Kaur forms an integral part of leadership group with Molineux at Renegades, says Rodrigues

Jemimah Rodrigues starred with the bat scoring an unbeaten 75 off 56 balls to help Melbourne Renegades register their third win – a nine-run win against Sydney Thunder - of the seventh season of WBBL on Wednesday (October 27). They are currently at number two in the points table with seven points just behind Brisbane Heat on Net Run Rate.



Rodrigues said she was happy to finally play a significant role with the match-winning knock after failing to convert starts in previous matches.



“It was important because I was getting good starts, but I was not able to convert it. And today my mindset was just to look to be positive, to look to bat with intent and extend that innings as much as possible,” Rodrigues said at a media interaction after the match. “It was good for me to today to just extend that innings and just bat well. So, it has been fun. I am very happy that worked and I am just actually happy that the team won also today.”



According to the opening batter, Renegades have been focussing on the process and that contributed to the wins with the plans made by head coach Simon Helmot and skipper Sophie Molineux coming into fruition.



“We ticked all the boxes in batting, bowling and fielding whatever Simon had told us. I think we stuck to that well, and the best part of the day was, I think we stuck together as a team, even when Mandhana was batting so well. No one panicked. Everyone was just calm and we knew the wicket was coming. And once we got that wicket, we just took over from there,” Rodrigues said.



“We are pretty happy and definitely we will take that (the win) too. But I think it's just a start of the innings. We don't need to get carried away by the wins. We need to keep doing what we are doing because that's what's getting us to wins rather than thinking about the result. As a team, we had that conversation today also, you know, just enjoy today's win. But next time we are on again, get back to the basics, get back to the plans and the process and the results will follow.”



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Allrounder Harmanpreet Kaur contributed with the bat and the ball in first two wins. Rodrigues expressed her happiness in the form showed by her India T20I captain and added that Kaur has been part of Renegades’ leadership group with Molineux and experienced Jess Duffin.



“It's really nice. As an overseas player, there's always that kind of expectations that everyone has, you know, you need to come and do well. I'm so glad for Harman the way she's been batting and bowling,” Rodrigues added.



“Even in between, Soph sometimes goes to Harman and sometimes goes to Jess. I think it's very nice of Soph to do that and to go. And she knows she has another (player’s) backing and any time she is in doubt, she can just go and ask these two people.”



Rodrigues, who returned to the India T20I side in the recent series against Australia, had three different opening partners during the season so far – Molineux, Evelyn Jones and Josie Dooley. Dooley’s knock of 37 was instrumental in Renegades starting the innings with an 84-run partnership against Thunder.



“Eve batted so well the other day and it was just unfortunate (that she missed out due to an injury). But Dools is also someone who's very busy and looks to bat intent. Both of us were really pumped while batting. It is really good to just get that partnership going with whoever we are batting with, because that's our plan in batting. To get partnerships, look to back it with intent and we are doing that well,” Rodrigues concluded.