Desert Vipers go down against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in opening encounter
Desert Viperssuffered an early setback as they lost to Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by six wickets in their opening match ofILT20 2024at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, January 21.
Adam Hose’s 45 off 30 balls andWanindu Hasaranga’s 20-ball 24 powered the Vipers to 164/8 in their 20 overs. In reply, wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous’ unbeaten 95 guided the Knight Riders to their first ILT20 2024 win in Dubai.
Earlier, the Knight Riders captain Sunil Narine won the toss and put the Vipers into bat.
SkipperColin Munroand his opening partnerAlex Halesgot the Vipers off to a blitzkrieg start. Munro slammed ADKR pacer David Willey for back-to-back boundaries in the first over. He continued his quick-fire start as he clobbered left-arm spinner Imad Wasim for a huge six and later smashed another four in the same over.
At the other end, Alex Hales hit consecutive boundaries before he was dismissed by Willey for 11.
Dan Lawrencesoon joined Munro at the crease. Despite losing his opening partner, Munro looked in great touch as he hammered Willey for his third boundary.
In the fifth over, the Viper suffered a massive blow as Munro perished to fast bowler Joshua Little for a 12-ball 22.
Following Munro’s dismissal, flamboyant top-order batterAdam Hosecame into bat.
Hose quickly got off the mark with an eye-catching boundary off Little. Lawrence also joined the party as he slog sweeped Wasim for a massive six.
Lawrence and Hose added 25 runs for the third wicket before the former fell to Wasim for 19.
With the score reading 69/3 in 7.2 overs, Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga walked into bat.
Hasaranga and Hose later steadied the ship for the Vipers as they forged a brilliant partnership.
Having faced just his seventh delivery, Hasaranga took the early initiative as he slog sweeped Wasim for a maximum over cow corner.
Meanwhile, Hose took Irish pacer Little to cleaners in the 12th over. The right-handed batter pulled Litte for a 86 meter six and later followed it up with two boundaries to accumulate 16 runs off the over.
Hose and Hasaranga stitched a 57-run stand before the England cricketer fell to Ali Khan. He scored 45 off 30 balls, laced with four fours and one six.
In the 15th over, Narine brought the Knight Riders back into the game as he dismissed Hasaranga (24) andSherfane Rutherford(0).
In desperate need of a partnership,Rohan MustafajoinedBas de Leedeat the crease. The duo played sensibly as they added 24 runs for the seventh wicket.
While de Leede (14) andMohammad Amir(4) departed in the final over, Mustafa (13) and wicketkeeper-batter Tanish Suri (5 not out) powered the Vipers to 164/8 in their 20 overs.
Defending 164, star pacerSheldon Cottrellprovided the early breakthrough as he sent Alishan Sharafu (1) back to the pavilion in the second over.
However, ADKR wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous and Michael-Kyle Pepper later played counter-attacking cricket as the duo produced some great shots to put the pressure back on the bowlers.
Despite their best efforts, the Vipers bowlers failed to break the partnership as Gous and Pepper forged a 50-run stand.
In the 10th over, DV left-arm pacerTymal Millsgot the much-needed breakthrough as he deceived Pepper with a slower delivery. Pepper departed for 36.
Later, Lawrence cleaned up Sam Hain to bring the Vipers back into the game.
With 73 runs needed off 59 balls, Laurie Evans walked into bat. Gous, at the other end, continued his scintillating knock.
Gous and Evans forged a match-winning 71-run partnership for the fourth wicket to take the Knight Riders closer to victory.
While Evan perished for 21, Andries Gous’ unbeaten 95 guided the Knight Riders to a six-wicket victory.
With a hard-fought defeat in their opening fixture, the Vipers will aim to bounce back when they square off against defending champions Gulf Giants in a rematch of last season’s final in their upcoming fixture at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, January 24.
Brief Scores
Desert Vipers164/8 in 20 overs (Adam Hose 45, Wanindu Hasaranga 24, Ali Khan 3/29) lost toAbu Dhabi Knight Riders166/4 in 17.4 overs (Andries Gous 95*, Michael-Kyle Pepper 36, Tymal Mills 2/21) by six wickets
Colin Munro previews the season-opener against ADKR – Vipers Voices
At the time of recording this episode all the preparations are finished and now it’s just a case of one more sleep until the players head out to face the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Dubai International Stadium.
So, with that first match so close, who better to speak with than Desert Vipers captain Colin Munro, who previews the game for us.
We spoke with Colin after the squad’s final practice session at the ICC Academy in Dubai Sports City and we discussed a variety of topics including:
· The arrival of Sri Lanka duo Matheesha Pathirana and Wanindu Hasaranga with the pair flying in, in time for the final training session ahead of the side’s tournament opener.
· The possible opening batting combinations that the Vipers have.
· The chance for 18-year-old wicketkeeper Tanish Suri, who’ll make his Vipers debut behind the stumps in the absence of Azam Khan and Dinesh Chandimal.
· The prospect of coming up against a Knight Riders line-up including Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and David Willey.
All that and plenty more besides is in our interview with Colin.
Hasaranga and Pathirana Bolster the Desert Vipers Camp in Final Training Session Ahead of Game One
The Desert Vipers’ Sri Lanka players Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana landed in Dubai late on Friday night (19 January) and are available for selection ahead the Desert Vipers opening game in the DP World ILT20 on Sunday against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.Captain Colin Munro spoke to the Vipers Voices podcast and said he was excited about the return of the duo to the franchise: “Two world-class players have arrived and we are starting to see familiar faces around the squad. With Hasaranga’s experience and now with him being captain of the Sri Lankan (Twenty20 International) side I can bounce ideas of him on the field.“He (Wanindu Hasaranga) is (full of confidence, being in top form after his return from injury). I faced him in the nets today and he is bowling really well, and that bodes well for us in this tournament. I think he will just want to kick off where he left off last year. He was one of our best bowlers so for him to come back to the tournament and be available for game one is a big boost for us.”18-year-old Tanish Suri who is the fifth UAE inclusion in the squad, finds himself with the prospect of stepping out on to the field in game one, to take on wicket-keeping duties in the absence of Dinesh Chandimal and Azam Khan, who are yet to link up with the Vipers.Captain Munro said Tanish may not have been expecting to take the field so soon, but he was confident the youngster would acquit himself well.“I think if you ask him (Tanish) he is probably a bit nervous, but pleasantly surprised too because we were expecting to have Dinesh Chandimal here.“But he is not available for game one and so Tanish gets an opportunity. It is exciting for him, and it is exciting for any young player to play in a league such as this and to gain experience, by keeping to the likes of Hasaranga, and Mohammad Amir.“This is a great opportunity for the youngster, pretty unheard of to be honest, having played just a couple of games for the UAE. But for him to come and step into this environment, he has taken it in his stride, and he did really well in our warm-up game too. So hopefully his form can continue.”The captain discussed the team’s preparations and what the mood was like both in the camp and for him personally ahead of the crucial opener: “A bit of nerves, a little bit of anxiety a bit of excitement, and a bit of everything really,” he said of himself.“We had a good tournament last year but, like I said to the boys, that was last year and this is a new team. Obviously, we have got the core together, and there is a lot of excitement in the group to get going tomorrow.”Colin Munro added he was keen not to put too much pressure on the players: “You cannot win or lose a tournament in game one.“Whether you have a stinker or you win by 100 runs, it does not really make that much of a difference in the context of the whole season.”On the strategy for Sunday’s game the captain said he was firmly focused on his own team: “For me it is just about getting the best out of our players and concentrating on our strengths as individuals. It is about keeping our guys calm and collected and execute the skills they have been selected for.”The DP World ILT20 got underway in Sharjah on Friday, and the Desert Vipers’ first match is against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday 21 January.Tickets for all Desert Vipers matches are now on sale and can be purchased via the official DP World ILT20 website or at any Virgin Megastore across the UAE.
A New Dawn
Can you hear it? That distant hiss? Getting closer and closer? That’s the sound of our Vipers slowly gathering together before the start of Season 2 of the DP World ILT20 league! With two days to go before our first match vs the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Dubai International Stadium, we’re really excited about the start of the new tournament, and spirits are high in the camp. We’ve got some new faces joining us this year in the team – Shaheen Afridi, Tanish Suri, and Nathan Sowter, to name just a few – as well as new signings off the pitch, such as our Sustainability Manager, Ben Hardy-Jones, but we’ve also kept the core identity of our team and management staff that did so well last season when we got oh-so-close to the trophy.
However, new players aren’t the only difference you might notice while watching our matches this season. Those of you who came to our jersey launch or saw the content of it online might have spotted something new on the fan jersey which was expertly modelled by Toby Gregory: “Vipers Pledge Net Zero 2040”. While we have documented our desire to achieve this target here and on the Sustainability section of our website, having this message on fan jerseys will ensure that those people who do not read our blogs (and are missing out!) know about our franchise’s commitment to sustainability. While this new messaging will be seen in the stands of our matches, on the pitch you might also notice a change. Every other team in the ILT20 will be using thousands of single-use plastic bottles to hydrate their players in this tournament. Collectively, this will have a devastating impact on wildlife. However, the Desert Vipers’ players will not be contributing to this. We’ve gone to great lengths this season to ensure that our players will not be drinking from single-use plastic bottles. Instead, we’ve got an exciting, innovative solution (keep your eyes peeled for this during our first match!), which will save us from using over 20,000 single-use plastic bottles, and bring us immense water savings (as players only take one sip and then throw the bottles to the floor!).
Switching from single-use to refillable water bottles is one way in which we’re working to reduce plastic in our team, and is one of our commitments to thePlastic Pledge, which we were proud to announce our commitment tolast week. Another of our commitments is to reduce plastic from kit where possible and recycle the plastic that some kit currently arrives in. This all sounds very glamorous, but the reality is far from it. Last week, our kit arrived to our hotel in 60 boxes. While the Team Manager, Assistant Team Manager, and numerous other management staff were busy sorting out the kit into who’s is who’s, Phil Oliver (our CEO), Matt Bailey (Head of Sustainability, Strategy, and Commercial), and Ben were taking the shrink-wrapping off the cardboard boxes and separating the waste into different streams. This was quite a sight! While we’re looking for ways to recycle the soft plastics from this shrink-wrapping and the packaging for some kit, it’s currently stored in Matt’s hotel room, which is rather amusing. Such are the challenges of running a small cricket franchise sustainably, where every person counts, and you don’t know what challenges may present themselves from day to day. Still, it is all good fun for no better of a cause!
Sustainability Spotlight –SunKiss
And that’s not all on how we’re trying to eradicate plastic this season! We’re extremely proud to announce our first ever ‘Sustainability Supplier’ – SunKiss. SunKiss are a leading beauty brand, based here in the UAE, who provide a collection of clean, conscious, premium sun care and lifestyle products that not only provides the highest level of skincare, but is deeply rooted in eco-conscious principles, through using ingredients which protect both people and the planet. Their sunscreens are reef-friendly, cruelty-free, vegan, water-resistant, and help keep skin moisture-filled, while protecting people from damaging UV rays. What’s more, is that their products come in reusable, refillable, and recyclable aluminium, eradicating the need for single-use plastics.
This year, SunKiss will be providing our players with suncare products in aluminium cans, which can be infinitely refilled. This allows us to look after the wellbeing of our players, ensuring they are well-protected from the deceptively powerful Dubai winter sun, in a sustainable way. For many players and coaches, it might be the first time they have even realised that there is a sustainable alternative to suncare products which normally come packaged in the dreaded single-use plastic, so it reinforces our message about the issues of single-use plastic, and provides another solution to a problem that can be addressed, with the help of fabulous brands like SunKiss.
This area is a key one for us to address, as Dubai is one of the top 10 sunniest places in the world. This means that there are high levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, so the regular use of sunscreen is essential to protect against these rays. And the problem isn’t just for the outdoors: UVA rays (which are responsible for ageing) can penetrate common glass windows found in homes, offices, and cars, so applying suncream will ensure our players are sustainably protected, whether they’re on the team coach (powered by biofuel), or the they’re out on the pitch.
Adam Hose on the warm-up game against Dubai Capitals – Vipers Voices
This episode features an interview with Adam Hose after the batter top-scored with 39 from 21 balls in the Vipers’ warm-up match against the Dubai Capitals at the ICC Academy on Thursday evening.
The match was 14-a-side and both teams had players who batted more than once as they sought middle practice. The Capitals won by 37 runs as their batters went exceptionally hard on a superb pitch and with a very short boundary on one side of the number two oval at the Academy.
The Vipers used nine bowlers with young UAE all-rounder Ali Naseer impressing with the new ball, while spinners Nathan Sowter and Rohan Mustafa took 1 for 15 and 2 for 18 respectively, using the longer square boundary to their advantage.
When the Vipers batted, in addition to Adam, Michael Jones and Sherfane Rutherford also spent useful time in the middle ahead of Sunday’s opener against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.Adam talks with us about lessons learnt from the warm-up match, his time in Australia with the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League and his preparations for the Vipers’ opening match of the tournament, against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday January the 21st.Tickets are on sale for that match and all Vipers outings and can be purchased via the ILT20 website or at any Virgin Megastore in the UAE.
Desert Vipers get some vital match practice ahead of Sunday’s opener
Scores:First Innings:Dubai Capitals: 236/7Top scorers:Sam Billings 57Rovman Powell 53*Bowling:Nathan Sowter 1-15Rohan Mustafa 2-18Bas de Leede 1-20Second Innings:Desert Vipers: 199/9Top Scorers:Adam Hose 39Michael Jones 28Sherfane Rutherford 26The DP World ILT20 gets underway on Friday 19 January and the Desert Vipers’ first match is against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday 21 January.Tickets for all Desert Vipers matches are now on sale and can be purchased via the official DP World ILT20 website or at any Virgin Megastore across the UAE.
