It’s been a bit stop-start for the Big Bash with the tournament breaking over Christmas but already we are getting a decent idea of where the trophy could end up.
And although they have played just the one game, we have to say that we are big fans of the Renegades. They won their outing against last year’s champions, Sydney Thunder, with ease and they could soon be a warm order indeed.
Currently, they are second favourites at 5 (at Green Listed Bookmakers Bet365, BetVictor, William Hill). The Stars, their city neighbors, are jollies at 4.5 (Bet365, Skybet, Sportingbet, Coral). But we’ll take them on all day long.
It is that short price on the Stars which makes Renegades a decent wager for outright glory. As we have said before, Stars are a team of individuals. And that’s rarely profitable in T20.
The Renegades used to be the same. They spent all of their dosh on Chris Gayle the last term. It was an expensive and ultimately futile gamble. So they ditched him and have a more squad ethos.
Often before the start of a tournament, we will mull over balance and depth of each franchise. But it is often not until you see the XI that takes the field that you can pick holes or, in some cases, struggle to find any.
The Renegades look to have a terrific XI. Their front five in the batting is destructive with Aaron Finch and Matt Harris as solid an opening pairing as you will see. At Nos 3,4 and 5 they then boast three players capable of adapting their game to the situation. Cameron White, Callum Ferguson and Dwayne Bravo can work it to find the gaps or they can go big.
Bravo is a key man with the ball. And alongside Brad Hogg and Sunil Narine, they have the most miserly attack in the tournament behind the Perth Scorchers. These three could really tie teams in knots.
For proof, look at their career economy rates. Bravo 8.05, Narine 5.7 and Hogg 6.8. If those are repeated there or thereabouts, that’s 12 overs when the opposition are scoring at 6.85 runs an over. That will require a big acceleration in the other eight overs to dwarf that batting line-up.
Even if their opponents went at ten over for that period, Renegades are still looking at conceding a very manageable mid 160.
Renegades are next in action on Thursday against the Scorchers. They are 1.91 (Stan James) playing 2 (Bet365, Boylesports, Betfred, BetVictor, Hills, Coral). The former is a decent price after a sketchy start for the Scorchers.
It might not be too long before prices in this region on the Renegades are a distant memory as they go off around 1.7. What could be key is their ability to retain Finch. There is a chance he could be rested from Australia’s ODI marathon coming up so the Aussies’ loss will definitely be the Renegades’ gain.
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