Abu Dhabi: Deccan Gladiators trounced struggling Team Abu Dhabi by 63 runs in the 12th match of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Riding on quick-fire knocks from Andre Fletcher (41), Nicholas Pooran (30) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (35), Gladiators posted 141 for 6 in 10 overs and restricted Team Abu Dhabi to 78 for 5 in 10 overs to inflict fourth defeat in four matches for Abu Dhabi. Leus du Plooy (25) and Colin Ingram (19) put on a 41-run partnership for the fourth wicket to give some respect to their total.
Team Abu Dhabi, must have rued their decision to put Gladiators in to bat after winning. Skipper Pooran started with the bang, hitting the first ball off Roelof van der Merwe for a six and took the team to 30 by the fourth over when an attempted flick ended the West Indian left-hander’s 17-ball stay. Rumman Raees struck again off the next ball to dismiss Andre Russell to bring the home team back in the contest.
100-run mark
However, Fletcher and Kohler-Cadmore joined hands to take the Gladiators to 62 for two by the halfway mark, setting the stage for their assault in the final five. The duo went all out after the break and reached the 100-run mark in just 11 balls with Fletcher being the aggressor.
Despite losing Fletcher and Kohler-Cadmore in successive overs, the duo had done enough damage to take the score 141 for six in 10 overs. Namibian all-rounder David Wiese also chipped in with crucial 15 to swell the total.
Superlative performance
Kyle Mayers and Alex Hales were under tremendous pressure to give Team Abu Dhabi the right start, but Luke Wood and Nuwan Thushara didn’t provide them with the chance. The Sri Lankan pacer dismissed Mayers in the second over to dash Abu Dhabi’s hopes and the scoreboard read a pathetic 26 for three after five overs after which it was just a formality.
In the second match of the day, Delhi Bulls produced yet another superlative all-round show to down Bangla Tigers by seven wickets in the 13th match at Zayed Cricket Stadium. Richard Gleeson (3 for 4) and Fazalhaq Farooqi’s (2 for 15) strangled Bangla Tigers’ run flow and curtailing them for 81 for 7. Delhi Bulls raced to the target in just six overs riding on skipper Rovman Powell’s unbeaten 37 off 11 balls with four sixes and two boundaries, and Rilee Rossouw’s unbeaten 21 off 11 balls that included a boundary and a six. Delhi thus recorded their third consecutive win in three matches.
Brief scores:
Deccan Gladiators bt Team Abu Dhabi by 63 runs. Deccan Gladiators 141 for 6 in 10 overs (Nicholas Pooran 30, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 35, Andre Fletcher 41, Rumman Raees 2 for 15, Tymal Mills 2 for 13) Team Abu Dhabi 78 for 5 in 10 overs (Leus du Plooy 25, Nuwan Thushara 2 for 5). Player of the match: Andre Fletcher.
Delhi Bulls bt Bangla Tigers by 7 wkts. Bangla Tigers 81 for 7 in 10 overs (Daniel Sams 20no, Carlos Brathwaite 21, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 15, Richard Gleeson 3 for 4) Delhi Bulls 83 for 3 in 6 overs (Rilee Rossouw 21n.o, Rovman Powell 37no, Josh Little 2 for 19). Player of the match: Richard Gleeson.
