Hosein and Russell star for Renegades

Akeal Hosein and Andre Russell played key roles for the Melbourne Renegades in their opening match of the Big Bash League season with a 22-run win over Brisbane Heat at Cairns on Thursday.

Hosein took three wickets for 15 runs in helping restrict Brisbane Heat to 144 for six in search of Melbourne Renegades’ 166 for seven from their respective 20 overs. Russell, meanwhile, smashed 35 that set up Renegades’ match-winning score.

After Brisbane Heat’s captain Jimmy Pearson won the toss and chose to field, Renegades’ openers Nic Maddinson and Sam Harper got off to a flyer scoring 65 runs at better than 10 runs an over before Harper was dismissed for 21 in the seventh over by James Bazley, who took two for 19 in the match.

From 65 for one, Melbourne slipped to 78 for four by the 10th over before Maddinson and Russell carved out a fifth-wicket partnership of 78 before the former was dismissed by Matthew Kuhnemann in the 18th over for 87.

Hosein barely troubled the score and was out for one to Bazley’s final ball of the 19th over that yielded only three runs as Melbourne struggled to close out on a high. Russell lost his wicket off the first ball of the 20th leaving Melbourne to limp towards their total of 166.

Kuhnemann was the best of the Brisbane bowlers with three for 32.

Hosein struck almost immediately in the Brisbane chase removing openers Josh Brown for seven and Max Brian for a duck as the Heat struggled early on 11for two in the third over.

Russell dismissed the dangerous Sam Billings for six in the seventh over to have the Heat in further trouble at 34 for three.

However, Colin Munro and Jimmy Pearson set about a recovery putting together a fourth-wicket partnership of 54 that was broken when Munro was run out for 35.

Hosein delivered another crucial blow when he bowled Pearson for 43 in the 15th over with the Heat still needing from 33 balls for victory.

Ross Whitely and Bazley added 41 for the sixth wicket but were unable to score at the required rate.

Bazley was out off the final ball of the match for 19, leaving Whitely unbeaten on 28 from 18 balls. Russell returned figures of one for 26.

The win means Melbourne Renegades is among the early leaders along with Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunder, each team having two points from their opening matches of the season. (Sportsmax)