Opener JJ Smuts scored a blistering 65-ball 88 to help Warriors post a competitive 171 for five against South Australian Redbacks in a Champions League Twenty20 match.
Published: Sep 25, 2011, 05:24 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 25, 2011, 05:24 PM (IST)
Jon Jon Smuts clobbered 10 boundaries and two sixes in his knock of 88 runs © AFP
Hyderabad: Sep 25, 2011
Opener JJ Smuts scored a blistering 65-ball 88 to help Warriors post a competitive 171 for five against South Australian Redbacks in a Champions League Twenty20 match.
Smuts hit 10 fours and two sixes to set the platform for the Warriors’ total at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
During his impressive innings, Smuts was ably supported by Colin Ingram (30 off 24 balls) and Mark Boucher (34 off 26) from the other end.
For Redbacks, Daniel Harris and Daniel Christian finished with figures of two for 23 and two for 24 respectively, while Shaun Tait picked up one wicket.
Electing to bat, Warriors got off to a flier despite the early loss of opener Ashwell Prince (3), with the big-hitting JJ Smuts going after the bowlers from the word go.
Tait knocked off the middle stump of Prince with the third ball of the second over.
But Warriors batsmen made a good comeback as both Smuts and next man in, Ingram, plundered 13 runs off the third over followed by another 15.
Smuts and Ingram kept the scoreboard moving by playing some effective shots as Warriors crossed the 50-run mark in just 4.5 overs.
Ingram departed in the 11th over, caught at deep mid wicket by Borgas off Harris. Both the batsmen added 73 runs in 52 deliveries for the second-wicket partnership.
After the dismissal of Ingram, Boucher provided the late flourish scoring a quickfire 34, which was laced with three fours and one six.
Smuts brought up his fifty in the 12th over as Warriors crossed the 100-run mark in the same over. After playing a blinder of an innings, he departed in the 19th over, caught by Tait off Harris at short fine leg.
Two wickets fell in the last over in the form of Boucher and Craig Thyssen (3).
For Warriors, the last five overs yielded 52 runs, thanks to some lusty hitting by Boucher and Smuts. (PTI)
Brief Scores: Warriors 171 for 5 in 20 overs (JJ Smuts 88, Mark Boucher 34, Colin Ingram 30; Daniel Harris 2 for 23, Daniel Christian 2 for 24) vs SA Redbacks
