Renshaw last-ball hero in Brisbane BBL win

Matt Renshaw (90no) has steered the Brisbane Heat to a last-ball BBL win over the Melbourne Stars. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Matt Renshaw’s brilliant boundary off the final ball has secured the Brisbane Heat a crucial three-wicket win over the Melbourne Stars to help keep their BBL finals dream alive.

Chasing 160 for victory, the visitors surged and stuttered several times before reaching their target in a dramatic finish at the MCG on Monday night.

Renshaw was the matchwinner, top-scoring with an unbeaten 90 from 56 deliveries in a total of 7-160.

The Heat needed nine runs off the last over and were aided by the Stars being limited to four men outside the circle because of a slow over rate.

Beau Webster further helped their cause when he began the 20th over with a wide.

But the Heat still needed four off the last ball and Renshaw delivered, scooping Webster’s final delivery over the in-field to the rope at fine leg ahead of desperate fielders.

“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 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.”

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.

“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.

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.

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.

Australian Associated Press