RENEGADES CANNOT HALT SLIDE

ROOTED to the bottom of the BBL table — again — the questions are mounting about how Melbourne Renegades can turn their ailing fortunes around.

The champions of BBL08 won only three games during their title defence, finishing six points adrift at the bottom of the table. And their hopes of a rapid resurrection are all but dead eight games into this campaign, lurching to a 1- 7 record after a 60- run loss to Adelaide Strikers.

“There’s been some really dumb batting this season,” captain Aaron Finch said after the loss to the Strikers. “Four games, to get bowled out inside your 20 overs and a few of them inside 13 overs, it’s just some dumb cricket. I can’t put my finger on it right now, it’s a combination of quite a few things.

“At times we have been brilliant, especially with the ball. I thought there’s been some really good stuff. But when the pressure comes on, we’re not getting it done.”

Perhaps the most glaring thing about Tuesday’s loss was the Renegades were put to the sword by Ryan Gibson, who earned player of the match honours with two catches and 43 not out from 31 balls.

Gibson was previously listed by Sydney Thunder and earned another BBL opportunity with 312 runs in three innings to open the South Australian Premier season.

Renegades coach Michael Klinger spoke of opportunities for young players after his side’s recent loss in Perth and there’s no shortage of talent in Victorian Premier Cricket.

“The youngsters showed a little bit there but there was just some dumb cricket again,” Finch told Channel 7.