Ranchi: Gujarat Giants, on the verge of victory, could not withstand the pressure of Manipal Tigers’ bowling in the last three overs of the innings. In the second league match of Legends League Cricket, Gujarat Giants had to face defeat by ten runs after losing six wickets for just nine runs. Chasing the target of 174, Gujarat Giants could only score 163/9 runs.
Manipal Tigers batting
Earlier, Gujarat Giants captain Parthiv Patel won the toss and invited the opposition team to bat. Despite a cautious start, Manipal Tigers opener Chadwick Walton (17) was out LBW by Rayad Emrit on the team score of 24. After this, Hamilton Maskajda showed his aggressive attitude and increased the run pace but fell victim to Rajat Bhatia in the seventh over due to which the score became 66/2. Maskajda scored 37 runs in 18 balls with the help of two sixes and five fours. Rajat did not stop here and in the very next over he dismissed set batsman Robin Uthappa (23) due to which the scorecard stood at 83/3.
Sarbjit Ladda also supported Rajat Bhatia very well and kept the momentum of the opposition under control. Meanwhile, Ladda took the wicket of Colin de Grandhomme (8) on the team score of 91. Rajat forced half the team to struggle at 104 by bowling Kyle Kotzer (9) in the third over of his spell and in the 13th over of the innings. Johnson, who was proving expensive in his very first over, expressed satisfaction by bowling Amitos (6). Thisara Perera (32 runs on 17 balls), who was wreaking havoc at the other end, was dismissed by Ishwar Choudhary, making the score 145/7. Trent Johnson made Harbhajan Singh (3) his second victim. With Imran Khan (16) and Praveen Kumar (7) unbeaten, Manipal Tigers scored 173/8 in the allotted twenty overs. Rajat Bhatia (3/31) took maximum three wickets while Trent Johnson (2/33) took two wickets.
Good start for Gujarat Giants
Chasing the target, Chris Gayle and Jacques Kallis got off to a fast start and added 75 runs. In the seventh over, bowler Imran Khan controlled the situation and took the wicket of Gayle, giving the first success to Gujarat Giants. Gayle scored 38 runs on 24 balls. After this, captain Harbhajan took over the bowling and in his first spell sent back Richard Levi (5) and Kevin O’Brien (9) in two consecutive overs and the match became interesting with 99/3. The new batsmen captain Parthiv Patel and Jacques Kallis. The partnership of 55 runs was bringing the team closer to victory when Parvinder Awana once again breathed life into the world by taking two wickets in the same over – Jacques Kallis (56) and Chirag Khurana (2).
Kallis hit eight fours in his brilliant innings of 41 balls. With 158/7, Gujarat Giants were in danger of defeat as Thisara Perera dismissed Patel (35) and Trent Johnson (0) in the 19th over of the innings. Awana managed to restrict Gujarat Giants to 163/9 by dismissing Rayad Emrit and Sarbjit Laddha without opening the account in the last over of the innings. Awana (4/19) took the maximum of four wickets while Thisara Perera (2/6) and Harbhajan Singh (2/12) took two wickets each.
