Tom Curran was the best performer for the Desert Vipers with 12 runs and two wickets
Desert Viperssuffered an excruciating loss out of seven games againstMI Emiratesby 157 runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday. While Tom Curran bagged two wickets in the first innings to restrict the Emirates to 241/3, he also scored the most for the Vipers with 12 runs. The Vipers collapsed for 84 runs in 12.1 overs.
Alex HalesandRohan Mustafabegan to scale down a 242-run peak, with Trent Boult starting the defence work. Mustafa could only add five runs to his name before getting removed by Afghani pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi in the second over.
Boult sent back the destructive Hales to the dugout early for four runs off six balls. With the asking rate booming over 12 an over, English gloveman Sam Billings joined skipper Colin Munro at the crease.
Farooqi struck again to Munro for 10 before his teammate Zahoor Khan removed Billings and new batter Sherfane Rutherford in the penultimate over. Farooqi also sent Benny Howell back to the dressing room with the Vipers reeling at 47 for six at the end of the powerplay.
The tail end of the Vipers could not add much to the scoreboard as the Emirates were consistent with bagging wickets. The red-hot Vipers were reduced to 84 for 10 in 12.1 overs. All in all, Farooqi bagged a three-fer with turners Zahoor and Imran Tahir picking two wickets each.
The result will have massive implications for the net run rates going forward. But a well-settled Vipers will not be worried with the outcome at Sharjah as they have almost occupied their spots at the top.
Earlier, Desert Vipers opted to bowl first at Sharjah with four changes in the playing XI as they deployed Luke Wood, Shiraz Ahmed, Mark Watt, and Benny Howell in addition to their bowling stocks.
Emirates’ opening duo of Muhammed Waseem and Andre Fletcher began the fireworks from the word go. They hammered left-arm spinner Mark Watt and pacer Tom Curran for big runs. Within no time, they raced up to 68 runs at the end of the powerplay.
Emirates’ carnage looked unstoppable as the openers took the run rate over 11, with 114 at the board after 10 overs. The UAE batter, Waseem, was firing at his best. Meanwhile, Fletcher brought up his fifty in 38 balls before felling prey to pacerMatheesha Pathiranain the 13th over.
Waseem stood unbeaten at 80 off 38 balls, which comprised ten boundaries and four sixes by the time Pollard joined the forces. English pacerTom Currancame into the attack in the 15th over and delivered. He removed the settled Waseem for 86 runs off 44 balls before dismissing Najibullah Zadran for a two-ball duck.
That game-changing 15th over by Curran could apply brakes on the Emirates’ party as the pacer only leaked six runs, taking home a couple of wickets. The Emirates were all set for a big finish with 153 for three at the end of Curran’s magical over.
The hard-hitting Pollard rolled back the years and produced a 19-ball fifty with debutant Dan Mousley (31) also doing some wood work at the other end to muscle the Emirates to 241/3 in 20 overs.
Even though the Vipers tried their best, the result will have massive implications for the net run rates going forward. But a well-settled Vipers will not be worried about the outcome at Sharjah as they have almost occupied their spot at the top with five well-deserved wins until now.
Brief Scores:MI Emirates 241/3 in 20 overs (M Waseem 86, K Pollard 50; T Curran 2/63) defeated Desert Vipers 84 in 12.1 overs (T Curran 12, C Munro 10; F Farooqi 3/13)
