking the score to 68 after seven overs.

However, when Sandeep Lamichhane removed Fraser-McGurk and Mohammad Nabi the next over, both holing out to Short in the deep, all hope seemed lost at 5-73.

Consecutive run outs, firstly that of Harper (57 off 35), courtesy of a smart team relay finished by the wicketkeeper Wade, and then James Pattinson for a duck ended any ambitions of a Renegades come back, as they slumped to 7-102, and eventually all out for 121.

Batting collapses are becoming an all too familiar sight for the Renegades and after a fifth straight loss, they look destined for a hat-trick of bottom placed finishes.

Meanwhile, McDermott's stunning form has helped the title-less Hurricanes improve to 4-3 and having already played ladder leaders the Sydney Sixers and the second-placed Perth Scorchers twice, look set entrench themselves in the top three in their remaining matches.