Date:31/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/31/stories/2008033155921900.htm

Sport - Cricket

Heroes in semifinals

Principal Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Heroes overcame a disappointing batting display to come back strongly in the second session to book a slot in the semifinal with a comfortable, 33-run win over Chandigarh Lions in a crucial league match of the Edelweiss 20s Challenge cricket championship at Lal Bahadur Stadium here on Saturday night.

Medium-pacer Alfred Absolom struck in the seventh over when he trapped the dangerous-looking Mathew Elliott (34, 21 balls, 5x4, 1x6) and then had Sarabjeet Singh (0) smartly stumped by Ibrahim Khaleel. Chandigarh Lions, chasing 149, slumped to 47 for three.

Dinesh Mongia (37, 33 balls, 2x4, 1x6) threw caution to the winds with some big hits, but it was apparent that Chandigarh Lions was fighting a losing battle.

Spinners bowl well

Left-arm spinners Nicky Boje and Indrasekhar Reddy bowled in tandem to apply the brakes in the middle-overs conceding just 34 runs in eight overs between them and picking two wickets.

Captain Chris Harris chipped in with two wickets in the slog overs. Absolom’s brilliant catch to send back Mongia off Abdur Razaaq was a reflection of how Hyderabad made amends in bowling and fielding. Khaleel’s three stumpings and a catch earned him the joint man of the match award with Chris Harris.

Earlier, medium-pacer Ishan Malhotra bowled a wonderful opening spell, picking two wickets, to help Lions restrict Hyderabad Heroes to 148 for five.

Abdur Razzaq (29, 17 balls, 5x4) lived dangerously to bring up the 50 in the seventh over. Soon, in the space of couple of overs, Hyderabad lost Nicky Boje (8) and Stuart Binny (9) to totter at 83 for five in 13.1 overs.

However, the big-hitting Justin Kemp (35 not out, 28 balls, 3x6) and captain Chris Harris (38 not out, 26 balls, 1x4, 2x6) put on 65 runs for the fifth wicket to lend some respectability to the total.

The scores: Hyderabad Heroes 148 for five in 20 overs (Justin Kemp 35 not out, Chris Harris 38 not out, Ishan Malhotra two for 22) bt Chandigarh Lions 115 for nine in 20 overs (Mathew Elliott 34, Dinesh Mongia 37, Abdur Razzaq two for 27, Alfred Absolom two for 17, Chris Harris two for 14).