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Melbourne rivalry spurs on Kane Richardson to flex his muscles

Kane Richardson in his bowling stride Michael Dodge/Stringer

You've probably seen it. Last week, straight after dismissing Peter Handscomb, Kane Richardson turned to Melbourne Stars' muscle-laden Marcus Stoinis, and flexed, Hulk-style. It's been a skinny season for viral moments, but this was one.

As is often the case with Richardson, it wasn't a remarkable wicket in method. Certainly not one that warranted a public impression of the character once played by Eric Bana. It just looked an innocuously spooned catch to cover.

But Richardson often picks up wickets like this. In an age where mystery spinners, knuckle balls, batters who "hit the ball into strange areas", and raw power are in vogue, Richardson might appear conventional at face value. But leading a bowler-friendly tournament for wickets with 22 at 13 suggests he brings more than mere convention.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, he's modest about the weapons he brings to the shorter format. He mentions a new slower ball "that's a little more disguised" than his old one, and that Callum Ferguson - who's faced off against Richardson twice in a week - recognised "how little [he] was missing." In other words, at 190cm he can hit high speeds, is unerringly accurate and has multiple, not-yet-detectable slower balls.

He enjoys the feeling at the Renegades, who last night became the second team to qualify for this edition's finals. "I suppose every player from every franchise will say the same thing," he says. "But we have a great group here.

"Coming from Adelaide, I didn't know what to expect. But the one thing Andrew McDonald banged on about was ensuring we make this the best experience possible. Whether you're from Melbourne, Adelaide or Afghanistan, to hear that from day one was great. Andrew's the mastermind behind that. He's such a relaxed individual, he's managed to get the best out of our group."

Despite personal and collective success this term, Richardson and the Renegades haven't cosseted themselves from the wider conversation about issues affecting the BBL and ways to improve it. In a slight departure from a few of his colleagues, he'd sooner focus on the quality of the competition than its length.

"I don't think the length is necessarily the problem," he says. "I watch a lot of American sport - they play every day. This is what we do - we want to play as much as we can. Whether or not they can play more double headers, I'm sure they'll work that out.

"I think it's fair to say that the unpredictability of T20, which we all love, has been lacking. In terms of the run-scoring and last-over finishes, I think that's the bit that's wavering. Too often after a power play in the second innings, you can probably tell who's going to win the game."

"In my view, I think the best captains are those that let you go about your business. If there's something very wrong they'll step in and change it"

Now 27, he cuts a more senior figure in his side. There's always a few giveaways, such as his skill in avoiding one of Dan Christian's novel team fines ("I'm on my best behaviour at all times. Any word that comes out of my mouth is well-thought, well-worded and well-crafted") and unlike many of his BBL counterparts, rather than blindly accept mic'd up instruction from the captain, he typically sets his own fields and bowling plans, but listens to their input.

"I've been surprised by the number of captains who, when mic'd up, tell the bowler what to do," he says. "I personally love the freedom to set my field and know where I want to bowl.

"Chris Lynn tends to issue a few instructions. I haven't played under him, I've only played with him. But I have noticed how much of an impact he has on what the boys are going to bowl. I don't know if that's because they're a young bowling group - when James Pattinson was there I don't know if it was the same - but I have noticed how much of a say he has in what they do.

"Then again, I think when he gets mic'd up he might turn it on a bit more.

"In my view, I think the best captains are those that let you go about your business. If there's something very wrong they'll step in and change it."

Ahead of a possible square-off with the Stars in the finals, and the ensuing big-little brother narrative that comes with it, Richardson is happy to expand.

"I know a few of the Stars boys really well," he says. "I know they love that glitz. They talking about staying at The Olsen down on Chapel Street and have a better hotel - they actually care about these things.

"We see their bus, their big coach, and it's all stickered up in Stars. We've seen them drive past our hotel and we just laugh. We drive around in little Suzuki's with Renegades stickers on and no one in the team cares - it's fine. I think they take honour in being at the MCG, whereas we just think 'we're playing in Melbourne, staying at The Cullen, how good's this?' We're pretty happy with how life is. We don't talk about it much but I do think the Stars like talking about it. They've won just as much as we have - neither team's won a trophy - so there's probably no reason to be walking around with a head wobble."

But this season's BBL may change all that. Faced with the prospect of a rampaging Stoinis and a showy Stars outfit, it may be Richardson's unassuming, self-described "spaghetti arms" that flex Melbourne's first title to the men in red.