Published: Oct 09, 2012, 10:36 PM (IST)
Edited: Oct 09, 2012, 10:36 PM (IST)
Kyle Mills claimed two wickets for six runs © Getty Images
Johannesburg: Oct 9, 2012
A clinical bowling display helped Auckland restrict Sialkot Stallions to a modest 130 for nine in a qualifying match of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament at New Wanderers Stadium here tonight.
Kyle Mills (2/6), Ronnie Hira (2/36) and Andre Adams (2/21) picked up two wickets each, while Michael Bates and Azhar Mahmood took one apiece after Sialkot won the toss and decided to bat first.
Shahid Yousuf top-scorerd for the Stallions with a 25-ball 39 which was laced with three sixes and equal number of boundaries.
The Stallions had a subdued start as Mills and Bates bowled in rhythm, giving away just 11 in the first five over.
Bates brought the first break through, dismissing opener Shakeel Ansar (1) in the second over when he had him caught at mid-on by Anaru Kitchen.
Nazir tried to break the shackles with a six but he could not do much after that. In the sixth over, Sialkot had a big over when Haris Sohail (12) hit Azhar for a six and a four and Nazir smahsed another six at the fine leg region.
Adams, however, got rid off Haris in the next over when the batsman gave an easy catch to Vincent at backward point.
Azhar then reduced Sialkot to 30 for three when he dismissed Nazir. In pursuit of a big hit, Nazir ended up top-edging the ball to short third man.
Yousuf then joined skipper Shoaib Malik and took charge of the situation. He sent Adams for consecutive sixes over long off and deep squareleg respectively in the ninth over and then hit Colin Munro for a couple of boundaries to take Sialkot across the 50-mark.
After a couple of quiet overs, Malik sent Colin de Grandhomme sailing over cover for a much-needed six, while three balls later Yousuf sent a length ball for a straight six as Sialkot reached 79 for three in 13 overs.
However, Hira broke the partnership in the next over when the spinner latched on to a caught and ball chance to sent Yousuf back to the dug-out. He had added 57 runs with Shoaib for the fourth wicket.
Hira picked up his second wicket, dismising Shoaib in the 16th over. Looking to launch a delivery over long-off, Shoaib ended up giving a catch to Guptill.
A beautiful catch by Colin de Grandhomme off Adam’s delivery sent new batsman Qaiser Abbas back to the pavillion as the Stallions were reduced to 97 for six.
Naved-ul-Hasan then tried his bit to step up the runrate with a six off Hira over long-on. Ali Khan too tried his hand and brought up a couple of sixes off Hira to help Sialkot accumulate 21 runs of the 18th over.
Mills was then brought back into the attack and the pacer picked up Naved-ul-Hasan and Bilawal Bhatti in one over to reduce the Stallions to 120 for eight at the end of 19 overs.
Bates then dismissed Ali Khan in the third ball of the final over, before Raza Hasan ended the Sialkot innings with a four along the fine leg boundary. (PTI)
Brief Scores: Sialkot Stallions 130 for 9 in 20 overs (Shahid Yousuf 39, Shoaib Malik 19; Kyle Mills 2 for 6, Andre Adams 2 for 21, Ronnie Hira 2 for 36) vs Auckland
