Published: Feb 06, 2016, 03:30 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 30, 2016, 08:10 PM (IST)
Good Evening! Hello and Welcome to CricketCountry’s live coverage of Match 12 of the 2016 Masters Champions League (MCL) between Gemini Arabians and Virgo Super Kings at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday. Gemini Arabians who are currently placed at the apex on the points table have played four games so far and has a prolific record. They have won all four encounters with a run rate of +1.513. While the Virgo Super Kings are placed at fourth position, having played three games, including two wins and a loss, as they posses four, with a run-rate of -0.300. The encounter will be an enthralling one as Gemini Arabians will look to be at the top as Virgo Super Kings will aim to move up in the points table.
Live Cricket Score Virgo Super Kings 122/6 in 20 overs | Target 145 | Batting: James Foster 11(9), Gareth Batty 0(0) | Virgo Super Kings are only able to manage 122 in their allotted 20 overs in reply to Gemini Arabians’ 144. Arabians win the match by 22 runs. Kyle Mills took two wickets while Graham Onions and Naved-ul-Hasan picked up a wicket each. Neil McKenzie’s wicket was the key for Arabians and they got him out just when he was just about to change his batting gear. OUT! Neil McKenzie c Justin Kemp b Kyle Mills 46(42), OUT! Hasan Raza b Naved-ul-Hasan 28(26), OUT! Jacob Oram c Justin Kemp b Graham Onions 18(16)
Live Cricket Score Virgo Super Kings 83/3 in 14 overs | Target 145 | Batting: Neil McKenzie 44(37), Hasan Raza 23(19): The fourth wicket partnership between Neil McKenzie and Hasan Raza has fetched Virgo Super Kings 38 runs so far in 31 deliveries. They will now need to up the scoring rate from this moment on or else it may get late if they delay it any further. They need 62 more runs from 36 balls.
Live Cricket Score Virgo Super Kings 52/3 in 10 overs | Target 145 | Batting: Neil McKenzie 32(27), Hasan Raza 5(5): Owais Shah and Azhar Mahmood are the next to go. Virgo Super Kings are no struggling at 52 for the loss of three wickets at the end of 10 overs. Neil McKenzie has slowed down after the fall of Shah and Mahmood. Virgo require 93 more runs from here on with 60 balls remaining. To make things worse, they have lost three wickets. But still they are very much in the match. A good partnership from here on for the next 4-5 overs at a good pace can certainly bring them closer to their target. OUT! Owais Shah c Bagai b Harris 5(17), OUT! Azhar Mahmood run-out Kumar Sangakkara 5(9)
Live Cricket Score Virgo Super Kings 22/1 in 2.3 overs | Target 145 | Batting: Owais Shah 2(7), Neil McKenzie 16(7): Kyle Mills cleans up former South African captain Graeme Smith for just four runs. Owais Shah is the new batsman at the crease. Neil McKenzie is batting at a pretty fast pace. It is a good start for Gemini Arabians in the bowling department. They are not defending a big total; hence they need a few more quick wickets. OUT! Graeme Smith b Mills 4(2)
INNINGS BREAK
Live Cricket Score Gemini Arabians 144/5 in 20 overs | Batting: Saqib Ali 46(41), Naved-ul-Hasan 1(1): Good death bowling by Azhar Mahmood and Jacob Oram respectively. They took a wicket each and gave just 13 runs in the final two overs. Saqib Ali remained unbeaten on 46. The Arabians needed a more pacy innings from him. OUT! Justin Kemp c Malinga Bandara b Jacob Oram 15(14), OUT! Ashish Bagai lbw Jacob Oram 0(1)
Live Cricket Score Gemini Arabians 131/3 in 18 overs | Batting: Saqib Ali 41(35), Justin Kemp 9(10): Saqib Ali is batting well along with Justin Kemp, who is mostly dealing in singles giving the set batsman more strike. Saqib has hit two boundaries and as many sixes in his innings till now. Gemini Arabians would want to post a score in excess of 150. It shall be interesting to witness if they succeed in going beyond the 150-run mark.
Live Cricket Score Gemini Arabians 111/3 in 14.4 overs | Batting: Saqib Ali 29(23), Justin Kemp 2(2): Murali Kartik traps Shivnarine Chanderpaul for 12. Virgo Super Kings’ bowlers have bowled very well so far. They have tried six bowlers of which Malinga Bandara took two wickets while Kartik just picked up one. Jacob Oram has been the most economical, having given only 11 runs in his two overs. OUT! Shivnarine Chanderpaul lbw Murali Kartik 12(11)
Live Cricket Score Gemini Arabians 70/2 in 10 overs | Batting: Saqib Ali 4(8), Shivnarine Chanderpaul 0(0): Gemini Arabians are now 70 for the loss of two wickets at the end of 10 overs. First to go was Jacques Rudolph who was caught by Murali Kartik off Malinga Bandara’s bowling. Then the set batter Kumar Sangakkara departed after playing a quickfire knock of 51 runs which included seven boundaries and one shot which dispatched the ball over the ropes. Good comeback by Virgo Super Kings. OUT! Kumar Sangakkara st James Foster b Malinga Bandara 51(34), OUT! Jacques Rudolph c Murali Kartik b Malinga Bandara 10(18)
Live Cricket Score Gemini Arabians 44/0 in 6 overs | Batting: Kumar Sangakkara 30(20), Jacques Rudolph 10(16): Kumar Sangakkara is playing pretty well at a strike rate of 150 exact. He has hit five shots to the fence in his innings so far. Jacques Rudolph, on the other hand is striving hard to get his eye in. Maybe we will see him up the tempo soon. Explosive batsman Virender Sehwag is next in the batting order in high probability although he may send Saqib Ali before him so that he can keep himself for the final attack in the death overs.
Live Cricket Score Gemini Arabians 6/0 in 1 over | Batting: Kumar Sangakkara 2(3), Jacques Rudolph 3(3): Kumar Sangakkara and Jacques Rudolph have opened the batting for Gemini Arabians. Former Australian left-arm pacer Dirk Nannes bowled a tight first over. Both the batters picked five singles together plus there was one leg bye.
Toss: Gemini Arabians win the toss and elect to bat first in the 12th MCL 2016 match against Virgo Super Kings
Teams:
Gemini Arabians: Virender Sehwag (c), Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Jacques Rudolph, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Justin Kemp, Ashish Bagai, Saqib Ali, Naved-ul-Hasan, Paul Harris, Kyle Mills, Graham Onions
Virgo Super Kings: Grame Smith (c), Neil McKenzie, Mohammad Yousuf, Hasan Raza, Jacob Oram, Azhar Mahmood, James Foster (wk), Gareth Batty, Murali Kartik, Malinga Bandara, Dirk Nannes
Indian batting stalwart Virender Sehwag has appointed as the and captain of Gemini Arabians, a squad with hails of some big names like Kumar Sangakkara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Brad Hodge and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Sehwag has done a decent job as a captain as his team is yet to witness a defeat. They are probably the strongest team in the tournament and Virgo Super Kings surely have a task in hand. Graeme Smith led Virgo Super Kings on the other hand, have had a good run with just one loss in three matches so far. They have a well balanced side and are well capable to win this game. The likes of Brett Lee, Azhar Mahmood and Dirk Nannes render bowling a joy to behold. Expect a thrilling encounter here at Sharjah when these two giants collide.
Squads:
Gemini Arabians: Virender Sehwag (c), Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Muttiah Muralitharan, Kyle Mills, Saqlain Mushtaq, Jacques Rudolph, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Justin Kemp, Paul Harris, Brad Hodge, Richard Levi, Ashish Bagai, Graham Onions, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Saqib Ali.
Virgo Super Kings squad: Grame Smith (c), James Foster (wk), Azhar Mahmood, Malinga Bandara, Gareth Batty, Hasan Raza, Humayun Farhat, Murali Kartik, Brett Lee, Neil McKenzie, Mohammad Yousuf, JF Mooney, Dirk Nannes, Jacob Oram, Jonty Rhodes, Owais Shah,
