Teenager Mackenzie Harvey has marked himself as a player to watch despite the Melbourne Renegades being shock losers to the Sydney Sixers in their Big Bash League clash at Marvel Stadium .
The Renegades looked on track early to easily surpass the Sixers' total of 132 but debutant Harvey ended up as the only batsman to post a respectable score in their 33-run loss.
It was their first defeat in four games and meant they missed the opportunity to draw level with the unbeaten Hobart Hurricanes.
Harvey is the nephew of former Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey, who played 73 one-day games.
The 18-year-old scored 30 from 25 deliveries, including a six and four fours before he was bowled by another debutant, 21-year-old off-spinner Ben Manenti.
He also has sporting pedigree with his father John Manenti, the coach of the Australian women's sevens rugby team, who won Olympic gold in Rio.
With Renegades skipper and regular opener Aaron Finch on Test duty, Harvey made the most of his call-up.
Stand-in captain Tom Cooper was impressed by his poise at the crease and also his fielding, describing him as a "jet".
"It was a really exciting start," Cooper said.
"He's obviously had big raps on him through the Victorian set-up and to come out and do that in his first game is very exciting for both us and Australian cricket in general."
With only three other batsmen making it into double figures, Cooper said they needed to do more to support Harvey.
"We'll go back to the drawing board after a disappointing game," he said.
"We've got a strong and experienced middle order so to perform like that is really disappointing."
Cooper said the Marvel Stadium wicket was very different to last season and proved a little tricky - but wasn't to blame for their collapse, losing three wickets for two runs in the space of nine balls.
"It's not easy but it's the same for both teams," he said.
"We showed in the first game that the scores are chasable but we got outplayed."
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