Cricket: Vettori top scores in Brisbane win

Daniel Vettori top-scored with 40. Photo / Getty Images

The Brisbane Heat have ended the Melbourne Renegades' faint Big Bash League finals hopes with a 12-run win at Etihad Stadium on Thursday night.

After no wins from their first four matches, the Heat have now won their last two and the Renegades join them at the bottom of the ladder.

The Heat rallied from a middle-order collapse to post 7-168 from their 20 overs and then held the Renegades to 9-156.

Alister McDermott and Michael Neser took three wickets apiece for Brisbane, while Daniel Vettori top-scored with 40 and Roelof van der Merwe made 36 in their match-turning partnership for the Heat.

The Heat made a massive breakthrough at the end of the Renegades' 18th over when a direct hit from Andrew Robinson ran out Aaron Finch for a top score of 72.

Finch hit five sixes and three fours in his 46-ball knock and his dismissal left the Renegades needing 31 to win with three wickets in hand.

Finch batted at No.3 rather than opening after a knee injury to Glenn Maxwell forced a reshuffle of the top order.

Shahid Afridi took Finch's opening role, partnering Brad Hodge, and Maxwell came in at No.7.

Maxwell hurt his knee while unsuccessfully trying to stop a boundary during the Heat innings and hobbled through his knock of 10, before being caught at mid-off for Neser's third wicket.

The Heat were in massive trouble when they lost 4-10 to be 5-74 in the 12th over.

Leg-spinner Shahid Afridi took three wickets in four balls.

But Vettori and van der Merwe batted superbly in their 72-run stand to first stop the collapse and then compile a decent score.

Vettori had made 22 when he hit a Dirk Nannes delivery down the throat of deep square-leg.

But it was a no-ball because Melbourne had too many men outside the circle.

- AAP