Macgregor Mystics v Mansfield Lions
Warehouse Winter 2021
Round 2 T20 Group A
23 May 2021 at Kianawah Park 11
Another toss won by Allauddin Mohammed and the Mystics were batting in Round 2 of the Winter T20 comp.
An explosive start by Harrish Kumar, striking three consecutive boundaries from the first three balls, the opening partnership with Deepak Salgotra moving to 37, before Harish departed.
Deepak and Saddam Sadiq, then added 46 from 29 balls to propel Mystics to 2/83 at the halfway mark; Deepak falling on the last ball of the 10th over.
The second half was much harder work as the remaining 8 wickets fell for 62 runs taking Mystics to 145 from a full 20.
The early bowling by Mystics was just as explosive as the batting. By the end of Sahil Puri's first over, both openers were back in the shed. Gurpreet Singh then struck in his first over when the Lions' skipper drilled one straight to backward square where Deepak held a sharp chance. Mansfield 3/8.
Gurpreet grabbed a second wicket in his next over when a slash went high and into the safe hands of Sahil at backward point.
A third wicket to Sahil in the 5th over and Mansfield were 5/23.
The Lions then fought back. An important 26 run partnership for the 6th wicket stabilized the innings, but when Al broke through in the 10th over to reduce Lions to 6/43, they were still in a heap of trouble. The next partnership of 39 from just 23 balls threw the game wide open. When Taimoor Shaukhat picked up a C&B in the 14th over, Lions needed 58 from 40 balls.
Luis Hermida's threatening innings of 66 and a partnership of 36 from 31 balls, was finally snuffed out when Deepak held a fine catch on the boundary, off Harish, in the 19th over. Mansfield needed another 22 from the 9 remaining deliveries. A six off the very next ball reduced that to 16 from 8 and a single left 15 to get off the last over.
Two successive dots from the first two balls of the last over by Irfan tightened the screws, a single from the third; 14 from 3 required. A boundary; 10 from 2. A big swing....but just a single and that was it. Mystics up by 8 runs! Well done lads.
