Dubai Muttiah Muralitharan’s deadly four-wicket spell helped Gemini Arabians record their second successive victory defeating Leo Lions by eight wickets in the Masters Champions League (MCL) at the Dubai International Stadium.
Restricting Leo to 132 for 7, Gemini’s in-form batsman Kumar Sangakkara (41n.o) and Brad Hodge (65n.o) through an unbeaten 105 runs partnership for the third wicket in 12.5 overs, ensured the victory with 12 balls remaining. Muralitharan’s spell of 4 for 19 destroyed Leo’s top order which included the wicket of Brian Lara for a duck.
When Gulf News asked Muralitharan on how pleasing was his spell besides bagging Lara’s wicket, he said: “Lara used to smash me every time and this time I got the chance. I think it was a good ball and he played a defence and it was a great catch by Viru (Virender Sehwag) at slips.”
To a query on how it was to bowl with Saqlain Mushtaq, who gave away only 18 runs from four overs, he said: “Saqlain is a great bowler. If two spinners are bowling really well it is really hard for the other batsmen. That is what we did in this match and in future matches we are expecting to do the same thing.”
When asked whether Muralitharan was unplayable, Lara said: “Frankly I don’t know because I lasted only one ball so I cannot really tell how unplayable he was today. Muralitharan is always a handful in any form of the game.”
Leo had won the toss and elected to bat. They lost their opener Hamish Marshall, who ran for a dropped catch offered by his partner Robin Peterson to Jacques Rudolph at covers in the third over. Finding Marshall backing up for a run, Rudolph quickly picked the ball and through an accurate throw to the bowler’s end got him run out for 16. Two balls later, Peterson too got out playing Kyle Mills on to his wicket for 6.
Muralitharan, who was introduced in the seventh over, created havoc. With his second delivery he made Brendan Taylor swing across the line of the ball, miss the shot and trapped him leg before for 23. With the next ball he forced Lara to edge to Sehwag as first slip who took a brilliant catch.
Herschelle Gibbs and James Franklin added another seven runs when Gibbs lifted Muralitharan to Richard Levi at the long-on boundary. While taking the catch, Levi lost his balance on the boundary line but threw the ball to Justin Kemp to complete the catch. This was followed by the best partnership of the innings of 57 runs in 8.5 overs between Franklin (35) and Scott Styris (32). Muralithan ended that partnership too by clean bowling Franklin who went for a slog-sweep. Saqlain too bowled brilliantly to give away just 18 runs from his four overs and Leo were restricted to 132 for 7.
Chasing the moderate total, Gemini Arabian openers skipper Sehwag and Richard Levi batted confidently. Sehwag even hit Fidel Edwards for a six over deep square-leg and put on 27 runs for the opening wicket in 3.4 overs before being bowled by Peterson for 12. Indian off-spinner Ramesh Powar, who was introduced in the sixth over got Levi out with the first ball of his over for 13 by having him caught by Marshall at deep square-leg.
The mantle of steering Gemini towards the target fell on the in-form Kumar Sangakkara. Hodge and Sangakkara ensured the victory through a stubborn partnership.
Brief scores:
Gemini Arabians bt Leo Lions by eight wickets. Leo Lions 132 for 7 in 20 overs (Brendan Taylor 23, James Franklin 35, Scott Styris 32, Muttiah Muralitharan 4 for 19) Gemini Arabians 133 for 2 in 18 overs (Kumar Sangakkara 41n.o, Brad Hodge 65n.o)
