Tremain plays down the hype
CHRIS Tremain insists the Melbourne Renegades will not become caught up in the hype of premiership contention as they chase their first Big Bash League finals appearance in five years.
The ’Gades ($6) have been installed as second favourites with SportsBet to win BBL 07, with three-time champions Perth Scorchers ($4.33) tipped to secure back-to-back crowns.
But Tremain has hosed down talk of a breakthrough title, despite former Victorian keeper and media personality Darren Berry leading a chorus of experts who believe they can win.
“Every year you hear that this team is going to play well, and that team will win it,” he said. said.
“T20 cricket is such a fickle game. It’s like a house of cards and you can end up looking great and feeling great and going into games with a great deal of confidence and it literally takes an over — six balls — to change the momentum of the game and totally change the momentum of the season.
“The good thing now is we’ve got two extra games, and we don’t know how many games we need to win to make the semis, but it will give us that little bit longer to either find form or maintain form.
“In these games you want to be in form at the back end, so every year people get excited about the teams that could win the BBL and you don’t get a clear view until the last two weeks of the competition.
“It’s nice to be talked about, but we’ll leave it until then.”
The Renegades have added star power to the squad that finished fifth last season, luring veteran batsman Brad Hodge back into the fold alongside exAdelaide Strikers Kane Richardson, Tim Ludeman and Kieron Pollard.
Add to the mix the allround strength of Jack Wildermuth, who has crossed from Brisbane Heat, and the devastating power and poise of West Indies ace Dwayne Bravo, and the ’Gades are shaping as the team to beat.
Hodge believes his team can do some damage, and Tremain agrees.
“I think so. We’ve got world-class players scattered through the squad,” the pace bowler said.
“Kane Richardson just come off a great ODI tour, Aaron Finch is just Aaron Finch . . . we know what he does and even Kieron Pollard, who is replacing one of our overseas players, is world class.
“Tom Cooper had a great year and continues to get better and better, and a lot of our first class cricketers, while they’re not as renowned around the world, they are exceptionally gifted players within Australia and that’s exciting.”
Tremain sang the praises of former Test batsman Hodge, who has already had a profound effect on the team since returning to the club.
“Even last year, he was such a hard player to play against,” he said.
“He was difficult to bowl to and hard to contain. Even in this practice matches in Geelong, he would walk up to me and say, ‘I reckon the batsman is going to do this, bowl this’ and it took a great deal of pressure off me because I didn’t have to think about what I need to do because ‘Hodgey’ was there.
“When you have got someone like that, plus Cameron White, who has one of the best cricket brains, it’s going to be invaluable in crunch moments.
“He’s worth his weight in gold.”