Dubai: The Leo Lions earned the right to meet the Gemini Arabians in the final of the inaugural Masters Champions League (MCL) at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
In Friday night’s second semi-final, the Brain Lara-led Leo Lions secured a 17-run win over the Virgo Super Kings to ensure their place against the Virender Sehwag-led Gemini Arabians.
In search of a modest target of 140 for a win, the injury plagued Virgo Super Kings folded up at 122 for 9 with an injured skipper Graeme Smith the mainstay for the Virgo Super Kings with 39 runs from 32 balls, including four boundaries and one six.
With Smith and Jacob Oram playing with groin strains the Super Kings had things further stacked against them. There was no rearguard action from the tail and the Virgo Super Kings ended at 122 for 9 to fall short by 17 runs in the end.
Fidel Edwards was the one who rattled the Virgo Super Kings early sending back Neil MacKenzie and Humayun Farhat in quick succession and only 13 runs on the board. And then it was Kyle Jarvis who came and mopped up the tail picking up three wickets for 17, while Scott Styris, Robin Peterson and Johan Botha took one apiece.
“I thought we bowled really well to restrict them. Probably the difference was due to James Franklin as he was hitting the ball well. We had a real chance today, but we lost it in the middle overs and kept on losing wickets at crucial junctures,” Virgo Super Kings skipper Graeme Smith explained.
“Our batting was probably our weakest link in their tournament. Most of the times it was a mystery to us,” he added.
Earlier, the Leo Lions rode on a classy unbeaten 65 runs from 48 balls from James Franklin to put up 139 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. With Brett Lee in full flow the Leo Lions faltered with their top three batsmen back in the pavilion and only 34 runs on the board.
But Franklin stuck in there and steadied the ship with a responsible knock to ensure a modest total in the end.
Lee bagged three wickets for 31 runs, while Oram, Azhar Mahmood, Gareth Batty and Malinga Bandara picked up one each for the Lions.
Brian Lara explained that the key in defending the modest total was to put the Super Kings under pressure from the start. “I told the guys that we should let them make the mistakes. The first two wickets put them under pressure and after that we did well to pin them further,” Lara said.
But with a star-studded Gemini Arabians awaiting them in Saturday’s final, Lara knows his Lions will have to be at their best. “We need to organize ourselves in the batting.
Taylor, Marshall and I have to score runs and then we can have the confidence in our bowlers to see us through,” he said.
Brief Scores
Leo Lions def. Virgo Super Kings by 17 runs: Leo Lions 139 for 7 in 20 overs (James Franklin 65 not out; Brett Lee 3-31) Virgo Super Kings 122 for 9 in 20 overs (Graeme Smith 39, Hasan Raza 19; Kyle Jarvis 3-17, Fidel Edwards 2-36, Robin Peterson 2-10). Man of the Match: James Franklin (Leo Lions).
Saturday’s final (7.30 pm):
Leo Lions vs Gemini Arabians
