Alex Hales and Usman Khawaja take Sydney Thunder to top of the table
The Renegades remain stuck at the bottom despite Shaun Marsh's 87
Khawaja was impressive both on the field and during the rain break. Having been content to watch Hales do his stuff at the other end - he made 5 off 7 balls in their 52-run opening stand that came in four overs - he was then taking charge of the latter part of the chase when the asking rate had nudged back above ten an over following some good work by the spinners. He took consecutive boundaries off Imad Wasim in the tenth over to give the Thunder even more breathing space on the DLS and dispatched Will Sutherland over mid-on moments before the rain got too heavy.
It was a daunting prospect for 20-year-old Mitchell Perry to start his BBL career bowling to an already-set Hales. Sending down a length perfectly in Hales' arc, he was treated with disdain for five deliveries including two sixes over long-on. Aiming for a wide yorker with the last delivery, he sent down a big full toss outside off stump which again flew off Hales' bat, but a split second later it was intercepted by a flying Harvey - nephew of former Australia allrounder Ian Harvey - another of the Renegades' youngsters who is lauded as one of the best fielders in the game.
For the second game running, a well-constructed innings from Marsh ended on the losing side. His 87 off 48 balls included five sixes - his half-century coming from 29 deliveries - and he was able to find his stride again after the rain break as the Renegades added 67 off the final five overs of the innings. Finch said the team's plan was to come out very aggressively and he set that tone himself, but at 3 for 58 in the seventh over, it could have gone wrong.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo