RAIPUR (India): Northern Knights crushed Lahore Lions by 72 runs in their qualifying round match of the Champions League T20 encounter here on Sunday.

The New Zealand side rode on brilliant half-centuries from B.J. Watling and skipper Daniel Flynn, to post 170-6 after Lions skipper Mohammad Hafeez opted to field in overcast conditions at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium.

Chasing 171, the Lions were never in the hunt as New Zealand Test seamers Tim Southee and Trent Boult removed the top five batsmen for 20 runs in six devastating overs. Barring Saad Nasim no one else could enter double figures.

Saad was last out for a gallant 58 from 40 deliveries when he was run out by Boult. He slammed four boundaries and one six.

It was a highly surprising performance by the Pakistan domestic T20 champions as they had come into this match at the back of a convincing win over defending champions Mumbai Indians on Saturday.

Earlier, the Lions recovered from 60 for three through Flynn and Watling with both making 53 apiece while adding 90 for the fourth wicket. Flynn was stumped by Umar Akmal of Adnan Rasool after striking five fours and two sixes in his 30-ball knock.

Watling was caught in the deep by Ahmed Shehzad off paceman Aizaz Cheema after hitting seven fours and one six during his 37-ball innings.

Meanwhile, the Lions ran out comfortable winners against Mumbai Indians. Set to chase a modest 136 against a testing and experienced bowling attack, the Lions played smart cricket, timed their acceleration perfectly and ensured they finished the contest with two points on the board.

Ahmed Shehzad (34 from 33 balls) and Nasir Jamshed (26 from 24) set the tone before Umar Akmal opened his shoulders thereafter and in the company of Asif Raza saw the team past the finish line with eight balls to spare.

Umar, who remained unbeaten on 38 (18 balls), finished the match in style by slamming Jasprit Bumrah for two boundaries and a six, while Asif Raza remained undefeated on 14.

Harbhajan Singh and Ojha were Mumbai Indians’ best bowlers, finishing with combined figures of 8-0-44-3.

After being put in to bat, Mumbai Indians never got going after they had slumped to 23-3 in the space of nine deliveries.

The partial recovery came through a 44-run partnership between Michael Hussey and Aditya Tare, with both players making useful contributions. Hussey (28 from 26 balls) was fourth batsman to be dismissed when he edged Wahab Riaz’s second delivery to the wicket-keeper.

Tare carried on until the eighteenth over before holing out to the man at midwicket. He made 37 from 36 balls, studded with two boundaries and as many sixes to help his team reach 135-7.

Four of the six Lahore Lions bowers who bowled finished with an economy rate of six or lesser. Aizaz Cheema was the most successful bowler for the visitors returning with figures of two for 22 from his four overs, while Wahab Riaz (2-31) and Imran Ali (1-22) too chipped in with wickets.

Brief scores:

Northern Knights beat Lahore Lions by 72 runs.

NORTHERN KNIGHTS 170-6 in 20 overs (B.J. Watling 53, D.R. Flynn 53, D.J. Harris 20; Aizaz Cheema 3-35); LAHORE LIONS 98 in 18 overs (Saad Nasim 58; T.G. Southee 3-22, T.A. Boult 2-12, I.S. Sodhi 2-30).

Lahore Lions beat Mumbai Indians by six wickets.

MUMBAI INDIANS 135-7 in 20 overs (A.P. Tare 37, M.E.K. Hussey 28, P. Kumar 20 not out; Aizaz Cheema 2-22, Wahab Riaz 2-31); LAHORE LIONS 137-4 in 18.4 overs (Umar Akmal 38 not out, Ahmed Shehzad 34, Nasir Jamshed 26; P.P. Ojha 2-18).

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2014