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MI vs LIONS, Group B at Johannesburg, , Oct 14 2012 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
Group B (D/N), Johannesburg, October 14, 2012, Champions League Twenty20
(18.5/20 ov, T:158) 158/2

LIONS won by 8 wickets (with 7 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
68* (41)
neil-mckenzie
New
LIONS
Full commentary

Anand: "De Kock for IPL."

121-run stand there between McKenzie and de Kock means that both IPL teams have lost today.

Suresh: "McKenzie just shows hitting sixes is not the only way to score in t20s...better timed and placement boundaries would do easily!!"

Raja: "Simon is happy man :-) Both teams lost."

Zainuddin: "@Matt. de Kock should thank Bodi for saving him from facing Malinga oops Malinga should thank Bodi from saving him for de Kock."

Post-match presentation:

Harbhajan: "I think we didn't look to attack their spinners, he got away with 15 runs for four overs. McKenzie played superbly, along with another youngster. Mitchell Johnson was the only left-hand batsman we had, overall Lions played much better than us, they know the conditions better than us. credit to them. We need to play better cricket. There was a bit of dew, but we can't complain about that."

Petersen: "We are very happy. I thought the first 5-6 overs they dominated, but then Phangiso brought us back in it. We had our plans, and we just wanted to execute, we did it today. de Kock is obviously a good player, he hits the ball sweet, McKenzie played like a young man, he showed again what a player he is. We know what we are about, what sort of cricket we can play. We put the bowling together from over five or six."

Man of the Match is Neil McKenzie: "I'm just enjoying my cricket. de Kock is really an exceptional talent, got a good head for him, can hit the ball a long way, a nice leader for the future. We knew we had to be on our game today, even though there were quite a few Sachin Tendulkar fans out there, nice to win on our patch."

Righto, that's a wrap from the Sunday's matches. Thanks for joining us for the ride. Last word goes to Steve, who says: "McKenzie redefines T20. Finesse still counts."

18.5
1
Malinga to McKenzie, 1 run

Lions have done it again, they have beaten a fancied Mumbai Indians line-up, McKenzie pulls that to deep square leg to pull off a clinical victory, outstanding innings from McKenzie, who rarely looked to muscle the ball, relying on his touch and placement to frustrate Mumbai

18.4
1
Malinga to de Kock, 1 run

pushed towards mid-off, straight to Harbhajan, who fires in a throw to concede an overthrow, the scores are level, the Wanderers waits in expectation

18.3
2
Malinga to de Kock, 2 runs

gets to his half-century with a tuck towards square leg, two to go now

18.2
4
Malinga to de Kock, FOUR runs

take that, Lions within a stroke of victory now, that was overpitched from Malinga, de Kock bends his knee and launches that over extra cover, one-bounce four

18.1
2
Malinga to de Kock, 2 runs

slower ball, short of a length, on off stump, worked for a single, but then there is an overthrow, only eight away now the Lions

end of over 189 runs
LIONS: 148/2CRR: 8.22 RRR: 5.00
Neil McKenzie67 (40b 12x4)
Quinton de Kock42 (29b 4x4 2x6)
Mitchell Johnson 3-0-20-0
Harbhajan Singh 4-0-36-1
17.6
Johnson to McKenzie, no run

shuffles across and looks to sweep after getting on one knee, he misses that outside-off delivery

Anirudh: "The last time these 2 teams played, Neil McKenzie was there at the end as well, having hammered the MI bowling."

17.5
4
Johnson to McKenzie, FOUR runs

length ball on off stump, smashes that one to the midwicket boundary, once more the placement is spot on from McKenzie

17.4
1
Johnson to de Kock, 1 run

whipped towards deep square leg for a single

17.3
Johnson to de Kock, no run

looks to whip that length ball to the leg side, edges it onto his pads, the ball lodges between his knee and his left pad, no run to be had

17.2
4
Johnson to de Kock, FOUR runs

four more, this time it is de Kock, pummels a length ball to the wide long-on boundary, plays that on the up, the Lions dug-out is jubilant

17.1
Johnson to de Kock, no run

a yorker to start the over from Mitchell, dug out by de Kock

end of over 1716 runs
LIONS: 139/2CRR: 8.17 RRR: 6.33
Neil McKenzie63 (38b 11x4)
Quinton de Kock37 (25b 3x4 2x6)
Harbhajan Singh 4-0-36-1
Dhawal Kulkarni 3-0-37-0

Sami: "Carnage out there!! Why isn't Neil playing for South Africa? He is perfect for the T20 squad atleast!"

16.6
Harbhajan to McKenzie, no run

plays that late, almost too late, guides it off off stump towards short third man for a single, Harbhajan finishes with 4-0-36-1

16.5
4
Harbhajan to McKenzie, FOUR runs

this time he connects with the reverse-sweep, perfectly placed there, picks up his fourth boundary of the over, behind point this time

16.4
Harbhajan to McKenzie, no run

looks for the reverse-sweep, misses this time

16.3
4
Harbhajan to McKenzie, FOUR runs

three in a row now, another sweep, another dive from the fielder, this time it is Pollard at midwicket, past his outstretched hand

16.2
4
Harbhajan to McKenzie, FOUR runs

toying with the bowling here, McKenzie is in awesome touch, a full ball on the pads, a single-handed sweep and this time, Ojha has to run to his right, a ball after he was haring to his left, once more he can't reach it, four more

16.1
4
Harbhajan to McKenzie, FOUR runs

fro mround the wicket, a sensational shot from McKenzie, this has been a sublime innings from him, showing that T20 is not all about power, supreme placement as he clips that ball from beyond leg to the deep backward square leg boundary

35 off 24 now. Harbhajan to bowl. Every ball above 100kph in this over?

end of over 1617 runs
LIONS: 123/2CRR: 7.68 RRR: 8.75
Neil McKenzie47 (32b 7x4)
Quinton de Kock37 (25b 3x4 2x6)
Dhawal Kulkarni 3-0-37-0
Kieron Pollard 2-0-21-0
15.6
1
Kulkarni to McKenzie, 1 run

inside-edges it onto the pads

15.5
4
Kulkarni to McKenzie, FOUR runs

McKenzie is playing a superb innings here, shuffles forward and pulls that powerfully in front of square leg for four, the third boundary of the over, Kulkarni under pressure

15.4
4
Kulkarni to McKenzie, FOUR runs

Smith has been superb in the field so far, not this time, McKenzie whips this with minimal back lift towards deep square leg, Smith had that covered, or so you thought, that bursts through his hands

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Champions League Twenty20

Group A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
DC420121.440
TITNS42110-0.017
KKR41260.488
PS4126-0.474
AUCK4126-0.963
Group B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SS440161.656
LIONS431120.140
CSK4228-0.049
MI4032-0.471
YORKS4032-1.791
Qualifying Pool 1
TEAMMWLPTNRR
AUCK22081.904
Sia2114-0.511
HANTS2020-1.331
Qualifying Pool 2
TEAMMWLPTNRR
YORKS22080.507
UvNxt2012-0.244
T&T2012-0.777