Match Center

Just three games remain in the league stage of the 2024/25 Big Bash League, and match 38 pits the Melbourne Renegades against the Brisbane Heat at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. The venue has been anything but a 'marvel' for batting this season, presenting tricky conditions that have kept teams on their toes. With this being the final league-stage game for both teams, here's where they stand in the playoff race. The Renegades, anchored at the bottom of the standings, need more than just a victory against the Heat to keep their playoff hopes alive. Alongside a win, they must rely on other results going their way. They need a close result or ideally a no-result in the clash between the Strikers and Scorchers, though the weather forecast makes the latter unlikely. Additionally, the Stars must lose their final game against the Hurricanes for the Renegades to stand any chance. However, before any of that, the Renegades face the formidable task of defeating the Heat, a side they lost to twice last season. Their campaign has been hindered by the inconsistency of their power-packed batting lineup, with Tim Seifert, Jacob Bethell, Josh Brown and Jake Fraser-McGurk struggling to deliver collectively. This has left their bowling unit with too much to do, though Tom Rogers has been a rare bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season. As for the Brisbane Heat, they are in a slightly better position, currently sitting 5th with three wins from nine games. Unlike the Renegades, who require a multitude of results to align in their favour, the Heat’s equation is simpler. A win against the Renegades would keep their playoff hopes alive, but they will also need a helping hand from the Hurricanes, who must defeat the Stars in the final league-stage game. In their last outing, Marnus Labuschagne's BBL career-best 77-run knock almost turned into a match-winning performance, but a last-ball six from Matthew Wade dashed that hope. With Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja unavailable for the rest of the tournament due to their Sri Lanka tour, the Heat will look to others like Nathan McSweeney, Matt Renshaw, and Max Bryant to step up. They will be boosted by the return of their skipper Colin Munro, who missed the last game due to a finger dislocation. A lot will rely on their pace trio of Michael Neser, Xavier Bartlett, and Spencer Johnson, who will relish the prospect of bowling at the Marvel Stadium. With tournament lives on the line for both sides, this promises to be a cracker of a contest. Who are you backing to come out on top?