Renegades beat COVID-hit Heat in BBL

Roger Vaughan | January 6, 2022

Replacement players Jake Lehmann and David Grant have impressed in a COVID-ravaged Brisbane lineup that predictably fell to the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.

Lehmann hit his highest BBL score of 65 and Grant took three wickets as the Renegades won by five wickets on Thursday night with five overs left.

Shaun Marsh made short work of the depleted Heat attack in Geelong, belting 57 from 35 balls to pace the Renegades’ 5-129 after Brisbane made 6-128 from 20 overs.

It was Melbourne’s second successive win and took them to fifth on the ladder from the Heat.

They also beat a COVID-hit Stars lineup earlier this week.

Lehmann, the son of former national coach Darren, hit eight fours in his 52-ball knock before he was the last wicket to fall.

The Adelaide Strikers batter last played in the BBL nearly three years ago.

He was among eight new players in the Heat side for Thursday night’s game.

Grant, who is also in the Strikers squad, took 3-20 from four overs.

The Heat are the latest club to be hit by COVID-19, with 12 players and coach Wade Seccombe sidelined by positive tests.

Sam Heazlett and Mujeeb Ur Rahman remained from their most recent match on January 1, while new captain Tom Cooper was in the squad for the win over Hobart.

Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman only made three in his BBL debut.

Queensland squad members Lachy Pfeffer, Jack Clayton and Will Prestwidge made their BBL debuts and Steven McGiffin and Ronan McDonald were recruited from Queensland Premier Cricket. 

Brisbane’s Wednesday night game against the Sydney Sixers on the Gold Coast was rescheduled because Brisbane could not field a team in time. 

No other Brisbane player managed more than 15 as Kane Richardson, Zahir Khan and Mohammad Nabi took two wickets piece.

Nabi closed out the innings superbly, conceding only two runs in the final over.

Marsh and Renegades captain Aaron Finch (37) put on 96 for the second wicket.