SYDNEY, Australia (CMC) – Chris Gayle thundered again, but failed to limp the Sydney Thunder over the finish line and the Melbourne Renegades claimed a six-run victory in another thrilling finish in the Big Bash Twenty20 League yesterday. The estranged West Indies opener gave another pyrotechnic display, smashing 75 from 54 balls in vain, as the Thunder failed to chase 141 for victory in their contest at Stadium Australia.
No other Thunder batsman reached 20, as Pakistani leg-spinner Shahid Afridi with three wickets for 21 runs from his allotted four overs, as well as Shane Harwood with two for 26 from three overs and Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait with two for 31 from four overs put the skids under their batting.
Gayle shared 59 for the first wicket with fellow opener Tim Cruickshank and put on 42 for the second wicket with Australia batsman Usman Khawaja, but there was little substance from the rest of the Thunder batting.
The result gave the Renegades their first win of the tournament, while the Thunder suffered their first loss and have now dropped to second in the standings on four points – the same as the Perth Scorchers and the Sydney Sixers – with a superior net run rate, behind the untouched Hobart Hurricanes, on six points.
The Thunder have little time to recover. They will be back in action on New Year’s Day, when they face the Hurricanes in a top-of-the-table clash in Hobart.
Australia batsman Brad Hodge led the way with 44 and fellow opener Aaron Finch made 41 in an opening stand of 82 to anchor the Renegades to 140 for eight from their allocation of 20 overs, after they chose to bat.
West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards grabbed one for 30 from four overs and Gayle, bowling his uncomplicated off-spin darts, was wicket-less in two overs costing 14.
Coming out to open for Sydney, Gayle once again looked in sparkling form, much to the delight of the home fans as he got into stride in the second over of the chase with a checked drive over mid-off for the first of his three fours off Tait, whom he also lofted over long-off for the first of his five sixes.
Gayle followed up with two fours and a six off Harwood in the fourth over before he destroyed the confidence and the figures of Cruickshank, bowling his part-time dibbly-dobblers, with two sixes and a four in the bowler’s only over – the sixth of the innings – which cost 17.
He continued to maul the Renegades’ attack until he mistimed a pull and was caught at mid-wicket off Harwood in the penultimate over with 19 needed from the last 10 balls of the match.