Knights cruise into main draw

A six-wicket win over the defending Champions League T20 champions Mumbai Indians has sealed the Northern Knights' position in the main draw of the lucrative competition.

Some high intensity bowling and fielding, followed by intelligent batting, from the Northern Knights put paid to the Mumbai Indians' hopes of progressing, being knocked out in the qualifying stages.


The Northern Knights celebrate the wicket of a Wellington Firebirds batsman this summer. Photo: File.

After being put in to bat in the final qualifying stage match, the Mumbai Indians managed a modest 132 runs on the board, which the Kiwi side chased down in 17.2 overs, losing only four wickets in the process overnight.

The result means the Knights and the Lahore Lions, who occupied first and second spots in the table at the end of the qualifying stage, progress to the tournament proper.

After Ambati Rayudu departed gloving one to the wicket-keeper soon after, skipper Kieron Pollard (31) and Harbhajan Singh stitched together a 29-run partnership – the biggest of the innings.

That partnership also gave the innings some impetus as Pollard found the boundary twice and Harbhajan Singh hit one out of the park. Both batsmen perished when they attempted to take the aerial route but found the fielder on the rope.

Lasith Malinga and young Shreyas Gopal used their might to find the boundary a few times as 43 runs were added to the MI score in the last three overs.

Malinga made 20 from 8 balls, decorated with three fours and a six, while Shreyas made 24 of 12 balls.

For the Knights, Tim Southee and Scott Styris picked up three wickets each, while Trent Boult and Scott Kuggeleijn returned one wicket apiece.

Needing to score just over a run-a-ball, the Northern Knights opening pair of Anton Devcich and Kane Williamson set the perfect platform adding 83 runs before they were separated in the 10th over.

Both batsmen played smart cricket, picking up plenty of ones and twos in addition to a boundary almost every over.

The left-handed Devcich attempted to chip a Harbhajan Singh delivery, but got too close to it and ended up holing out to Pollard at long off. He made 39 from 34 balls and hit four boundaries and a six.

Williamson batted brilliantly, using his feet well against the spinners and timing the ball well against the rest, for 53 runs.

He hit seven boundaries and a six before he attempted to hit one on the rise but found the bucket-like hands of Pollard at short cover.

Knights captain Daniel Flynn and BJ Watling perished to soft dismissals, but Scott Styris and Daryl Mitchell completed formalities in the 18th over.

You may also like....

0 comments

Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.