Renshaw stars as Heat down Strikers in BBL

The Brisbane Heat, led by Matt Renshaw's 90 not out off 50 balls, have defeated the Adelaide Strikers by six wickets in their Big Bash League game in Adelaide.

Matthew Renshaw of the Brisbane Heat bats.

Matt Renshaw's 90no off 50 balls has led the Brisbane Heat to a BBL win over the Adelaide Strikers. (AAP)

After opening the bowling, Matthew Renshaw smacked sixes and fours everywhere.

Yes, you read it correctly.

Renshaw, renowned as a long-form plodder, shed his conservative cricket skin on Sunday night to inspire the Brisbane Heat to a six-wicket BBL win against the Adelaide Strikers.

Chasing 177 runs to win, Renshaw changed his cricketing reputation with a sizzling unbeaten 90 from just 50 balls as the Heat won with more than an over to spare.

The fringe Test opener cracked four sixes and nine fours, forcing his renowned aggressor Brendan McCullum (51 from 39 balls) to play second fiddle.

Renshaw, batting at No,5, strode to the crease with an average of 12.71 and strike rate of 104.71 from seven previous games this BBL season.

Renshaw departed with the crowd wondering if this was the same man who had been typecast as a dour opening bat in longer formats.

"I'm still trying to get my head around it a little bit," he said.

"There were balls there that I thought I should hit ... this is up there - probably one of my best innings ever really."

Renshaw even collected a wicket - opening the bowling with his offspinners and dismissing Adelaide danger man Jake Weatherald.

But it was his astonishing feats with the bat which surprised: Renshaw clocked a half-century from only 26 balls and kept up the pace to officially end the Strikers' title defence.

Adelaide can't make the BBL playoffs, although the Heat will still likely miss out - they need to win their last match on Friday against the Melbourne Stars and have a plethora of other results fall their way.

The Strikers will rue missed chances to post a seriously large total - their 8-176 came after top-scorer Jon Wells (30 from 27 balls), Colin Ingram (28 from 21) and Alex Carey (24 from 24) failed to cash in.

Adelaide slipped to 5-92 after 13 overs but scored 84 runs from the final seven overs, with cameos from Harry Nielsen (21 from 16), Rashid Khan (19), Cameron Valente (19no) and Michael Neser (18).

Brisbane paceman Josh Lalor, after taking a hat-trick last game, claimed 3-25.


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Source: AAP


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