Daredevils go down in Delhi

Delhi - Rob Quiney’s 33-ball 40 set the platform for the Victoria Bushrangers to beat the Delhi Daredevils by seven wickets in their Champions Trophy Twenty20 match at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium on Friday. 

The Australian team romped home with twenty balls to spare as they casually met a below-par target of 99 runs.

Quiney’s innings included four boundaries and three sixes before he attempted an awkward shot, swinging across the line and lost his middle stump.

Amit Mishra and Tillakaratne Dilshan took two quick wickets in the middle of the chase, but the outcome was never threatened, and captain Cameron White (22) and Aiden Blizzard (15) saw the team home.

Earlier, a star-studded Delhi Daredevils – including ten current internationals – could only muster a mere 98 for eight as they were made to struggle by disciplined bowling and their innings never really took off as they lost wickets at regular intervals.

A philosophical Gautam Gambhir said after the match, "We need to keep winning from now. Hopefully, we can turn it around. We were looking for 130-140, but we just didn't bat well."

White commented, "We very pretty nervous and pumped up. We played pretty well, we can get a bit better in a couple of areas. We bowled very well, and to restrict Delhi for under 100 was a good effort."

Virender Sehwag started off like a house on fire, but an outstanding caught and bowl opportunity from man-of-the-match Clint McKay saw the opener back in the hut for 21 off only 15 deliveries.

Two overs later McKay sent Owais Shah packing without scoring, and a poorly judged single saw the end of Dinesh Karthik, putting Delhi in trouble on 47 for four after eight overs.

McKay then bagged the prized scalp of Dilshan, dislodging his off stump for only 18 runs. The 26-year old fast bowler to end up with figures of 3/17.

Andrew McDonald finished off the innings, cleaning up the woodwork of both Rajat Bhatia and Pradeep Sangwan in the final over.

Mithun Manhas was the top scorer for the home team, with 25 cautious runs.

Speaking at the after-match presentation, McKay was full of praise for India and his team mates.

"It's a great country to tour and a great place to play cricket. It all worked out well today, and there were people like Siddle who gave me plenty of advise."

Teams:

Delhi Daredevils: G Gambhir (capt), V Sehwag, TM Dilshan, KD Karthik (wk), OA Shah, M Manhas, R Bhatia, A Mishra, PJ Sangwan, DP Nannes, A Nehra

Victoria: BJ Hodge, RJ Quiney, AC Blizzard, DJ Hussey, CL White (capt), AB McDonald, MS Wade (wk), CJ McKay, SM Harwood, JM Holland, PM Siddle