Thumping win for Bushrangers

Victoria Bushrangers recorded a thumping eight-wicket win over Wayamba Elevens in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament here on Monday, breezing home with 6.4 overs to spare after a dispirited batting performance from the Sri Lankan side.

Victoria now has three wins from four games, but a lower net run-rate than Chennai Super Kings. In order to qualify for the semifinals, Victoria will need group ‘A' leader Eastern Cape Warriors to beat Chennai on Wednesday.

Victoria began well with the ball, striking twice in the second over of the Wayamba innings, James Pattinson yorking Jeevantha Kulatunga before Clint McKay ran out Mahela Udawatte with a superb bit of work at mid-on, diving full length to stop a drive from the left-hander before throwing down the stumps at the 'keeper's end while still prone.

Skipper Jehan Mubarak joined Mahela Jayawardene and the two quickly settled to produce a confident third-wicket stand of 72.

The left-handed Mubarak had just overtaken Jayawardene into the 40s with two pulled sixes off John Hastings when he fell to a soft dismissal, driving early at medium-pacer Andrew McDonald and scooping straight to cover.

Capitulation

Wayamba simply capitulated after that — from 81 for three at the fall of Mubarak's wicket to 106 all out with three-and-a-half overs remaining. Four wickets went to Peter Siddle's busting, hit-the-deck bowling.

Jayawardene was eighth out, stepping across to Siddle to scoop him behind the wicket, a productive shot till then, and managing only to guide the ball onto his stumps. He had moved past 50 the previous ball with a slapped four in front of point.

In all, five Wayamba batsmen fell for ducks, one short of the Twenty20 record held jointly by Kenya (against New Zealand in 2007) and Zimbabwe (against the West Indies in February).

Undefeated partnership

In reply, Victoria lost Brad Hodge and wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade for low scores before skipper David Hussey joined Aaron Finch to compile an unbroken, match-winning stand of 77.

Hussey quickly set about enlivening the hitherto sluggish chase, punishing Isuru Udana thrice in one over for dropping short with two square-cut boundaries and a pulled six.

Finishing off in style

At the other end, Finch picked up tempo as Victoria got closer to the target, making room to slash Shalika Karunanayake for four and getting his front leg out of the way to spank a Rangana Herath full toss over the mid-wicket ropes. Hussey finished things in style, lifting Chanaka Welegedara for a six over long- off.

Finch's unbeaten 38 took his overall run tally for the tournament to 197, equalling South Australia's Michael Klinger at the top of the run charts.

The scores: Wayamba Elevens 106 in 16.3 overs (M. Jayawardene 51, J. Mubarak 44, J. Pattinson two for 14, P. Siddle four for 29, A. McDonald two for 22) lost to Victoria Bushrangers 108 for two in 13.2 overs (A. Finch 38 not out, D. Hussey 47 not out).

Keywords: Champions Trophy T20, Wayamba, Victoria Bushrangers