Beer ensures Scorchers don't end flat

Michael Beer, Auckland v Perth Scorchers
3 for 13

It wasn't a happy Champions League Twenty20 for Perth Scorchers. They lost their first and third games, their second match was washed out, and they were already out of the tournament when they faced Auckland for their last group game.

They were also hit by issues with team discipline that captain Marcus North later said had compromised their preparation for the tournament. The decision to leave out both Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, and Nathan Rimmington against Auckland led to speculation that those were the players who had breached team protocol, especially since the Marsh brothers have been in trouble for misbehaviour previously.

Amid all this, left-arm spinner Michael Beer put in a match-winning performance to ensure Scorchers left South Africa with something to feel pleased about. At 61 for 1 after nine overs, Auckland were on course in their chase of 141, when Beer induced a brain fade from Martin Guptill. Guptill charged the left-arm spinner, and though he was beaten by Beer's flight and turn, he went through with his slog and nicked to Luke Ronchi.

Beer took out Auckland's MVP Azhar Mahmood in his next over, having him caught by a diving Herschelle Gibbs at cover. Those wickets slowed Auckland down and they managed only 31 runs between the 10th and 16th overs.

Beer ended Auckland's last hope in his final over when he squeezed in a yorker under the bat of their captain Gareth Hopkins, who charged out and lost his off stump. Beer finished with 3 for 13 as Scorchers won comfortably by 16 runs to avoid finishing last in Group A.