Warriors become first team to register two wins in CLT20
The domestic South African twenty20 Champions Warriors beat Victoria Bushrangers in the ongoing Champion League twenty20 (CLT20) 2010 as both teams met in the group stages at Port Elizabeth on the 13th of September, 2010. Victoria, the pre-tournament favourites, were out done by some sensational catching and bowling changes by the Warriors. With this 28 run win Warriors become the first side to register two wins in the ongoing CLT20.
The Warriors skipper Davey http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jacobs-c65213 leading from the front scored a blitz filled 59 off 29 balls, followed by two outstanding catches which changed the course of this game. After being run out after scoring at a strike rate of over 150.00 runs per 100 balls, this one-man army was beyond Victorian capabilities with the bat and then in the field as well.
Warriors’ victory was backed by world class South African spinners http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Justin-Kreusch-c1751 and Rusty Theron, both these bowlers hit the stumps with monotonous regularity as Victoria fell well short of their 159 run chase.
The Victorian’s tried to search a desperate escape route as David Hussey and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-McDonald-c1042 battled it out, but both soon became victims of Kreusch and Theron’s seam bowling. The Victorians at 94 for 6 within the 15th over mark lost all hopes of coming back into the game with Warrior spinners making things look even more impossible than ever.
Some might argue that Victoria had the ball in their court after the Warriors total of 159, which was helped by Mark Boucher and Botha as the two ensured the Warriors innings was not a complete failure with the bat. Victoria’s experienced line-up could have easily taken up the target of 159 runs but the Warriors had a plan for them.
The Warriors in their allotted 20 overs faced 40 dot balls, hitting 17th boundaries with one massive six. They scored 62 runs in the power-play session as 40 runs at the cost of two wickets came from the last 4 overs of their innings. On the other hand, the Victorians faced a total of 45 dot balls with just 7 boundaries and 4 sixes. They scored 31 runs in their power-play session and 34 runs in their last 4 overs while losing 2 wickets each in both of their run scoring effects.
The South African domestic champions surely have dominated the CLT20 with their two wins in the tournament so far. The Warriors have utilised their full cricketing abilities as they top their group charts alongside the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The two look favourites to qualify for the semi-finals from their pool as both are leading with the points and net rates.
While on the other hand, the Highveld Lions, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and South Australians dominate Pool B as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Australia-c844 strengthened their position in the group.
Though it is too soon to predict anything yet for this exciting CLT20 encounter of these teams, but the RCB, South Australians, CSK and the Warriors look favourites to qualify as the finalists. The Warriors still have to compete with Central districts and CSK. Their encounter with Indian domestic champs is well awaited while http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Central-Districts-c777 do not really look that compelling as they still have to prove themselves in the tour.
However, Warriors one-man army of Davey Jacobs who was adjudged as the “man of the match” for his exclusive half-century against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Victoria-c859 along with his two match winning catches, it appears impossible to beat the Warriors under the given South African conditions. Adding to their one-man army, the depth in bowling in both seam and spin departments give them a solid shot at the title itself. One can look forward to Warriors for more entertaining and good under-pressure performances in the upcoming matches of CLT20.
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