Mascarenhas, Marsh do it for Kings XI


Dimitri Mascarenhas and Shaun Marsh set up an easy win for Kings XI Punjab, their first of this IPL season. Mascarenhas recorded his second five-for in T20, as conditions were ideal for his accurate medium pace. He helped bowl out Pune Warriors for 115, and Shaun Marsh scored a calm half-century to mark his return to form.

On a lively, grassy Mohali pitch, the Kings XI seamers ensured their skipper’s decision to field was correct, as they earned swing and movement and picked up wickets at regular intervals.

Jesse Ryder was run out thanks to a late decision against a single by Sourav Ganguly, then Praveen Kumar, Parvinder Awana and Mascarenhas slowed down the innings with skilful bowling.

Having promised much with some delightful shots, Ganguly was dismissed by Mascarenhas. He dismissed Ganguly with away movement that produced a leading edge, and dismissed a nervous Marlon Samuels with one that clipped off stump.

Uthappa had to rein in his natural instincts but found a good ally in Mithun Manhas, whose swift running and busy approach didn’t allow his side to buckle down significantly.

The 26-run stand for the fifth wicket ended when Uthappa holed out against Mascarenhas in his second spell and Steven Smith was bowled off an inside edge.

Mascarenhas returned to trouble the Warriors in his final spell, and wasn’t perturbed when struck for a huge six over extra cover by Manhas. He stuck to a straight line, bowling Manhas the next ball as he tried the scoop, and picked his fifth as Rahul Sharma skied to deep midwicket.

Apart from a first-ball setback when Paul Valthaty was bowled by Ashok Dinda, Kings XI stayed on course. Marsh began well, pulling Dinda through midwicket. The Warriors’ fielding was shoddy, with misfields, overthrows, a missed run out and two dropped catches hindering progress.

Together with Adam Gilchrist, Marsh saw off the early pressure with two crunching boundaries off Samuels through the off side and Gilchrist matched him, smacking Angelo Mathews for successive fours in the last over of the field restrictions. Marsh, who was reprieved when on 31 and 41, was ruthless when offered width and his adeptness at playing the pull allowed the Warriors bowlers little margin for error. Both timing and power were on display, a classy flick over midwicket off Nehra and a towering six over long-on off Rahul Sharma typifying those features.

Chawla, promoted above David Hussey, gave Marsh good company and sealed the win, the Warriors doing their bit to hasten it through some sloppy fielding.

IPL

– Pune Warriors 115 (Mascarenhas 5/25). Kings XI Punjab 116/3 (Marsh 64*). Kings XI Punjab won by 7 wickets (with 14 balls remaining)

County championship

– Somerset 147 (Philander 38; Wright 4/47). Warwickshire 111/3.

– Nottinghamshire 161. Durham 55/3.

– Derbyshire 1130 (Wagg 6/44). Glamorgan 37/4.

– Gloucestershire 195/4 (Dent 59*, Cockbain 52*). Vs Hampshire.

– Lancashire 124 (Croft 50; Anyon 5/36). Sussex 137/4.

– Middlesex 225/9 (Malan 62*). Vs Surrey.

– Northamptonshire 132. Kent 127/3. — Cricket Reporter, SportsCentral

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