Hobart Hurricanes dynamo Ben McDermott produced a knock on Wednesday night that prompted Australian cricket great Andrew Symonds to label it “the best Big Bash innings that’s ever been played”.
Just two days after smashing an unbeaten 110 from 60 balls against the Adelaide Strikers, McDermott destroyed the Melbourne Renegades‘ attack in an innings of 127 from 65, setting up an 85-run win at Docklands Stadium.
The Queenslander is now the only player to have scored back-to-back BBL centuries and the only player with three tons to their name.
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McDermott’s 127 is the third-highest score in BBL history, behind Marcus Stoinis‘ 147 and Matthew Wade‘s 130, both struck during the 2019-20 summer.
And the 27-year-old’s 237 runs in two consecutive innings is a record not remotely rivaled, with Luke Pomersbach second on the list with 194.
McDermott is the most prolific batter in this summer’s tournament, having compiled 353 runs at 88.25 from five innings.
He was run out on the final ball of the Hurricanes’ innings in his knock against the Renegades.
The former limited-overs international is mounting a compelling case for inclusion in Australia’s 2022 T20 World Cup squad, as selectors look ahead to a home tournament in October and November.
“That’s the best Big Bash innings that’s ever been played – I’ll go as far as to say that. That was a superb innings,” Symonds said on the Fox Cricket broadcast.
“The way he absorbed the pressure early, there were wickets falling around him, the way he absorbed that and now he’s got together with (Peter) Handscomb and made a real dash of it. It has been a superb innings. Well played.
https://twitter.com/RicFinlay/status/1476129581698482176
“That’s not an easy surface to bat on and he’s had the worst of it. He had to take the new ball and he got through that. There were wickets falling around him and he’s just been patient and he’s controlled his innings.
“The control of his cricket bat here tonight has been something else.
“He showed power, touch and showed his cricket smarts. And he’s done himself the world of good with the World Cup not that far away.
“That’s the best BBL innings I’ve seen. Benny McDermott has played the innings of his life.”
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McDermott wasn’t a member of the Australia squad that won the 2021 T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
He’s played 17 T20 internationals and two one-day internationals.
He made his first BBL ton in the 2016-17 summer, thumping 114 from 52 against the Renegades.
Right-arm Renegades quick Kane Richardson was the most expensive bowler as McDermott drove his Hurricanes to 5-206 from their 20 overs on Wednesday night.
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