Saturday, October 11, 2008

Mumbai finally win a game, Chennai finally lose

he Mumbai Champs finally won their first game courtesy a 13-run success over the Ahmedabad Rockets in Hyderabad. Ahmedabad chose to field and kept Mumbai to 140, with only opener Robin Morris making a major contribution, but failed to chase that down. They started well with a 41-run opening stand in 4.4 overs, only for the middle and lower orders to lose power. Avinash Yadav, a slow left-arm spinner, took 3 for 20 in four overs to stifle Mumbai's chase. They were bowled out for 127 in 18.5 overs. Earlier Morris made his maiden Twenty20 half-century, a robust 62-ball 69 with three sixes.

In the second game of the day, the Hyderabad Heroes dealt the Chennai Superstars their first loss in Hyderabad. Chennai were kept to 123 for 9 and Hyderabad knocked off the runs in 19.3 overs thanks largely to Ambati Rayudu's 53 and 36 from opener K Shashank Nag. Chennai's was a disappointing batting performance for once, with only C Hemanth Kumar's 35 standing out down the order.