Aaron Finch becomes first batter to accomplish massive BBL milestone
What's the story
Aaron Finch scripted history on Tuesday (January 24) as he became the first batter to complete 1,000 Big Bash League (BBL) runs in successful run chases. The Melbourne Renegades skipper accomplished the milestones versus Adelaide Strikers. He smoked an unbeaten 54-ball 63 in the contest, a knock laced with six boundaries and two maximums. His brilliance guided Renegades to a six-wicket win. Here's more.
Performance
A captain's knock from Finch
Chasing 143 at the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, the Renegades suffered a top-order collapse and were tottering at 16/3. Captain Finch, who arrived at number four, steadied the ship with a well-paced knock. He anchored the innings and was involved in half-century stands with Matthew Critchley (35) and Jonathan Wells (20*). As a result, the Renegades crossed the line with 10 balls to spare.
Feat
1,000 runs in successful run-chases
As mentioned, Finch became the first player to complete 1,000 BBL runs in successful chases. In this regard, the 36-year-old now owns 1,056 runs in 25 games at 58.66. The tally includes eight fifties and a century. 127.69 reads his strike rate. Moises Henriques (933), Daniel Hughes (927), and Josh Philippe (912) are the only other batters with over 900 runs on this list.
Stats
Sensational run in the ongoing season
Meanwhile, Finch, who has been an opener for the majority of his career, has mostly batted at number four this season. The swashbuckler has still made a massive impact. With 418 runs in 14 games at 41.8, he is currently the third-highest run-getter in the competition (SR: 122.58). The tally includes four half-centuries, with his highest score being an unbeaten 76.
Stats
Second-highest run-getter in BBL history
Finch is currently the second-highest run-getter in BBL history with 3,235 runs in 101 games at 35.54. His strike rate in the competition reads 132.41. The tally includes 26 fifties and two tons (Highest: 111*). Only Chris Lynn (3421) is ahead of him in terms of BBL runs. Overall in T20 cricket, Finch owns 11,382 runs in 381 games at 33.87 (SR: 138.61).
Summary
How did the game pan out?
Alex Carey's 47-ball 65 helped Adelaide Strikers post 142/7 while batting first. Spinner Fawad Ahmed took three wickets for the Renegades. In reply, the Melbourne-based side suffered early inroads but eventually crossed the line. Finch's men finish the league stage with seven wins in 14 games and have officially advanced to the next stage. They will either feature in the Eliminator or the Knockout.