Abu Dhabi : Bangla Tigers pounced on Team Abu Dhabi to record a nine-wicket victory and also inflict a fifth consecutive defeat in the 19th match of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Team Abu Dhabi produced another dismal batting show to be bowled out for 66. Bangla Tigers’ opener Jordan Cox hit a breezy unbeaten 56 in 23 balls with ten boundaries and two sixes to win the match with 31 balls to spare.
The destroyers of Team Abu Dhabi batting were Daniel Sams (3 for 11) and Shannon Gabriel (2 for 2) and Benny Howell (2 for 9).
Brief scores:
Bangla Tigers bt Team Abu Dhabi by 9 wkts. Team Abu Dhabi 65 in 10 overs (Rumman Raees 20n.o, Daniel Sams 3 for 11, Shannon Gabriel 2 for 2, Benny Howell 2 for 9) Bangla Tigers 67 for 1 in 4.5 overs (Jordan Cox 56n.o)
Player of the Match: Daniel Sams
Team Abu Dhabi’s another dismal show
Bangla Tigers had won the toss and elected to field. Abu Dhabi’s wickets began to fall from the first over. The first to go was Kyle Mayers, who was caught by Rohan Mustafa off Daniel Sams’ fourth delivery of the first over for 6. One-drop Tom Banton fell to the last ball of the same over clean bowled for a duck.
The second over from Carlos Brathwaite was a silent one with no wickets falling and only five runs coming off that over. In the third over, Shannon Gabriel had opener Alex Hales caught by Mustafa at deep mid-wicket for 2. Abu Dhabi continued the trend of losing wickets when in the fourth over Asif Khan got caught by David Miller at long-on off Benny Howell for 3. Leus du Plooy then fell clean bowled by Gabriel for 2.
At the half way mark, Abu Dhabi, was 18 for 5 and looked like unseating Delhi Bulls who had posted the lowest score by getting all out for 31 against New York Strikers in the first match of the day. In the sixth over Alishan Sharafu joined the procession of batsmen walking back to the pavilion getting caught by Shanaka off Howell for 1.
Skipper Dwayne Pretorius and James Fuller steered Abu Dhabi past the lowest score mark but did not last long. Fuller got caught by Cox at extra cover off Drakes. The ninth over saw two wickets fall in quick succession. Roelof van der Merwe got run out for 6 to the second ball and Pretorius got out caught by Miller at covers to the third ball for 15.
Rumman Raees brought in some respect to the total by hitting Carlos Brathwaite for three consecutive sixes to remain unbeaten on 20 off eight balls. Noor Ahmad got run out off the last ball for a duck and Team Abu Dhabi got bowled out for 65.
Cox in a hurry gives quick win
Bangla Tigers lost opener Avishka Fernando to the second ball of the first over from James Fuller edging to wicketkeeper Banton for a duck. Cox picked a boundary off Fuller to mid-on and then went on to take two more boundaries off Raees’s second and fourth deliveries off the second over. In the third over, Cox picked three boundaries off Fuller to take 15 runs off that over.
Kusal Mendis speeded the race to the target with a six off Tymal Mills’ first ball of the fourth over. Cox then went on to hit two more boundaries off Mills. In the fifth over, Cox looked like he was in a big hurry to end the match and hit two consecutive boundaries off Noor Ahmad’s first and second delivery, and sixes off the third and fifth delivery to remain unbeaten on 56 off 23 balls and win the match in 4.5 overs.
Brief scores:
Bangla Tigers bt Team Abu Dhabi by 9 wkts. Team Abu Dhabi 65 in 10 overs (Rumman Raees 20n.o, Daniel Sams 3 for 11, Shannon Gabriel 2 for 2, Benny Howell 2 for 9) Bangla Tigers 67 for 1 in 4.5 overs (Jordan Cox 56n.o)
Player of the Match: Daniel Sams