DESERT VIPERS BEGIN ON A HIGH
A dream come true for UAE pacer Sharma after splendid spell
England’s World Cupwinning stars Alex Hales and Sam Billings guided Desert Vipers to an easy seven-wicket win and inflict more misery on Sharjah Warriors in the International League T20 at the Dubai International Stadium yesterday.
Right from winning the toss, the Colin Munro-led team did not put a foot wrong and the clinical performance certainly put the Vipers as one of the top favourites for the inaugural title. Their job was made a lot easier by another lacklustre performance from Sharjah, who need to address their top-order issues to stay in the race after suffering their second straight defeat.
After reducing Warriors to below par score, Vipers opener Hales ensured that he stayed till the end to take his team over the line. Though the Vipers lost two quick wickets in the second over, Hales found an able ally in Billings and the duo put on a 128run third wicket partnership that took the match away from Sharjah. Both the English batters took their time and shifted gears in the final powerplay over when they were severe on fellow England pacer Chris Woakes, scoring 16 runs in the sixth over and 22 in the 15th over to almost seal the match in Vipers’ favour.
The only blip in Hales’ innings came towards the end when he was put down off two consecutive deliveries and UAE pacer Junaid Siddique, who worked up a good pace, was the unfortunate bowler. The catches would not have really altered the outcome of the contest, which was pretty much under Vipers control.
Good shots
“We just wanted to be busy, play some good shots. We were lucky there was not a lot of scoreboard pressure,” said Hales, who won the Player of the Match award.
Siddique had the consolation of breaking the partnership when Vipers were three runs away from win when he dismissed Billings, who agonisingly fell short of a deserving half-century by one run.
Put in to bat, Sharjah’s batting once again let them down, losing early wickets. From 40 for three at the end of the power play overs, it was an uphill task for the Sharjah team to get a big score. Thanks to some big hitting towards the end by England’s Joe Denly, who is looking resurrect his England career.
The all-rounder, who will turn 37 this March, grabbed the opportunity to showcase his bithitting skills that will give him the confidence to stake his claim for a place in the England side.
Denly and veteran Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi showed the right approach on a wicket that gives plenty of scope to play through the line, but only after spending some time on the pitch, but still ended 20 runs short of a par score that could have put the rivals under pressure in their chase.
In the first contest, UAE pacer Sanchit Sharma shone for Gulf Giants, who began their campaign with a clinical win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.
Sharma picked up excellent figures of three for nine and helped the Giants restrict the Knight Riders to 114 for nine. Thereafter, the Gulf Giants captain James Vince led from the front with 65 off 44 balls as his team raced to target in 14.1 overs.