‘Mate, just ramp’: ‘Cooked’ Renshaw pays tribute to true ‘mastermind’ behind final-ball heroics
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He was the architect of one of the most brilliant and thrilling run chases of the BBL so far this summer.
But Matt Renshaw says non-striker Matthew Kuhnemann was the true “mastermind” behind the Heat star’s final over heroics – even though the No. 9 batter didn’t face any of the game’s last seven balls.
Renshaw on Monday night pulled off his best T20 knock and one of the great match-winning efforts with the bat ever seen in the BBL, smashing an unbeaten 90 off just 56 balls to expertly guide the Heat to a thrilling three-wicket win over the Melbourne Stars – a victory that was only sealed on the last ball of the match.
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The left-handed batter had barely made an error during his knock prior to the final over, with Brisbane needing nine runs off the last six balls. That quickly became eight off six when Stars paceman Beau Webster delivered a wide with his first ball.
But Webster hit back, conceding no runs from his next three balls as Renshaw struggled with his timing. Kuhnemann and Renshaw might’ve been able to sneak a single off a few of the deliveries, but both seemed happy for Renshaw to remain at the striker’s end.
Kuhnemann then ran hard to get Renshaw back for two runs from each of the next two balls. The latter delivery Renshaw only just survived, with his miscued shot down the ground landing in the middle of three Stars fielders.
Stars vs. Heat: Match Highlights | 04:03
It left Renshaw needing four runs off the final ball for the Heat to win. And after struggling to score in front of the wicket, Renshaw opted to ‘ramp’ the delivery past the wicketkeeper – a bold gamble that paid off as the ball beat several Stars fielders over the rope for four.
It sparked wild scenes among the Heat players on the bench, while a fired-up Renshaw could barely contain his excitement as he hugged Kuhnemann in the middle of the MCG.
“I’m pretty cooked. I did a lot of running in the field which cooked me even more. It’s a pretty special win,” Renshaw told Fox Cricket post-match.
“It’s probably my best T20 knock. I felt awful in my first four balls … I think I hit a six off Beau Webster really got my innings going.
“I got 90 not out in a game against Adelaide, but I think the moment and the situation of this is the better one.”
Renshaw admitted he was “trying to go a bit too hard” against Webster’s slower balls early in the final over, before Kuhnemann’s cool head paid dividends.
“Matty Kuhnemann at the other end was the mastermind behind the whole over. He just kept coming down every ball and could see I was pretty cooked, knew I needed to try and keep a stable base,” Renshaw said.
“Before that last ball, he said ‘mate, ramp’. I was like ‘I normally don’t ramp’ and he was like: ‘Mate, just ramp. They’ve been bowling it all night and people have been able to ramp.’
“As soon as I hit it, I just went ‘run, run run’ and hoping it went on.
“I tried to play a few sweeps early in the over, but I didn’t really get the timing of it. I played a scoop in the last game, which probably gave me a little bit of confidence to do it tonight. I feel like that was probably the best option and thankfully he (Kuhnemann) was out there to talk me through it.”
Renshaw earlier this month was re-called to Australia’s Test team to play South Africa at the SCG, while he was also named in the extended Aussie squad for the upcoming four-Test series against India.
It comes after Renshaw six years ago lost his place in the national Test team then, consequently, struggled to regain confidence at domestic level. Now he’s arguably a more mature and well-rounded cricketer.
Matthew Renshaw of the Heat was pumped after hitting the winning runs. Picture: Matt KingSource: Getty Images
“It’s part of the way cricket’s going at the moment with a lot of white ball cricket, which is something that I love,” he said. “I love batting and the intricacies of it and white-ball cricket just adds that little bit of difference. I’m always trying to work hard on it. Fortunately tonight was my night.
“I think the big learning curve for me was the one-day domestic game against WA where it was a similar situation and we needed eight off the last over and we lost it. I got run out being nine down. I had a few demons in the back of my head thinking about that game – I probably should’ve scooped in that game as well – but it was nice to get the monkey off the back.”
On top of his batting feat, Renshaw also showed off his skills with the ball on Monday night, with the plan he revealed to Fox Cricket while mic’d up to get Stars opener Tom Rogers worked.
Mic’d up Renshaw takes wicket first ball | 01:00