Captain Aaron Finch blasted an unbeaten 84 in the Melbourne Renegades’ total of 5-163 in Saturday night’s BBL derby clash with the Melbourne Stars.
Finch’s 55-ball innings included a top-edged pull shot off the bowling of James Faulkner in the 19th over which hit the roof at Etihad Stadium and was called a six as the record crowd of over 41,000 roared their approval.
Finch hit three fours and six sixes. The Australia T20 International star and Tom Cooper (60 off 44 balls) rescued the Renegades’ innings from 3-17 as they shared a 102-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Jackson Bird had earlier ripped through the home side’s top order with three wickets in four balls of the second over of the match.
Bird removed Michael Hill caught behind for eight before trapping Jos Buttler and and Ben Rohrer lbw for ducks.
The 27-year-old quick, who played one Test in the 2013 Ashes series before being sent home from England in August with a sore back, has lifted his tally of victims for the tournament to nine at an average of 11.22 in four matches after claiming 3-24.
Cooper fell in the 17th over at 4-119 and Peter Nevill (three) departed at 5-139.
Finch hit 6-4-6-6-2-1 as he helped himself to 25 runs from the final over of the innings bowled by Clint McKay (0-50 off four overs).
It was Finch’s third half-century in five matches in the BBL this summer in a total of 262 runs at an average of 65.50.
A final crowd figure for Saturday night is yet to be confirmed. The Australia domestic T20 record crowd figure is the 46,581 fans who attended the Stars-Renegades derby at the MCG in January 2013.