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Cricket All-Stars: Warne's warriors thrash Sachin's Blasters in second T20

Sachin’s Blasters lost again

Warne’s Warriors took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Cricket All-Stars series as they thrashed Sachin’s Blasters by 57 runs at Houston. Kumar Sangakkara’s 70 off 30 balls was ably supported by forties from Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting as the Warriors scored 262, while Andrew Symonds was once again the pick of the bowlers as he finished with four wickets in the match.

After winning the toss and choosing to field, Sachin’s Blasters got off to the worst possible start as they conceded 42 runs off the first four overs. Despite losing both Michael Vaughan and Matthew Hayden in the space of six balls, Warriors still were in command at 68/2 after seven overs.

Kallis and Sangakkara then put on 91 runs for the third wicket in just 7.1 overs before the South African was out for 45. Ponting came in and continued from where Kallis had left off as he scored 41 off just 16 balls before perishing to Lance Klusener.

Ponting and Sangakkara added 69 for the fourth wicket in 3.5 overs and although the southpaw followed Ponting back to the dressing room two balls later, the score was well in excess of 200 already.

Andrew Symonds and Jonty Rhodes provided the final flourish as the last two overs went for 34 runs as Warne’s side ended with 262/5. None of Blasters bowlers were spared as everyone had an economy rate of atleast 10, but Klusener was the most successful as he finished with 45/2 in his three overs.

If the Blasters had to have any chance, they needed their opening pair of Sehwag and Sachin to get them off to a flyer. Unfortunately that never materialised as Sehwag was out in the second over and Sourav Ganguly, who was playing his first match of the series was slo out in the sixth over.

Tendulkar perished trying to press the accelerator in the ninth over as the Warriors spinners, once again put the squeeze on the run scoring. The required run rate which was a tad above 13 at the start of Blasters innings had risen to over 16 at the fall of the third wicket.

Although Brian Lara and Mahela Jayawardene fell cheaply, Klusener, Shaun Pollock and Graeme Swann did their best to save some face for their side. Pollock finished as the side’s top scorer with 55 off 22 balls. The highlight of the day for the Blasters batsmen being the South Africa all-rounder’s three consecutive sixes off Wasim Akram in the penultimate over.

It was too little too late for Sachin’s side as they will head to Los Angeles for the final T20 looking to avoid a whitewash.

Brief Scores: Sachin’s Blasters 205/8 (Pollock 55, Symonds 4-70) lost to Warne‘s Warriors 262/5 (Sangakkara 70, Klusener 2-45) by 57 runs. 

 

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