Durban: A brilliant bowling performance by Highveld Lions’ bowlers helped Lions beat Delhi Daredevils by 22 runs in the first semifinals of the ongoing Champions League Twenty20. Delhi needed 140 runs to win but some brilliant line and length bowling by the bowlers in windy conditions ensured that Delhi does not get any where near the required total.
The star of the night for Lions were Neil McKenzie who scored a brilliant unbeaten 46 off just 28 deliveries, with the ball it was Chris Morris who stole the show with the spell of 2-7 in his four overs.
Earlier in the day, Delhi’s regular captain Mahela Jayawardena opted to sit out of the match giving an opportunity to explosive David Warner. Ross Taylor was the captain and he won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Lions have had trouble getting good starts but this time around there captain made sure that Lions get the early momentum, he hit Irfan Pathan for a couple of boundaries in the third over. Petersen was removed by birthday boy Umesh Yadav with a full out-swinger. Gulam Bodi at the other end kept swinging hard but failed to make any good connection. 19 years old Quinton de Kock was dropped by Unmukt Chand but the later got another opportunity and this time around he produced a good diving catch. Dwaine Pretorious was then sent into bat but he couldn’t do much and got out to Negi.
With score at 63-3, Neil McKenzie walked into bat and the Lions innings gather pace. Bodi who was swinging wildly started to make some connection as McKenzie rotated the strike with immense ease. Bodi got out to Yadav on 50, but McKenzie kept the tempo going hitting the balls into gaps and even hitting a six of Morne Morkel’s bowling.
In reply, Daredevils got off to a horror start as Virender Sehwag got out to the first delivery that he faced. He tried hitting Tanvir across the line and gave an easy catch to Petersen standing at mid-on. Kevin Pietersen came into bat at number three and he and Warner took the innings forward. Warner hit some solid boundaries toward the off side and was starting to look dangerous when Morris got him out.
Warner trying to play a pull shot scooped the ball high and Morris completed the catch. Young Indian talent, Unmukt Chand than came out to support Pietersen. The Englishmen was looking in the mood but Chand failed to give him strike. He wasted quite a lot of balls before throwing his wicket away.
Daredevils promoted Irfan Pathan to number five to negotiate the left-arm spinners but he failed as he scopped a delivery down to square-leg and got out for 1. Ross Taylor also couldn’t do much and gave a return catch to Nannes who dived to his right to take a good catch. Lions had already taken 3-4 good catches and all the momentum was with them.
Wicket-keeper batsman Naman Ojha did hit a six but he too got out caught and bowled. Delhi’s last hope went down with the fall of Pietersen’s wicket as he succumbed to a brilliant running catch from Tsolekile of the bowling of Morris. Morne Morkel hit some good shots in the end but that was not enough to take Delhi home.
Brief Score:
Lions 139/5 (Bodi 50, McKenzie 46*, Yadav 2-20)
Delhi Daredevils 117/9 (Pietersen 50, Morris 2-7, Phangiso 2-18)
By Indian Sports News Network