Legends League Cricket: Inching closer to the victory, Gujarat Giants failed to hold the pressure in the last three overs, costing six wickets in just nine runs which resulted in a ten runs win to Harbhajan Singh’s led Manipal Tigers.
While chasing the target of 174 , Gujarat Giants was restricted to 163/9 runs at the second league match of the Legends League Cricket here at JSCA International Stadium on Monday night.
Earlier, Gujarat won the toss and asked the opposition to bat first. Rayad Emrit drew the first blood in the form of Chadwick Walton (17) with 24 on the board. Later, Hamilton Masakadza (37 runs of 18 balls) aggression accelerated the run rate pace but was not good enough against the Rajat Bhatia, who was brought on the bowling attack in seventh over to reduce the side at 66/2.
Rajat justified his introduction when he clinched his second in the form of well settled Robin Uthappa (23) with the scorecard at 83/3.
Thereafter, Sarbjit Ladda joined Rajat to control run flow by sending back Colin de Grandhomme (8), reducing the side at 91/3. Bhatia in his third over of the spell bowled out Kyle Coetzer (9). Trent Johnson, who was proving expensive in his very first over, consoled with the wicket of Amitoze (6) as half of the team went down at just 104.
Thisara Perera (32 runs off 17 balls) continued to produce havoc in his ferocious form before he was accounted for Ishwar Choudhary as the score read at 145/7. Trent Johnson made Harbhajan Singh (3) his second victim. With unbeaten Imran Khan (16) and Praveen Kumar (7), Manipal Tigers scored 173/8 runs in the stipulated twenty overs.
Rajat (3/31) was the pick of the bowlers while Trent Johnson (2/33) took two.
While chasing the target, Gujarat got off to a fascinating start when openers Chris Gayle and Jacques Kallis added 75 runs in quick time. Imran controlled the situation in seventh over and got rid of Chris Gayle who scored 38 runs off 24 balls.
Skipper Harbhajan Singh took the charge and fetched two wickets – Richard Levi (5) and Kevin O’Brien (9) in consecutive overs to reduce the side at 99/3. Later, A 55-run partnership between Parthiv Patel and Jacques Kallis did the damage control by bringing the team closer to the home at 154.
Parvinder Awana did the magic when he removed easy-sailing Jacques Kallis (56) and newcomer Chirag Khurana (2). Things became worse for Giants when Periera dismissed Parthiv Patel and Trent Johnson in 19th over.
Lastly, Awana hit the last nail in the coffin by wrapping up tail-enders – Rayad Emrit and Sarbjit Laddha for ducks to restrict Gujarat Giants at 163/9.
Awana (4/19) took the major share of four wickets while Thisara Perera (2/6) and Harbhajan Singh (2/12) shared two wickets each.
