By Martin Pegan
Sydney Sixers opener Josh Philippe outshone the highly regarded Melbourne Renegades batting line-up to help set up a commanding 34-run BBL victory at the SCG.
The Sixers set the Renegades a target of 150, a total that looked like being much more when Philippe (55 off 40 balls) was on song, but proved to be enough as the visitors spluttered to be all out for 115.
Josh Philippe in action for the Sixers against the Renegades.Credit:Getty Images
Left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis (4-17) set the tone for the Renegades’ innings with a blistering opening over to their prized recruit Martin Guptill.
The New Zealand white-ball star failed to make an impact on his Renegades debut, playing and missing at three balls before nicking a tentative drive to be caught behind for a duck.
Skipper Nic Maddinson (1) followed shortly after to leave the Renegades reeling at 2-8 in the fourth over until veterans Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh cautiously rebuilt their innings with a 55-run stand.
Marsh was typically edgy early but gradually looked more comfortable in his first match of the season after overcoming a calf injury until being clean-bowled by Hayden Kerr for 28 off 25 balls.
It was left to Finch (36 off 35 balls) to blast the Renegades to an unlikely win but the national T20 captain was caught hitting out as the required run rate soared toward 12 an over.
The victory was all but sealed when Sean Abbott took a diving catch in the deep to dismiss Will Sutherland (13) just after the all-rounder had smashed a huge six off Dwarshuis and started to look dangerous.
The Sixers (3-2) have now won three consecutive matches – all at the SCG – to resurrect their season, while the Renegades (3-2) have lost two in a row after their promising start.
Renegades skipper Nic Maddinson won the bat flip and sent the hosts in, but Philippe turned to his home ground expertise on the way to a 15th BBL fifty.
The 25-year-old frequently sought out a short boundary that was a mere 55 metres from the pitch, clearing the fence twice in a Mujeeb Ur Rahman over on the way to his crucial half-century.
The Renegades claimed the momentum after Philippe scooped a slower ball from Sutherland straight to Akeal Hosein, while Kane Richardson also restricted the hosts with 2-22, but their batting line-up was unable to live up to their reputations on the night.
