A DAY out from the IPL 2026 auction, keeper-opener Tim Seifert smashed a scintillating 102 off just 56 deliveries, powering Melbourne Renegades to a winning start against Brisbane Heat.
Fifties from Colin Munro and Jimmy Peirson, and a late effort from Hugh Weibgen (38* off 20), took Heat close in the chase.
Renegades’ opener Josh Browne offered the early elevation before departing in the third over. Mohammad Rizwan then struggled on his way to a 10-ball four and Jake Fraser-McGurk fell for a seven-ball 14. From 82/3 in the 10th over, the real fireworks began as Seifert joined forces with Oliver Peake. Seifert got to a 30-ball half-century in the 11th over, where he also smashed two sixes to take 21 off Nathan McSweeney. The duo punished Shaheen in the 13th over, hitting 19 runs off it.
No amount of bowling change brought respite for Heat as the pair collected 9, 12 and 15 off the next three overs. To make matters worse, Shaheen capped off his horror BBL debut by being taken off the attack in his third over for bowling two beamers.
He finished with figures of 0-43 in 2.4 overs. Jack Wildermuth dismissed both in the 19th over but their stand worth 121 runs off just 54 deliveries set the Renegades up for a 200-plus total. Seifert’s essay included nine fours and six sixes, while Peake hit six fours and three sixes in his 29-ball 57.
Heat’s chase was hampered by early wickets, even as Munro got going. They were down to 21/2 in the fourth over and then lost Matt Renshaw in the seventh. Max Bryant added 45 off 27 with Munro, but Heat suffered a mini-collapse in the middle. They went from 100/3 to 108/6 in the space of two overs, and were left to chase 105 off 42.
Peirson and Weibgen then kept the Renegades on their toes by launching into Xavier Bartlett and Patrick Dooley. They then smashed 19 runs off Fergus O’Reily and 13 off Hassan Khan to bring the equation to 60 off 18. Jason Beherendorff then gave away 15 runs to set up the possibility of a stunning chase.
Will Sutherland went for 6, 4, 6 but then dismissed Piersen, for a 22-ball 50. It left Heat to get 26 off 6, which proved to be a bridge too far. They ended on 198/8, losing by 14 runs. (Cricbuzz)
