A record partnership from Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers Brad Hodge and Andrew McDonald has lifted the Melbourne Renegades into the top-four near the halfway point of the KFC T20 Big Bash League.

Despite a slow start to their campaign, the return of Hodge from a hamstring injury has guided the Renegades to back-to-back victories and within striking distance of a semi-final berth.

During an engrossing affair at Etihad Stadium last night, the hosts successfully chased down the Sydney Sixers' total of 6-161 with eight wickets and 14 balls in hand courtesy of an unbeaten 124-run stand between Hodge and McDonald.

Having limped to 2-65 after 10 overs, the Renegades looked in dire straits before Hodge (72 not out from 51 balls) and McDonald (60 not out from 37 deliveries) unleashed a barrage of sixes to propel the pair to the sixth highest partnership in domestic Twenty20 history and the new benchmark for this season.

"Once we had a really good foundation we could go for broke," McDonald said

"I wasn't too comfortable when I was nine off 20 balls but we said to each other it would get easier.

"The mindset was to knock it around and when we had a good foundation to go for it, and it really paid off."

Earlier in the night, fellow Commonwealth Bank Bushranger Aaron Finch (25 off 15) had given the Renegades a flyer before falling victim to Dom Thornely before Glenn Maxwell joined him shortly after for three off just as many balls.

Hodge and McDonald then moved at a glacial pace before exploding into action as they hammered leg spinners Stuart MacGill and Steve Smith.

The Sixers' innings was built around a composed middle-order stand of 63 between Moises Henriques (41 off 35) and captain Steve Smith (25 off 23).

Maxwell bowled tightly to finish with 1-21 from his four overs, while former Bushrangers Dirk Nannes 2-36 and Shane Harwood 2-28 chimed in with some crucial breakthroughs.

Meanwhile, the Melbourne Stars will be hoping to square their BBL ledger when they host the Perth Scorchers at the MCG tomorrow night.

A Stars' victory would set up an intriguing Melbourne derby on Saturday night, which may well decide a semi-final berth.

Fresh off his blistering half-century, Hodge pulled no punches when asked about the imminent contest.

"If the Stars don't get up next game (against the Scorchers) then they're under the pump," Hodge said.

"We've got some real good momentum now."

03 JANUARY, 2012