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'Take a bow': Dan Christian masterclass leaves cricket world in awe

An astonishing display of clutch batting from Dan Christian has sealed a historic Big Bash grand final berth for the Melbourne Renegades.

Christian almost single-handedly dragged the home side into the final after a masterclass display of late hitting against the Sydney Sixers at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.

The visitors looked to be in the box seat to book their spot in Sunday’s decider against the Melbourne Stars, with the Renegades needing 46 runs off the final four overs.

Christian’s heroics saw him earn man-of-the-match honours. Pic: Getty
Christian’s heroics saw him earn man-of-the-match honours. Pic: Getty

However, Christian bludgeoned 31 not out (off 14 balls) at the death to turn the tide back in the hosts’ favour, before Kane Richardson smashed the winning runs with one ball to spare.

Christian’s remarkable display of late-hitting heroics left fans in a frenzy on social media.

Christian survived a scare in the penultimate over when Jack Edwards spilled a tough chance at long on with the Renegades already six wickets down.

The Renegades had looked in deep trouble at 6-133 when skipper Aaron Finch was clean-bowled while attempting to switch-hit Steve O’Keefe (2-22).

Finch laid the platform for the Renegades’ match-winning chase, top-scoring with 44 runs (off 41 balls), with Sam Harper adding a valuable 36 runs (off 17 balls).

O’Keefe also dismissed Test opener Marcus Harris in the first over, while Harper fell to Ben Dwarshuis after an aggressive knock.

Harper was left thoroughly unimpressed after an exuberant Dwarshuis collided with the batsman while celebrating the wicket.

Cameron White, back in the XI after two games on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, joined Finch at the crease and looked in good touch early.

But the veteran chopped onto his stumps off an Abbott delivery on 29, while Mackenzie Harvey and Tom Cooper soon followed.

The Sixers set the Renegades 181 to win after openers Josh Philippe (52 off 31 balls) and Daniel Hughes (52 off 32) helped blast the highest score at Marvel Stadium for the season.

The previous highest score at the Docklands ground was 150.

Teams had posted low scores on the ground’s drop-in pitch all season but the Sixers openers wasted no time finding the boundary.

West Australian young gun Philippe proved the aggressor as Kane Richardson, the BBL’s leading wicket-taker, went for 30 off his first two overs.

Hughes had a close shave in the third over, barely clearing a leaping Marcus Harris who had misjudged his position on the deep square leg boundary.

The left-hander was then gifted another life when Renegades wicketkeeper Harper fumbled a straightforward stumping opportunity with Hughes well out of his crease.

Both openers fell to legspinner Cameron Boyce (2-33) shortly after bringing up their half-centuries, Philippe holing out to Harris at mid-off and Hughes slicing to Tom Cooper at cover.

James Vince (28) and Moises Henriques (28 not out) kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Sixers, who have won their past three Marvel Stadium games.

Harry Gurney provided some solid death bowling to slow the Sixers scoring but the poor fielding continued, with Mackenzie Harvey dropping a sitter at deep midwicket in the penultimate over.

With AAP