Sydney Sixers produced a clinical all-round display to clinch the Champions League Twenty20 title with a thumping 10-wicket victory over Highveld Lions in a lopsided summit clash here on Sunday.
Sixers first rode on a brilliant bowling display by spinner Nathan McCullum (three for 24) and pacer Josh Hazlewood (three for 22) to dismiss Lions for a modest 121 after electing to field.
The Australian side overhauled the target with 7.3 overs to spare, thanks to some powerful hitting by openers Michael Lumb and Brad Haddin who added 124 runs.
Lumb annihilated the Lions with eight fours and five sixes in his 42-ball 82 while Haddin blasted four boundaries and a six in his 33-ball 37. The opening duo was particularly harsh on Chris Morris and Aaron Phangiso as the two conceded 54 in just four overs.
Lumb finished things off in style, blasting Pretorius for a six over deep midwicket off the first ball, pulling the next over fine leg for another six and sending the third delivery to the boundary to trigger celebrations in the Sixers camp.
Terrible start
Earlier, Sixers broke the backbone of the Lions batting, reducing it to nine for four off just 3.3 overs.
Opener Gulam Bodi started with a six off McCullum, but he was sent packing off the very next delivery. Quinton de Kock fell to a stunning catch by Steve O’Keefe off Hazlewood. Three balls later, Hazlewood reduced Lions to eight for three when he dismissed dangerman Neil McKenzie.
Petersen was the next to go when he edged O’Keefe to McCullum at first slip.
Jean Symes top-scored with a 46-ball 51 to help Lions put up a decent total. He added 23 with Sohail Tanvir for the fifth wicket to begin the recovery process.
Symes then forged a 41-run partnership with Thami Tsolekile for the sixth wicket and 38 with Dwaine Pretorius for the seventh to help Lions cross the 100-mark. Symes hit eight fours in his knock.
Lumb, Starc win honours
Lumb (226 runs) received the Golden Bat for being the highest scorer in the competition while teammate Mitchell Starc (14 wickets) took home the Golden Wicket.
The latter was named ‘man of the tournament.’
The scores: Highveld Lions: A. Petersen c McCullum b O’Keefe 1, G. Bodi c Rohrer b McCullum 6, Q. de Kock c O’Keefe b Hazlewood 1, N. McKenzie c Rohrer b Hazlewood 0, S. Tanvir lbw b McCullum 11, J. Symes c Haddin b Hazlewood 51, T. Tsolekile c O’Keefe b McCullum 20, D. Pretorius (run out) 21, C. Morris (run out) 5, A. Phangiso c Hazlewood b Starc 3, D. Nannes (not out) 0; Extras (lb-1, w-1): 2; Total (in 20 overs): 121.
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-8, 3-8, 4-9, 5-32, 6-73, 7-111, 8-112, 9-120.
Sydney Sixers bowling: McCullum 4-0-24-3, O’Keefe 4-0-11-1, Hazlewood 4-1-22-3, Starc 4-0-36-1, Cummins 4-0-27-0.
Sydney Sixers: M. Lumb (not out) 82, B. Haddin (not out) 37; Extras (lb-1, w-4): 5; Total (for no loss in 12.3 overs): 124.
Highveld Lions bowling: Tanvir 3-0-16-0, Nannes 4-0-28-0, Morris 2-0-25-0, Phangiso 2-0-29-0, Symes 1-0-9-0, Pretorius 0.3-0-16-0.
Man-of-the-match: M. Lumb; Man-of-the-tournament: M. Starc.
