Hussey stands out in stand-in role

Posted In : Sports
(added 26 Apr 2012)

Hussey stands out in stand-in role

Rohit Sharma hit an attractive 50 off 30 balls as Mumbai Indians chased down the target of 169 runs at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium. Sharma led the chase but it took unbeaten cameos from Ambati Rayudu (30) and Robin Peterson (16) to guide Mumbai to 171-6 in 19.5 overs after the home team was restricted to 3-168.

Mumbai now have eight points, with four wins and three losses, while Punjab have six points with three wins and five losses. The second game of the day, between two-time defending champions Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, was abandoned without a delivery being bowled because of rain at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

Chennai and Bangalore shared two points and are now both on nine points with four wins and three losses from nine games each. At Mohali, Hussey, leading Punjab in the absence of Australian compatriot Adam Gilchrist who was nursing a hamstring injury, boosted the total with some lusty shots that included four sixes and four fours.

Hussey added 89 for the unbroken fourth wicket with South African David Miller, who made a quick 17-ball 34 with three sixes and one four, ending the innings with two consecutive sixes off pace bowler Munaf Patel. In response, Rayudu and Peterson took 27 runs off the 19th over bowled by legspinner Piyush Chawla to tilt the scales and help Mumbai avenge their six-wicket loss to Punjab in their previous game at Mumbai three days ago.

Mumbai needed a challenging 32 off the last two overs until left-hander Peterson produced two switch-hits for boundaries and then a six over the mid-wicket fence to turn the tide back in its favour. Rayudu also produced two sixes in the over to leave just six runs to get off the last over bowled by Azhar Mahmood. "The penultimate over really turned the tide," Hussey said. "You try and bowl your best bowler in the penultimate over, Chawla bowled well earlier but they got stuck in."

(added 26 Apr 2012) / 1061 views

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