Big Bash League: Melbourne Renegades beat Brisbane Heat by 22 runs

Nic Maddinson was quick out of the blocks, keeping his cool when four wickets fell in a row and stepping on the gas late to take the Renegades to 7 for 166 in Cairns after being sent in first.

With his left-arm spin, West Indian international Akeal Hosein opened bowling for the Renegades but saw opener Max Bryant dropped while on a duck with his fifth ball. The Renegades maintained their domination of the match thereafter.

Hossein - playing his first game in the BBL -  was the night's top bowler, providing the Renegades a great start to the new season after finishing bottom in the standings.

Heat newcomer Colin Munro (35 off 30 balls), who has played 65 T20 internationals for New Zealand, was on top form with the bat before being run out by a direct hit from Tom Rogers.

The required pace was almost impossible to achieve when Jimmy Peirson, the captain of the Heat, was bowled by Hossein for 43 off 30 deliveries in the fifteenth over.

Maddinson had earlier laid the foundation for the win. He scored 20 off Xavier Bartlett's second over and another 22 off the third over in a 49-ball inning, including 10 fours and three sixes, to post his highest score in T20 cricket. 

Andre Russell (35 off 28 balls) celebrated his return to the Renegades with a scintillating knock, including three sixes and entertained cricket fans like he so often does in the IPL.

The visitors reached 0 for 65 after six overs before Sam Harper was caught by Josh Brown off the first delivery bowled by the impressive James Bazley at Fine Leg.

Due to excellent fielding by Peirson and shrewd bowling by spinners Mitch Swepson and Matt Kuhnemann, the Renegades were reduced to 4 for 13 in four overs. Jake Fraser-McGurk was outwitted by a traditional googly from Swepson.

Kahneman then picked up two wickets in one over, slowing his pace and outfoxing Aaron Finch and newcomer Jono Wells.

At that point, Maddinson and Russell took control with a 78-run standoff with 46 deliveries. Maddinson was involved in a bizarre incident at 42 when he played a pull shot off Mark Steketee.

The ball flew over the stumps, but a zing bail flew up. On review, the dislodged bail turned out to be an unexplained mystery, but not down to contact from the ball or batter.