An all round effort by Chris Harris (38 n o and 2 for 14) guided Hyderabad Heroes to a 33-run win over Chandigarh Lions in the twenty fifth match of the Indian Cricket League Edelweiss Challenge being played at Lal Bahadur Shatri Stadium, Hyderabad on Saturday.
After Chandigarh Lions’ skipper Chris Cairns won the toss and elected to field first, Hyderabad Heroes were off to a bad start as they lost opener Jimmy Maher (0) in the first over only, with Ishaan Malhotra picking up the wicket of Maher who gave a simple catch to Lou Vincent at gully to make it 0 for 1 in 1 over for Heroes. Ambati Rayadu then joined Abdul Razzaq at the crease and Rayadu showed some intent by first hitting Malhotra for a boundary in the third over and then smashing Darryl Tuffey for a four in the next over. But Rayadu (12) departed in the fifth over of the Heroes’ innings as wicket-keeper Sarabjeet Singh took a fine catch off the bowling of Ishaan Malhotra. Nicky Boje then came onto the crease and he opened his account by hitting Malhotra for a boundary in the same over. In the next over, Razzaq showed why he is considered to be one of the hard hitters of the ball as he smashed Darryl Tuffey for four consecutive Boundaries to race to 23 off 12 balls and taking the score of Heroes to 43 for 2 in six overs. Heroes completed their fifty in 6.5 overs.
Dinesh Mongia struck for Lions in the eighth over as he removed danger man Abdul Razzaq (29) who failed to read the line of a quicker delivery and was stumped by wicket-keeper Sarabjeet Singh. Nickey Boje was then joined by Justine Kemp at the crease but Boje (8) departed in the next over as Gaurav Gupta took a fine catch at short extra cover off the bowling of Bipul Sharma to make it 54 for 4 in 8.5 overs for Heroes. Stuart Binny came to the crease after Boje’s dismissal and he opened his account by smashing Sharma for a boundary in the same over. Justine Kemp then hoisted Dinesh Mongia for a towering six in the tenth over as Heroes made 65 for 4 in ten overs. Both the batsmen kept dealing mostly in singles as they took the Heroes’ score to 83 for 4 in 13 overs. Lou Vincent removed Stuart Binny (9) in the 14th over as Binny gave a simple catch to TP Singh at deep square leg. Chris Harris then joined Justine Kemp as the duo carried the Heroes’ total past 100 in 15.5 overs. Chris Harris smotted a huge six off the bowling of Bipul Sharma in the 17th over before Justine Kemp gave the same treatment to Sharma in the same over. Kemp smashed another six in the penultimate over off the bowling of Malhotra before Chris Harris struck a boundary off the first ball of the last over. Kemp remained unbeaten on 35 while Chris Harris contributed 38 as Heroes ended their innings at 148 for 5 in 20 overs.
Chasing a target of 149 runs in 20 overs, Chandigarh Lions were off to a flying start as openers Lou Vincent and Mathew Elliot put on 46 runs for the first wicket in five overs. Elliot was more into attacking mode as he raced to 34 off 19 balls. Eliot started the fireworks for Lions as he smashed a towering six off Abdul Razzaq in the first over. He then smashed Kemp for a boundary in the next over before hitting Razzaq for three boundaries in the third over of the Lions’ innings. Vincent too joined the part as he smotted Justine Kemp for a towering six in the fourth over before he was stumped by Heroes’ wicket-keeper Khaleel off the bowling of Nicky Boje in the sixth over at an individual score of 10. Absolum then picked up the prized wicket of Elliot (34) in the next over as he trapped Elliot lbw with Lions’ score being 46 for 2 in 6.2 overs. Sarabjeet Singh was then joined in by Dinesh Mongia but Singh(0) departed in the same over as he was stumped by Heroes’ wicket-keeper Khaleel to make it 47 for 3 for Lions in 7 overs. Mongia and Chris Cairns then carried the Lions’ total to 64 for 3 in 10 overs. But Chris Harris provided the much needed breakthrough in the 12th over as wicket-keeper Khaleel showed no hesitation in removing the bails after Chris Cairns (11) failed to read a quicker Harris delivery with Lions’ score being 68 for 4 in 11.2 overs. Dinesh Mongia was then joined by TP Singh on the crease but Singh(6) departed soon as he gave a simple catch to Khaleel off the bowling of PIS Reddy in the 15th over. Lions needed 65 runs off 30 balls at that time as Bipul Sharma joined Dinesh Mongia who struck Harris for a boundary in the 16th over. Mongia then hit Boje for a towering six in the next over as Lions needed 48 runs off the last three overs. Razzaq removed Dinesh Mongia (37) to further dent Lions’ hopes as Absolem took a fine catch at fine leg in the penultimate over. Razzaq then removed Ishaan Malhotra (1) in the same over as Malhotra was caught by Justine Kemp at mid off to make it 112 for 7 for Lions in 19 overs. With Lions needing 37 runs off the last over, it was an impossible task for Bipul Sharma and Gaurav Gupta and Bipul Sharma (10) was run out with three balls remaning. Harris picked up his second wicket of the game as he trapped Darryl Tuffey (0) lbw off the last ball of the match as Heroes romped home with a 33-run win.