Hurricanes hold their nerve to book finals spot

Hobart Hurricanes have clinched their spot in KFC BBL|11 finals with a win against the bottom placed Melbourne Renegades in a final over thriller at Marvel Stadium.

The Hurricanes’ 5-182 proved just too much for the Renegades as they fell six runs short and in doing so crushed the Melbourne Stars hopes of a finals berth.

The Renegades looked in the box seat to chase down the imposing total but when Aaron Finch fell for a superb 75 (52) with eight balls to go, the remaining 17 runs proved too much for their middle order.

Needing six off the last ball to take it to a Super Over, allrounder Will Sutherland skied a full toss and was caught by Matthew Wade.

The win takes the Hurricanes to 27 points, five points clear of the Stars in sixth, who they play tomorrow in the final game of the regular season at the MCG.

Young Renegades quick Zak Evans (1-39) got the Renegades night off to a cracking start with a contender for catch of the summer; a superb outfield effort to remove the tournament's current top scorer in Ben McDermott for three after the Hurricanes elected to bat first.

The 21-year-old then stalled the Hurricanes’ momentum when he removed the dangerous Wade for 48 (39) just as he had taken the Power Surge in the 14th over.

But he'd likely prefer to forget the third over of his spell, which D'Arcy Short and Tim David took for 21 as they blasted 62 runs from the final four overs of the 'Canes innings.

Short (37 off 22 balls) and David (46no off 20) hit multiple balls into the second tier as they lifted the Hurricanes to an imposing 5-182 from their 20 overs.

Earlier, Wade crunched four boundaries and a six as he and Caleb Jewell (35) got the innings going with a stand of 67 for the second wicket after the early loss of McDermott.

It was a tough night for the Renegades bowlers, who were missing the experience of Kane Richardson after he returned home for family reasons. Part-timer James Seymour (0-18 from three overs) and Jono Merlo (0-4 from one) were the only bowlers to concede less than eight runs an over.

Seymour got the Renegades chase off to the perfect start with three boundaries from the first over by Riley Meredith.

The 29-year-old left-hander, who has been on the fringe of the Victorian set up for the past few seasons, took full advantage of his recall to the side to open the batting alongside the Aussie T20 skipper.

Seymour also crunched Josh Kann for a huge six over long on in the second over before he chipped Tom Rogers (3-35) to midwicket and had to depart for 24 from 13 balls.

Finch, who was captaining the Renegades in the absence of Nic Maddinson (hamstring injury), took a few balls to get into gear, but a distinctive lofted cover drive for six off Jordan Thompson signalled a return to form.

Shaun Marsh looked in control from the outset with a glorious off drive to the boundary from his third ball before he hit Josh Kann for three fours in the 10th over to help the Renegades claim the Bash Boost point.

The onslaught continued as the Renegades most senior batters took 75 from six overs either side of the halfway mark to assert their control on the contest.

But when Marsh was out for 51 (38) in the 15th over it shifted the momentum of the contest.

Unmukt Chand, who with his debut became the first Indian men's player to play in the BBL, could only manage six, as Jono Merlo also came and went.

Riley Meredith then held his nerve defending 14 in the final over of the game as the Hurricanes booked their BBL|11 finals spot with a game to spare.