Rockets beats Lions in ICL opening match

Panchkula: New team Ahmedabad Rockets held their nerves to taste 19-run victory over local side Chandigarh Lions in the inaugural match of the second edition of Indian Cricket League Twenty20 tournament here on Sunday night. Chasing 159 to win, Lions had hopes till skipper Chris Cairns (21) and Dinesh Mongia (16) were at the crease after they lost three top-order batsmen.

Opener Matthew Elliott (39) was the only batsman who made some useful contribution for the Lions.

However, Cairns fell to Jason Gillespie and soon after Mongia departed, falling to Heath Streak, reducing Lions to 113 for 5 in 16.2 overs. With the asking rate creeping up, it was always going to be a big task for the Lions lower order batsmen, who only managed to take the total to 139 for 6.

Earlier, Ahmedabad Rockets had a rollicking start after winning the toss, with former West Indian left-hander Wavell Hinds scoring at will.

Hinds, who opened the innings along with Madhya Pradesh batsman Sachin Dholpure, hit five big sixes and three fours to reach 53 in just 43 balls before being unlucky to get run out. Dholpure, too, looked in good touch and scored briskly accumulating 54 runs in just 43 balls, which included three sixes and four boundaries. Both the batsmen were involved in a 122-run stand for the first wicket.

Mongia applied brakes on Rockets’ innings by dismissing Dholpure and then cleaned up rival skipper Damien Martyn for 2. Former Zimbabwean skipper Heath Streak (15) and Reetinder Sodhi (9), both not out, made useful contributions helping their team post a challenging total. Cairns claimed two scalps for the Lions.

Sphere: Related Content