Pollard's pyrotechnics keeps Mumbai afloat

Kieron Pollard's destructive, unbeaten 30-ball 72 kept Mumbai Indians from crashing out of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament on Thursday.

Mumbai, which needed a win to stay alive, seemed to falter after an 82-run stand for the opening wicket. But Pollard changed the complexion of the game with his extraordinary power-hitting. His nine sixes were instrumental in Mumbai making 85 runs in the final five overs of the innings.

Guyana never threatened in its chase of Mumbai's 184 for four and fell short by 31 runs. Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan top-scored with 46, but could do little to prevent Mumbai from registering its first win in three league games.

However, the chances of Mumbai reaching the semifinals remain slim. The side has another game to play, but its fate depends on how the other matches in the group pan out.

Brisk start

Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan (39) and Sachin Tendulkar (48) got Mumbai off to a brisk start. Guyana's fielding let the team down.

Tendulkar was reprieved twice in two balls in the ninth over, bowled by medium-pacer Christopher Barnwell.

However, spinners Royston Crandon and Devendra Bishoo triggered a shift in momentum. Mumbai slipped from 82 for no loss to 99 for three in a period of 4.2 overs, leg-spinner Bishoo claiming all wickets to fall.

But any thoughts Guyana might have had of restricting Mumbai vanished. Pollard, who had time to get his eye in because of his promotion to number three, exploded. After making seven off his first eleven balls, he plundered 65 off the next 19.

Pollard smashed Barnwell over deep mid-wicket for his first six and followed it with a casual flick for his second. Bishoo, who had bowled three overs for 16, was the next bowler to get hurt, going for two sixes and a four.

Sarwan brought back seamers Paul Wintz and Esuan Crandon, but they could do nothing to stop Pollard, who finished in a blaze, clouting three sixes in the 19th over and a six off the last ball of the innings.

The scores: Mumbai Indians: S. Dhawan c E. Crandon b Bishoo 39 (37b, 3x4, 1x6), S. Tendulkar st Christian b Bishoo 48 (39b, 6x4), K. Pollard (not out) 72 (30b, 1x4, 9x6), S. Tiwary c Barnwell b Bishoo 0 (3b), A. Rayudu b E. Crandon 4 (5b), J.P. Duminy (not out) 14 (6b, 2x4); Extras (lb-2, w-5): 7; Total (for four wkts. in 20 overs): 184.

Fall of wickets: 1-82, 2-98, 3-99, 4-152.

Guyana bowling: Wintz 4-0-46-0, E. Crandon 4-0-44-1, Barnwell 4-0-33-0, R. Crandon 4-0-25-0, Bishoo 4-0-34-3.

Guyana: T. Dowlin c Tiwary b Bravo 7 (18b), S. Chattergoon c Duminy b Malinga 1 (6b), R. Sarwan c Malinga b Harbhajan 46 (38b, 6x4, 1x6), N. Deonarine c Dhawan b Bravo 27 (23b, 3x4), C. Barnwell c Tendulkar b Harbhajan 24 (15b, 3x4, 1x6), R. Crandon (not out) 16 (14b, 1x4, 1x6), J. Foo c Rayudu b Zaheer 1 (3b), E. Crandon (not out) 2 (3b); Extras (b-8, lb-4, w-17): 29; Total (for six wkts. in 20 overs): 153.

Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-45, 3-91, 4-118, 5-137, 6-148.

Mumbai bowling: Zaheer 4-0-17-1, Malinga 4-0-28-1, Bravo 3-0-18-2, Harbhajan 4-0-33-2, Pollard 2-0-22-0, Murtaza 3-0-23-0.

Keywords: Champions League Twenty20