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Capricorn Commanders overcome Gilchrist blitz in thrilling win

by Sandeep Shivam Saturday 30 January 2016

Capricorn Commanders celebrating the victory after a terrific final over from Abdul Razzaq (centre).

©Chris Whiteoak

Adam Gilchrist's (left) 46-ball 57 wasn't enough for Sagittarius Strikers in the chase.

©Chris Whiteoak

Capricorn Commanders 146-5 (Elahi 43no) beat
Sagittarius Strikers 143-6 (Gilchrist 57) by three runs
Fifth match, Masters Champions League, Dubai

Abdul Razzaq bowled a terrific final over conceding just five runs as Capricorn Commanders successfully managed a three-run victory over Sagittarius Strikers despite a spirited fifty from Adam Gilchrist in the fifth game of the Masters Champions League in Dubai.

Capricorn Commanders won the toss and decided to bat first. Ashwell Prince (29) gave a promising start to the innings as he took the Commanders to 44 for naught in the powerplay along with Andrew Symonds (15).

Nathan Hauritz (2-20) created an impact straight away as he dismissed both the openers in his first two overs to restrict the Commanders to 58 for two in nine overs.

The situation went from bad to worse for the Commanders as their skipper Paul Collingwood (3) was run out couple of overs later. Capricorn Commanders were 71 for two after 11 overs.

The Pakistan duo of Saleem Elahi (43 not out) and Abdul Razzaq (39) scored a crucial 64-run stand as they scored three boundaries and three sixes in it.

The last five overs yielded 48 runs for the Commanders as they ended the innings at 146 for five in their allotted 20 overs.

Hauritz was the pick of the Sagittarius Strikers bowlers with two wickets to his name at an economy rate of five.

Rikki Clarke (1-21) bowled a nine-ball first over but he picked the prized wicket of Mahela Jayawardene (0) in the process.

Adam Gilchrist (57) went berserk along with Yasir Hameed (32) to add 42 runs in the next five overs to take the Strikers to 46 for one in the powerplay.

The 68-run stand finally came to an end when Hameed was stumped off a wide by the leg-spin of Upul Chandana (1-18). Sagittarius Strikers needed 74 runs from 54 deliveries at that stage.

Gilchrist then shifted gears as he smashed three boundaries in the next two overs to bring his fifty off 37 deliveries.

But Jeetan Patel (2-19) delivered a telling blow to Sagittarius Strikers by dismissing Jonathan Trott (12) and Gilchrist in the 16th over.

With 40 needed in the final four overs, Ben Laughlin (1-27) bowled a terrific 17th over where he conceded just four runs while dismissing Phil Mustard (1) in it.

Michael Carberry (19) and Yasir Arafat () plundered 27 runs in the next two overs to bring down the target to nine runs in the final over.

However, Razzaq (1-5) bowled a splendid final over in which he gave just five runs and dismissed Carberry as well to ensure a three-run victory for Capricorn Commanders.

Patel was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets while conceding just 19 runs in the four overs but Razzaq’s final over deserves a special mention as well.

The victory as taken the Capricorn Commanders to the second place in the points table while the Stirkes move down to fourth.