SYDNEY, Australia, CMC – All-rounder Dwayne Bravo extended his fine batting form, upstaging both West Indies teammates Chris Gayle and Andre Russell, as he fired Melbourne Renegades to a handsome five-wicket win over Sydney Thunder here yesterday.
Chasing a challenging 174 at the Sydney Showground Stadium, Renegades swept to victory in the final over with Bravo hammering a stroke-filled 47 off 24 deliveries.
He struck three fours and three sixes and put on 91 for the third wicket with captain Cameron White who top-scored with 61 from 46 deliveries.
Bravo, who also got a half-century at the weekend, looked en route to another when he moved into the 40s with two sixes off medium pacer Russell in the 18th over.
However, he was deceived with the fourth ball, top-edging a slower delivery for Russell to snare the caught and bowled chance.
Three balls later, Russell accounted for White to finish with two for 42 from his four overs.
Gayle had earlier struck a breezy 28 off 20 deliveries as he put on 46 off 29 balls for the first wicket with Tom Cooper who got 25.
He perished in the fifth over, caught at fine leg off seamer Clint McKay, looking for his sixth boundary of the innings.
Opting to bat first, Thunder mustered 176 for five off their allotted 20 overs, with opener Usman Khawaja (62) and Shane Watson (62) both top-scoring.
Khawaja helped add 61 for the first wicket with Jacques Kallis (13) and a further 57 for the second wicket with Watson.
Russell, batting at number four, belted a four and a six in scoring 16 from nine balls while Bravo picked up two for 26 from four overs of medium pace.
