Durban, Oct 25:
A half century by opener Ghulam Bodi and some effective hitting by Neil McKenzie saw Highveld Lions put up a respectable 139 for five against Delhi Daredevils in the first semi-final of the Champions League Twenty20 here this evening.
On a bouncy Kingsmead pitch, the Daredevils pace quartet did a commendable job as the foundation of Lions’ total was based on 59-runs for the fourth wicket added by Bodi and Neil McKenzie. Bodi scored 50 off 49 balls hit four boundaries and a six while McKenzie who got dropped off consecutive deliveries from Morne Morkel managed an unbeaten 46 off 27 balls with four boundaries and a six.
The breezy day at Kingsmead did make life dificult for the Daredevils fielders as they dropped as many as three catches. The offenders were Unmukt Chand, Umesh Yadav and Kevin Pietersen.
Mahela Jayawardene surprised one and all by opting to sit out which gave David Warner a chance to play the semi-finals.
“We wanted a left-hander who add a punch against their left-arm bowlers,” Jayawardene stated when asked by the official broadcasters.
Birthday boy Umesh Yadav provided the initial breakthrough as he induced a thickish edge off Alviro Peterson’s bat which was taken by Naman Ojha. It was fuller delivery which Peterson had made room to hit over extra cover. Peterson made 24 off 19 balls with three fours and a six.
Quinton de Kock got a reprieve off Yadav’s bowling when his mistimed flat pull-shot went straight Unmukt Chand at deep square leg but the India colts skipper lost the sight of the ball to concede a boundary. De Kock hit a lofted shot off Umesh to get a boundary but another pull-shot ballooned up in the air and Unmukt this time took a well-judged catch.
The bounce in the pitch also helped left-arm spinner Pawan Negi who got one to rear up awkwardly on Dwayne Pretorius as he lobbed an easy catch for stand-in skipper Ross Taylor.(PTI)
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