Sridhar Iyer produced a match-winning spell to guide Mumbai Champs to a 35-run victory over Chandigarh Lions in the Indian Cricket League's Edelweiss 20s Challenge at the Tau Devi Lal stadium in Gurgaon on Tuesday night.
The right arm leg-spinner, playing his second game of the tournament, was adjudged man of the match for his spirited performance. He bowled a tight line and picked the crucial wickets of T P Singh (21) and Dinesh Mongia (15), giving away just 13 runs off his four overs.
The target of 161 for seemed too huge for the Lions as they finished on 125 for 8.
Michael Kasprowicz also used the conditions well as he bowled with an economy rate of five runs an over. He picked two wickets, including the prized scalp of the dangerous Chris Cairns.
Earlier in the evening, after winning the toss and electing to bat first, Champs were off to a horrendous start as they lost opener Dheeraj Jadhav without a run on the board.
Former South Africa all-rounder Andrew Hall was the pick of the Lions' bowlers, claiming four wickets for eight runs in three overs.
The Champs were reeling at 15 for two, but a timely 60-run partnership between Subhojit Paul (30 off 25 balls) and captain Nathan Astle provided momentum to the innings.
Astle scored a well-paced 42 off 31 balls that had five hits to the fence and towering hit over the ropes off Cairns.
However, a late order flourish from Kiran Khirid (32 off 21 balls) helped Champs reach a respectable 160 for 9 in their 20 overs.
Scorecard
Mumbai Champs:
Dheeraj Jadhav c Gupta b Hall 0
Subhojit Paul b Ablish 30
R Patil c Ablish b Tuffey 8
Nathan Astle c Hall b Cairns 42
Kiran Powar c Sarabjit Singh b Vincent 18
S Khanolkar c Singh b Tuffey 15
R Khirid c Manish Sharma b Hall 32
J van der Wath c Cairns b Hall 3
S Iyer lbw Hall 1
M Kasprowicz not out 1
A Yadav not out 1.
Extras: (b 1, lb 1, w 4, nb 3) 9
Total: (in 20 overs) 160 for 9.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-15, 3-75, 4-99, 5-111, 6-125, 7-143, 8-157, 9-157.
Bowling: Andrew Hall 3-0-8-4, Darrel Tuffey 4-0-36-2, Chris Cairns 4-0-39-1, Dinesh Mongia 4-0-38-0, Love Ablish 4-0-31-1, L Vincent 1-0-6-1.
Chandigarh Lions: (Target 161)
Loui Vincent c Iyer b Khirid 17
Manish Sharma run out 4
T P Singh c Avinash Yadav b Iyer 21
Dinesh Mongia st Paul b Iyer 15
Chris Cairns b Kasprowicz 6
Chetan Sharma c Wath b Avinash Yadav 25
A J Hall c Patil b Astle 8
Sarabjit Singh c Iyer b Kasprowicz 3
G Gupta not out 16
D R Tuffey not out 3.
Extras: (lb 5, w 2) 7
Total: (in 20 overs) 125 for 8
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-46, 3-62, 4-70, 5-72, 6-84, 7-105, 8-107.
Bowling: J van der Wath 4-0-29-0, Michael Kasprowicz 4-0-20-2 Ranjit Khirid 4-0-21-1, Sridhar Iyer 4-0-13-2 Avinash Yadav 3-0-29-1, Nathan Astle 1-0-8-1.
