James Pattinson made a stunning return from a long-term back injury as the Melbourne Renegades romped to their first win of the BBL season on Tuesday night.

Winless after their first two outings, the Renegades needed a victory against the Sydney Thunder at Etihad Stadium to boost their finals chances and they chased down a modest target of 115 in 13.5 overs to claim the points.

In his first major game since March, Pattinson ripped through the visitors’ top order in a fiery opening spell that yielded the wickets of Jacques Kallis, Mike Hussey and Andrew McDonald – all bowled – to finish with figures of 3-24 from four overs.

Aaron Finch did the damage with the bat as he plundered 48 runs from 37 balls to set his side on its way to the eight-wicket win before he holed out to Daniel Hughes in the deep off the bowling of Nathan Hauritz.

The Thunder struggled to 3-38 from their first seven overs after Pattinson’s devastating opening salvo and crawled to the half-century mark off 66 balls before Chris Hartley and Hughes, who top-scored for the visitors with 40, combined for a 51-run partnership.

Dwayne Bravo sent a scare through the Renegades camp when he was struck in the shin with a ball in the warm-up, but he showed no ill effects in the field and even ran out Hartley with a deft kick off his right boot.

Finch made his intentions clear early with two fours off Pat Cummins’ first over and he combined with Matthew Wade for 36 runs in four overs before Wade went for 20.

Any slim hopes of an unlikely Thunder comeback were quickly dashed as Finch then put on a 58-run partnership with Callum Ferguson to set up the win.