KFC BBL|12
India-bound Matthew Renshaw admits victory over the Renegades to seal a Challenger berth “didn’t feel like a really awesome win"
Jack Paynter in Melbourne
30 January 2023, 08:56 AM AEST
@jackpayn
Matthew Renshaw was there at the end to seal the Brisbane Heat's spot in their second Challenger final in three seasons, but admitted it felt “strange” knowing he won't be playing on Thursday.
Renshaw and Test teammates Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne won't be available for the clash against the Sydney Sixers at the SCG as they travel to India for Australia's four-match Border-Gavaskar series.
They only decided to play in last night's seven-wicket win over the Melbourne Renegades at Marvel Stadium following the Heat's win over the Sydney Thunder on Friday, such has been their gruelling Test summer and travel schedule.
It was in those two matches that they showed why they are among the best batters in the world, with Khawaja peeling off two half centuries (153 runs striking at 150), while Labuschagne compiled 96 runs including one fifty and Renshaw blazed 51 runs in 21 balls at an incredible strike rate of 242.
Nathan McSweeney, who himself had a breakout KFC BBL campaign as cover for Labuschagne while he was on national duties, Max Bryant, Sam Heazlett and Mark Steketee will be among those in line to replace the star trio for Thursday's match.
Matt Renshaw takes us through his approach to the Surge and how he guided the side home #BBL12 pic.twitter.com/GCblwZruRZ
"It's a really strange feeling, it didn't feel like a really awesome win," Renshaw said post-match.
"It's a weird situation for some guys having not played for half the season to come in and play a final on Thursday night.
"There's a great confidence in the group at the moment, it feels like everyone's contributing, it feels like everyone's doing a job at a certain time when needed, so I'm really happy with the way group's going.
"We want to be one of those teams in the future that, like the Scorchers, like the Sixers, that is there and thereabouts every season, and this is where you really test yourself when you lose your Test and one-day guys."
Renshaw, Khawaja and Labuschagne have injected some much-needed spark into the Heat during their eight-game stint at the back end of the tournament after the club was languishing in last place on January 4 after six matches, and were as low as seventh with just four games to go in the regular season.
"I think that shows how fluid this tournament is – you can go out there and lose so many games in a row and then win five on the trot, make finals and get on a run," Renshaw said.
"Ideally, we wouldn't have had to play the other night as well, we would have played Sunday in Brisbane. But we're into that Thursday game, which is what we set out to do.
"I'm just happy to have contributed the last eight games since I've come back.
"(It was) a bit of a disappointing start to the Big Bash for me personally but I feel like after I came back from the Test series I knew my game really well and the guys at the top were doing such an amazing job it gave me the freedom to come in and do what I did tonight."
The Test trio will fly to Sydney on Monday for the Allan Border Medal and to spend some much-needed time with their families before jetting out to India on Tuesday.
Jimmy Peirson, who will take the reins again with Heat skipper Khawaja absent, told cricket.com.au they had a lot of selection drama ahead for the next few days in the lead up to Thursday's Challenger.
"It's a bit of a shame our guys are leaving us because they've been so helpful in us playing the brand of cricket we've wanted to be playing all tournament," Peirson said.
"(McSweeney) was fantastic when he played, he gives that spin option too at the SCG where it can take a bit of spin.
"Max Bryant has still been here with us and the SCG can be a bit two-paced sometimes, so someone like Mark Steketee could come in and bowl that faster speed and hit the wicket.
"So big shoes to fill but we'll get our guys in, we'll regroup and anything can happen in the final. We're so excited to join the Sixers at the SCG and play that one."
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