Warriors thump Redbacks by 50 runs

Hyderabad: A balzing knock from Jon-Jon Smuts and a disciplined bowling performance helped Warriors to register a comprehensive 50-run win over the South Australia Redbacks in their Champions League Twenty20 match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Electing to bat first, Warriors rode on a 65-ball 85 from Jon Jon Smuts and contributions from Colin Ingram (30 off 24 balls) and Mark Boucher (34 off 26 balls) to post a daunting 171 for 5 off 20 overs.

The Redbacks, in reply, could only manage 121 for six as the Warriors clinched their second successive win of the tournament.

Chasing 172 to win, Redbacks lost wickets at regular interval and only managed 121/6 in 20 overs.

Left-arm seamer Lonwabo Tsotsobe was the most successful bowler with figures of two for 30 off four overs but he was well-supported as seamer Rusty Theron (4-0-21-1), off-spinner Johan Botha (3-0-11-1) and left-arm quick Wayne Parnell (4-0-17-1) all played their part in restricting the Redbacks.

Redbacks lost wickets regularly with only opener Michael Klinger offering some resistance with 34 off 29 balls.

Opening bat Smuts was the star of the Warriors' innings and he struck 10 fours and two sixes during his knock as he helped the South African team to recover from the early loss of Ashwell Prince (3) who was yorked by speedster Shaun Tait.

Smuts combined well with Ingram, putting on 73 in 52 balls for the second wicket. Smuts brought up his half-century off 40 deliveries but Ingram, who scored 30 off 24 balls, departed in the search for quick runs when he picked out the fielder at deep midwicket off the bowling of Harris.

But there was no stopping Smutt and Warriors, as Smuts then found a willing partner in Mark Boucher and the duo built on the good work started by Ingram and Smuts with a third-wicket partnership of 80 off 8.4 overs.

Boucher was content_cn to play supporting role for much of the stand but he contributed key 34 runs off 26 balls before he was caught in the covers off the penultimate ball of the innings, bowled by seamer Daniel Christian.

On a slowish wicket, Harris and Christian managed to keep the batsmen under control but the quicker bowlers went for plenty as Redbacks were left with a mountain to climb. Daniel Harris (2-23) and Daniel Christian (2-24) were the pick of the Redbacks bowlers.

Warriors have now won both their league games having beaten Royal Challengers Bangalore in the tournament opener on Friday.

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