Dubai: Virgo Super Kings found the Sagittarius Strikers bowling attack too strong to handle and crashed to a 26 runs defeat in the third match of the Masters Champions League.
Shane Bond through a deadly three wicket spell for 22 runs destroyed Virgo’s top order and along with Daniel Vettori (3 for 19) restricted them to 131 for 9. Azhar Mahmood was the only Virgo batsman to withstand the Sagittarius attack and score a fighting 51 runs off 31 balls with three fours and three sixes. His innings ended when former UAE captain Khurram Khan took his catch at long on off the bowling off Vettori.
Sagittarius, winning the toss and electing to bat first, had posted a challenging 157 for 6 in 20 overs.
Chasing the total, Virgo kept losing wickets at regular intervals from the start. Skipper Graeme Smith lasted only five balls before becoming Bond’s first victim, caught behind by his counterpart Adam Gilchrist for a duck.
Opener Neil McKenzie and Owais Shah kept the scoreboard moving with McKenize hitting Bond for two boundaries in the third over. They put on 23 runs in 3.5 overs when Bond had McKenize hit to Trott and mid-wicket for 14.
In the same over, Bond had Shah too out caught by Trott and shot mid-on for 9. When Daniel Vettori too trapped Jonty Rhodes leg before for 1 with the third ball of his first over, Virgo slipped to 25 for 4 in 5.3 overs.
Hasan Raza, who plays in domestic tournaments in UAE, and Jacob Oram could add only another 13 runs before he lifted Nathan Hauritz into the hands of Yasir Arafat at long on for 8.
Full control
Half the side back in the pavilion for 38 runs in 8.5 overs, Sagittarius took full control of the match. Raza too became a Vettori victim by offering a simple catch to Trott in the covers for 5.
Earlier Sagittarius innings began with Adam Gilchirst getting out for 13 after he put on a partnership of 25 runs in 3.3 overs with Mahela Jayawardene. Going for a pull off Azhar Mahmood, Gilchrist mistimed to wicketkeeper James Foster.
Jayawardene played some beautiful drives. In the sixth over, Jayawardene hit Mahmood for two consecutive boundaries both were elegantly placed shots.
Michael Carberry played second fiddle and in the first ten overs, Sagittarius made 76 runs. In the 11th over Jayawardene lifted leg break bowler Malinga Bandara’s fourth and sixth deliveries for sixes to reach his half century in 33 balls with five boundaries and three sixes.
Carberry fell to Batty in the 12th over with Bandara taking a well judged catch for 27. With Jayawardene he had put on 71 runs in eight overs. Jonathan Trott joined Jayawardene and added another 37 runs for the third wicket when Jayawardene hit in the air to mid wicket a Jacob Oram delivery and was brilliantly caught by Bandara for 69. Lee who was re-introduced clean bowled Trott for 22 and hopes of bigger total too faded.
Brief scores:
Sagittarius Strikers bt Virgo Super Kings by 26 runs.
Sagittarius Strikers 157 for 6 in 20 overs (Mahela Jayawardene 69, Michael Carberry 27, Jonathan Trott 22, Brett Lee 2 for 29) Virgo Super Kings 131 for 9 in 20 overs (Azhar Mahmood 51, Brett Lee 21, Shane Bond 3 for 22, Daniel Vettori 3 for 19).
