Green, Maddinson Spark Late Surge as Thunder Stun Renegades in DLS Thriller

Rain reduced the 16-over target to 140, and Sydney Thunder appeared to be on the verge of losing the game. At one stage, they were 95 for 6 in the 13th over and appeared set to lose, which would have kept them at the bottom of the table.

What followed was a stunning counterattack. Nic Maddinson and Chris Green launched into the Renegades’ death bowling, punishing loose deliveries with clean hitting. Green remained unbeaten on 34 while Maddinson’s 30 not out shifted momentum decisively. Chris Green then hit Gurinder Sandhu for three sixes in a row, and this changed the game to Thunder, who had four balls left to achieve the target.

Rizwan Retirement Fails to Deliver Desired Impact

The highlight of the innings by the Melbourne Renegades was a risky tactical move that involved Mohammad Rizwan. Rizwan retired out in the 18th over in his 300th T20 match, having scored 26 off 23 balls on a seam-friendly surface.

The Renegades managed only 16 additional runs after his departure. Rizwan’s struggles continued in a difficult debut BBL season, where he averaged 20.14 in seven innings. Notably, he became just the third batter in BBL history to be retired out without injury, following Nic Maddinson’s recent exit against Hobart Hurricanes.

The tempo did not improve in the season, although Rizwan finally hit a six after going 141 balls without one this season. Fluency remained elusive even in a 16th-over surge.

Early Momentum, Mid-Innings Collapse Cost Renegades

After choosing to bowl first on a fresh surface, Thunder’s plans initially unraveled. Melbourne Renegades raced to 39 for 0 in four overs, driven largely by Josh Brown’s 27 off 18 balls. Brown shifted gears with two sixes in the third over and continued to dominate even after Daniel Sams was introduced post-powerplay.

The breakthrough came when Wes Agar, surprisingly unused early, returned to uproot Brown’s middle stump with a perfectly shaped delivery. That dismissal triggered instability. Jake Fraser-McGurk opened his account with a boundary and a towering six.

A flurry of wickets followed, and as a counter to the attack, Rizwan and Hassan Khan stabilized the situation with a 55-run partnership. After Rizwan’s dismissal, the collapse came back, and the captain, Will Sutherland, was himself run out on his first ball; any hopes of a late push quickly faded. Renegades scored 170/8, which was not enough in DLS.

Rain Break Shifts Momentum in Thunder Chase

Thunder’s reply began aggressively through Sam Konstas, who returned to the XI with intent. He struck three boundaries in the opening over off Jason Behrendorff and followed up with a ramp shot against Gurinder Sandhu. His innings ended on 18 when Fraser-McGurk completed a sharp catch in the deep.

Adam Zampa, returning from a neck strain, made an immediate impact by trapping Cameron Bancroft lbw with a quicker ball. After the rain interruption, Renegades briefly seized control as Sam Billings and Daniel Sams were dismissed off consecutive deliveries.

However, Maddinson’s timely aggression reignited the chase, setting the platform for Green’s finishing flourish.

Final Standings Picture

While Sydney Thunder remain at the bottom despite the win, Melbourne Renegades’ situation looks increasingly bleak. Slipping to 3-5 and stuck in seventh place, their finals hopes are now hanging by a thread after another missed opportunity.