Employing a strategy he summed up simply as “see ball, hit ball,” Chris Lynn went on a six-hitting spree to come close to hitting a century for the second time in the Abu Dhabi T10 League 2019 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium here. His 33-ball 89 helped Maratha Arabians defeat Delhi Bulls by 30 runs to clinch a playoff spot.
Lynn’s nonchalant, robot-like hits for six were mostly through the long-on, long-off, and deep midwicket areas. Bulls’ bowling was decimated but perhaps an overdose of overpitched deliveries did not help. All the bowlers, but particularly spinners Adil Rashid and Mohammad Nabi, were at the receiving end of his marauding display. After the defeat, Bulls’ coach Stephen Fleming admitted: “Today we were defensive, and when that happens, we make mistakes.”
Despite the efforts of the DJ and some drummers, the buzz, however, contrasted with the display as there wasn’t much of a crowd in the late afternoon. The gathering filled up as the skies darkened and floodlights took over. Tom Banton’s knock of 80 (28b, 9x4, 6x6) was therefore greeted with a lot more buzz. Thanks to his blitzkrieg, his team, Qalandars, gained a 32-run win and gave itself a good chance of making it through to the playoffs.
Karnataka Tuskers, on the other hand, was virtually knocked out by the defeat.
Shane Watson scored a valiant half-century in Deccan Gladiators’ 10-run defeat against Northern Warriors in the third contest of the day. His knock (75 n.o., 35b, 6x4, 6x6) kept Gladiators in the hunt for the entire duration of its chase of 108, but hardly received support from the other batsmen.
Watson entertained the crowd with his muscular hits for sixes. He unleashed the pulls, the slogs and the trademark slog-sweep.
Lendl Simmons shone for the Warriors, scoring a quickfire 70 (39b, 8x4, 4x6).
(The writer is in Abu Dhabi at the invitation of Abu Dhabi T10 League).
Comments
SHARE