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An easy outing for Rockets

K.C. Vijaya Kumar

Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Rockets found the right propulsion through openers Murray Goodwin and Ryan Campbell to upset fancied Royal Bengal Tigers in an Indian Cricket League (ICL) match at the Sardar Patel Stadium, here on Wednesday.

Ahmedabad Rockets won by 10 wickets as league topper Royal Bengal Tigers suffered its first defeat from four matches.

Ahmedabad Rockets’ second victory from five matches proved to be a smooth ride right from the moment Goodwin 61 n.o. (38b, 10x4, 1x6) and Campbell 66 n.o. (35b, 8x4, 4x6) clattered 30 runs from the first two overs while chasing 131.

The trio of Abu Nechim, Sujay Tarafdar and Andre Adams were bruised with drives and pulls and the odd edge that flew over first slip made it worse for Royal Bengal Tigers.

Campbell swatted left-arm spinner Shivsagar Singh for two sixes as neither pace or spin impeded Ahmedabad Rocket’s searing flight into victory’s orbit. Campbell reached his 50 in style, triggering a scramble for the ball in the stands over mid-wicket, while Upul Chandana sulked.

The highest opening partnership of 137 runs in the brief history of ICL, helped Ahmedabad Rockets win in 12 overs with Goodwin’s six off Abhishek Jhunjhunwala

A sluggish start

Opting to bat, Royal Bengal Tigers scored 131 in 20 overs after suffering a sluggish start.

Deep Dasgupta drove the first ball bowled by Jason Gillespie for four but was also the first to go when he tried to steer Rakesh Patel and got castled.

At the other end, Hamish Marshall (20) failed to beat Bhima Rao’s throw and Jhunjhunwala pulled Heath Streak to a waiting Damien Martyn at short mid-wicket.

At 51 for three, skipper Craig McMillan (21) and Rohan Gavaskar (15) joined forces in a 43-run fourth-wicket partnership. McMillan milked left-arm spinner Sumit Kaliya for runs and enjoyed a reprieve when a diving R.S. Sodhi grassed him near the mid-wicket fence and the ball flipped over for a six.

However, there was no such luck when McMillan swung his bat at S. Sriram and the ball deflected onto his stumps.

Meanwhile, Gavaskar, after despatching Kalia over mid-wicket, charged at off-spinner Bhima Rao and got stumped. Lance Klusener’s 20 added sting to the tail before he became Bhima Rao’s fourth victim.

The scores: Royal Bengal Tigers 131 in 20 overs (Craig McMillan 21, Hamish Marshall 20, Lance Klusener 20, Bhima Rao four for 15, S. Sriram two for 23) lost to Ahmedabad Rockets 137 for no loss in 12 overs (Ryan Campbell 66 n.o., Murray Goodwin 61 n.o.).

Thursday’s match: Mumbai Champs vs. Lahore Badshahs, 7.30 p.m.

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