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Renegades' season over as Finch departs

3 minute read

Melbourne Renegades captain Aaron Finch is off to skipper Australia with the reigning BBL champions having lost seven straight games.

AARON FINCH
AARON FINCH Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

This was not how Aaron Finch envisaged leaving the Melbourne Renegades' BBL squad for a trip to India.

Australia's limited-overs skipper flies out on Thursday for a three-game one-day series with the Renegades' title defence in tatters after seven-straight defeats.

Their losing run is the worst for any defending champion in Australian men's sporting leagues this century.

Finch's last match for the Renegades before departing for India resulted in him being out for golden duck, dropping a crucial catch and a six-wicket loss against the Perth Scorchers on Tuesday night.

He said an unstable pre-season, which saw coach Andrew McDonald leave to be Australia's assistant coach, was no excuse for the Renegades' horror campaign.

"It's shocking. We had some really high hopes," Finch said.

"Even after the slow start we felt as though there was enough improvement...enough positives out of the first few games that we could really turn it around and get on a bit of a roll.

"But it hasn't been (the case) and we've been poor.

It's tough to leave the boys at this stage; I know I should've contributed more."

Not only is Finch, the Renegades' most devastating batsmen, leaving for India, but so is their best bowler.

Fast bowler Kane Richardson has been a shining light for the Renegades this season with 10 wickets - the equal third-most in the BBL.

"The experience that he's (Richardson) started to pass on to our younger players, and more inexperienced players is crucial," Finch said.

"The execution of his skills has been brilliant for a long time now and he's just got better and better as the years have gone on."

Veteran allrounder Daniel Chrisitan is expected to take on the Renegades' captaincy in Finch's absence.

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