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THE LIONS powered into the Champions League Twenty20 final with a 22-run win over Delhi Daredevils in Durban.
Gulam Bodi’s half-century and some late aggression from Neil McKenzie (46) led the Lions to 139 for five and Delhi could manage only 117 for nine despite 50 from Kevin Pietersen. The Lions were put in by Ross Taylor, deputising as Delhi captain after Mahela Jayawardene offered to drop out of the side to make way for David Warner’s first appearance of the tournament.
Alviro Petersen hit Irfan Pathan for three fours and a six but gifted his wicket to Umesh Yadav, who started with a wicket maiden. Bodi launched young spinner Pawan Negi for six but then tied himself in knots for much of Pathan’s final over.
Neil McKenzie took fours off Negi and Agarkar and hooked Morne Morkel for six and the 50 partnership came up with a two for Bodi, who then reached 200 runs in the tournament before bringing up his half-century with a superb leg glance for two.
He then top-edged a huge slog at birthday boy Yadav to wicketkeeper Naman Ojha before Yadav and Pietersen dropped McKenzie from successive Morkel deliveries.
McKenzie finished on 46 not out from 28 balls as the Daredevils were set 140. The task was made more difficult by Virender Sehwag’s first-ball duck but Warner raced into double figures with successive boundaries off Dirk Nannes and Pietersen also started well.
But Warner (21) spooned an easy return catch to Chris Morris, who almost took a much sharper chance offered by Pietersen next ball.
The score was only on 52 for two at halfway and Chand then fell for just nine from 20 balls. Pathan could add only one and when Nannes brilliantly snared Taylor off his own bowling the game looked up for Delhi. Ojha tried to prove otherwise with a huge six off Symes but slapped a return catch to the left-arm spinner two balls later.
Pietersen reached his 50 from 43 balls but his top-edge off Morris was superbly caught by keeper Thami Tsolekile to end his side’s challenge. Morris finished with two for seven from his four overs.
Gulam Bodi’s half-century and some late aggression from Neil McKenzie (46) led the Lions to 139 for five and Delhi could manage only 117 for nine despite 50 from Kevin Pietersen. The Lions were put in by Ross Taylor, deputising as Delhi captain after Mahela Jayawardene offered to drop out of the side to make way for David Warner’s first appearance of the tournament.
Alviro Petersen hit Irfan Pathan for three fours and a six but gifted his wicket to Umesh Yadav, who started with a wicket maiden. Bodi launched young spinner Pawan Negi for six but then tied himself in knots for much of Pathan’s final over.
Neil McKenzie took fours off Negi and Agarkar and hooked Morne Morkel for six and the 50 partnership came up with a two for Bodi, who then reached 200 runs in the tournament before bringing up his half-century with a superb leg glance for two.
He then top-edged a huge slog at birthday boy Yadav to wicketkeeper Naman Ojha before Yadav and Pietersen dropped McKenzie from successive Morkel deliveries.
McKenzie finished on 46 not out from 28 balls as the Daredevils were set 140. The task was made more difficult by Virender Sehwag’s first-ball duck but Warner raced into double figures with successive boundaries off Dirk Nannes and Pietersen also started well.
But Warner (21) spooned an easy return catch to Chris Morris, who almost took a much sharper chance offered by Pietersen next ball.
The score was only on 52 for two at halfway and Chand then fell for just nine from 20 balls. Pathan could add only one and when Nannes brilliantly snared Taylor off his own bowling the game looked up for Delhi. Ojha tried to prove otherwise with a huge six off Symes but slapped a return catch to the left-arm spinner two balls later.
Pietersen reached his 50 from 43 balls but his top-edge off Morris was superbly caught by keeper Thami Tsolekile to end his side’s challenge. Morris finished with two for seven from his four overs.
