Foxes crash to defeat in semi final
Source -
cricket20.com
Hasantha Fernando turned in a fine all-round performance to shatter Leicestershire Foxes hopes of reaching the final of the International 20:20 Club Championship.
Hasantha Fernando turned in a fine all-round performance to shatter Leicestershire Foxes hopes of reaching the final of the International 20:20 Club Championship at Grace Road.
The Sri Lankan star was named man-of-the-match for scoring valuable runs and then claiming three crucial wickets as the Chilaw Marians clinched a 9-run victory in a low-scoring game.
It meant the Foxes slumped to 103 all out after the Marians had managed only 112-9 in their 20 overs.
Fernando claimed 3-22 from his four overs while Manoj Chanaka accounted for Darren Maddy and Hylton Ackerman.
Leicestershire skipper Ackerman was the only frontline batsman to reach double figures and that left the lower order with too much to do as the Marians kept a tight grip on the scoring.
Despite a brief flurry from Paul Nixon and last man Charl Willoughby, the Foxes fell 10 short of their target and that to led wild celebrations among the Sri Lankans, who had looked dejected figures when they lost in a bowl out on the opening day of the tournament.
In contrast, Leicestershire’s mood had changed dramatically after David Masters had produced remarkable figures of 3-7 from his four overs to boost their hopes of reaching the final.
Leicestershire’s Player of the Year tore the heart out of the Chilaw Marians batting and was backed up by Charl Willoughby who claimed two early victims as the seamers extracted early life from the wicket.
The Marians had chosen to bat first in glorious sunny conditions, but they didn’t find batting easy and only Fernando, who hit two sixes off Dinesh Mongia, offered any resistance with 38.
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