Brisbane Heat 164/3 (Khawaja 59, Brown 39, Renshaw 27*, Rogers 2-33) Melbourne Renegades 162/5 (Marsh 82*, Critchley 23, Bartlett 3-18, Neser 2-33) by seven wickets
The Renegades’ attack failed to make it to their final match since winning the title four years ago as their season ended at the hands of a brutal Khawaja and Renshaw.
A new-look Heat will take on the Sydney Sixers at the SCG on Thursday and the final will see the Perth Scorchers clash.
The Heat will be without Khawaja, Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne who will be leaving for Australia’s upcoming tour of India.
Khawaja, Renshaw complete BBL stints in style
He continued his strong run of form with two fours in the opening over of Tom Rogers and took five wickets in total in his first 14 deliveries.
His belligerence had an effect on struggling opener Josh Brown, who emerged from a series of sixes and the pair stitched a half-century partnership.
Brown then fell to David Moody, but Khawaja was unaffected and then brought up his half-century in fine style by hitting a six off spinner Corey Rocchioli.
However, an aggressive Renshaw showed no signs of abating the Heat in ‘The Challenger’ against the Sixers, scoring a 13-ball 27.
Shorthand Renegades failed to check
Without spearhead Kane Richardson, who missed out for family reasons, a shorthanded Renegades attack lacked penetration but hung on to a two-pace surface to draw the match.
After collapsing early, the Renegades bowled accurately in the middle overs as the Heat’s required run rate gradually increased.
The match turned around in the 16th over during a power surge when Rogers claimed the key wickets of Khawaja and Labuschagne.
But they couldn’t stop a furious Renshaw as the Renegades’ season on the rebound – after three straight last-place finishes – came to an end.
bartlett step up
The Heat were dealt a blow with legspinner Mitchell Swepson unavailable due to Australia’s preparations for their tour of India.
After a slow start to the season, Swepson became a vital part of the Heat’s attack with his ability to accurately bowl the middle overs alongside fellow spinner Matthew Kuhnmann.
He shared the new ball and removed the out-of-form Martin Guptill before dismissing Sam Harper, who went straight to fine leg.
Bartlett did brilliantly with a clever slower delivery to dismiss the dangerous Matt Critchley.
Much has been expected from the highly-rated Bartlett, who hasn’t quite delivered as far as producing impressively in this high-stakes contest.
He was well supported by fellow pacers Michael Neser and Spencer Johnson, who continued their breakout season with accurate pace bowling.
Shaun Marsh enjoys the final’s big stage
But even in the twilight of his career, Marsh proved there is no substitute for experience when it comes to dominating the see-saw of the Renegades’ innings.
He got off to a bad start hitting the first ball of the innings for a four and then got trapped.
Marsh decided to hit Johnson for consecutive fours in the fourth over, before being dropped for 14 by James Bazley at short fine leg.
It was a costly miss for the Heat as Marsh hit Kuhnmann for two sixes in the sixth over with a targeted attack.
He propelled the Renegades innings with a brilliant drive after top-order batsmen Guptill, Harper and Aaron Finch failed to make a significant impact.
Marsh, who turns 40 in July, puffed out towards the backend but proved he still had something left in him to score an unbeaten 82 off 53 balls.
It was his fifth half-century in eight finals matches, but ultimately it was not enough.
Tristan Lovelett is a journalist based in Perth
