Moises lays down law
RED- HOT a l l r o u n d e r Moises Henriques displayed the middle order X- factor missing from Australia’s T20 team as he produced a match-winning effort in the Sydney Sixers’ Champions League opener.
Henriques blasted an unbeaten 49 off 23 balls as Sydney reached 5-185. He then took 3- 23 to help restrict Chennai Super Kings to 9-171 in Johannesburg early yesterday.
The big- hitting righthander clobbered five fours and three sixes and added 75 in the last 61⁄ overs with Steve Smith (26 off 17 balls).
With the ball, Henriques varied his medium pace well during his three overs, smashing through the Chennai middle order as it closed in on the target.
Henriques dismissed Subramaniam Badrinath (6 off 11) to end a 55-run stand with Suresh Raina.
The 25-year-old then tilted the match irrevocably in Sydney’s favour by dismissing dangermen Raina (57 off 33) and M.S. Dhoni (8 off 8) in the space of three balls courtesy of great catches from Smith and Josh Hazlewood.
Henriques was hailed as a future star after captaining the Australian under- 19 team, but has thus far failed to deliver on his potential.
He has played one T20 international and two one-day games for Australia, but has been nigh-on unstoppable with the bat this season.
Henriques scored 78 in both one and four-day domestic fixtures against WA, 161 not out and 50 not out against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield, and 46 not out in a T20 practice match against Delhi.