Matt Renshaw hits outrageous final-ball boundary to seal three-wicket win in BBL thriller at the MCG

Matt Renshaw produced a moment of magic to cap a sublime innings and lift the Brisbane Heat to a crucial three-wicket win against the Melbourne Stars at the MCG on Monday.

With the Heat needing four off the last ball chasing 160 for victory, the Queenslander shuffled across his stumps before playing a perfectly-timed ramp shot down to fine leg off the bowling of Beau Webster.

Stars fielders gave chase but the ball had just enough momentum to crash over the rope and seal a crucial win, which keeps Brisbane’s slim hopes of reaching the Big Bash finals alive.

Matt Renshaw hit the crucial boundary off the last ball of the over as the Brisbane Heat beat Melbourne Stars by three wickets at the MCG on Monday

‘I tried to hit the absolute living daylights out of the first five and that didn’t work, so Matty Kuhnemann, the left-arm orthodox [bowler], came down and told me to ramp it,’ Renshaw, who finished unbeaten on 90 off 56 balls, said.

‘It’s his go-to shot and fortunately it paid off. I knew I got it pretty well and fortunately it just rolled over that rope.’

Speaking on Fox Cricket, Mitch Marsh heaped praise on Renshaw’s presence of mind to play such a difficult shot at such a critical time. 

‘It’s unbelievable. A lot of batters in that situation would’ve tried to clear the ropes and hit it too hard,’ the Australia all-rounder said.  

‘He obviously had that plan before the ball was bowled and executed the shot.’

Adam Gilchrist was similarly impressed with Renshaw’s sang froid.

‘The courage to slow your mind down,’ the former legendary wicket-keeper said.

‘He [Renshaw] had just got caught trying to overhit it in the final over, he could feel the game slipping away. 

The Queenslander played a difficult ramp shot off the bowling of Beau Webster to win the match for the Heat as he finished unbeaten on 90 off 56 balls

Renshaw’s superb innings kept Brisbane’s hopes making the Big Bash finals alive 

‘He’d been in control and in the driver’s seat of this run chase throughout his innings but he’d just lost his shape.

‘But to his credit – and this is the maturity he’s found in his life, in his cricket – to take a few deep breaths and have a game plan. And he executed it to perfection.’

Renshaw was given two lifelines, firstly when he was dropped on 47 by Clint Hinchliffe, who misjudged the flight of the ball in the deep.

The Stars also failed to run out Renshaw on 63 when Adam Zampa couldn’t gather Nathan Coulter-Nile’s off-target throw, with the batter well short of his ground.

Nick Larkin top-scored for the Stars with 58 from 36 deliveries as they finished 7-159

‘You reflect on that stuff and we probably could’ve killed the game there, but those things happen,’ Stars batter Nick Larkin said.

‘Guys are trying their arses off out there and unfortunately sometimes catches don’t stick and run-outs don’t hit the stumps.

‘It was probably great cricket to watch (at the end) but it was heartbreaking to be involved in.’

A 66-run partnership between Renshaw and Jimmy Peirson (22 from 18) was important before the 26-year-old left-hander steered his side home with the tailenders.

Marnus Labuschagne made only six as Brisbane’s top order failed to get going early on

Renshaw’s innings included six fours and four sixes.

Brisbane’s win came despite Test duo Usman Khawaja (14) and Marnus Labuschagne (six) failing to fire with the bat.

It improved the Heat’s record to 4-6-1, while the Stars (3-9) are out of the finals mix in last spot on the ladder.

Earlier, Larkin top-scored for the Stars with 58 from 36 deliveries in a total of 7-159.

Michael Neser (4-25) was outstanding for the Heat during the powerplay and power surge, taking 3-11 from his three overs with fielding restrictions in place.

Michael Neser (second right) took 4-25 in a superb display for Brisbane 

Liam Hatcher (left) was the pick of the Stars bowler, taking two wickets for 29 runs 

But Larkin took 14 runs from the first four balls of Neser’s final over – the last of the innings – before the Test quick finally got his revenge by dismissing the Stars batter.

Webster (36 off 34) and Tom Rogers (26 off 23) also did some damage for the Stars.

Neser claimed the wickets of Webster and Coulter-Nile in consecutive deliveries during the 16th over but missed out on what would have been his second hat-trick of the season.