We played terribly: Petersen

Johannesburg - Highveld Lions captain Alviro Petersen criticised his team after they were convincingly beaten by the Sydney Sixers in the Champions League T20 final at the Wanderers on Sunday.

The Lions had lost only one match in the group stages, going down by five wickets against the Sixers in Cape Town, and they were crushed by the same side in the tournament decider as the Australian outfit won by 10 wickets with more than seven overs to spare.

“It just felt like we kept our worst game for last, which is always a pity," Petersen said.

"We [never] started well, whereas in all the other games we started well.

" You can’t really put your finger to it. It could be the occasion.

"I’m not sure, but we just played some terrible cricket.”

Petersen was nonetheless pleased with the Lions' performances earlier in the tournament.

“I can’t be [angry] because at the start of this tournament, if you said we would play in the final, I would have told you that you were smelling your socks or something.

"I'm just disappointed - to go out like this is a bitter pill to swallow.

“As a team we’ve really played nicely. Different guys stood up at different times for us in every single game.

"Our bowling department has been good, our batters have scored some runs and our fielding up until today was spot on.

“I’m actually pretty chuffed with the way the guys have performed and the way they stood up throughout this tournament.”

The Sixers opted for spin from both ends at the start of the Lions' innings, but Petersen did not consider using Aaron Phangiso in the same role, believing the quick bowlers would be more effective under lights.

“When the sun was out earlier the ball just gripped a bit and then in the evening it just skids on," the skipper said.

"We knew that if we had to do something, it would probably be our seamers.

“I thought they bowled nicely in that first couple of overs. A couple of balls went past the edge, but then again, you make your own luck in this game.”

The Lions’ focus now shifts to the domestic One-day Cup. They play their opening match against the Titans in Centurion on Friday.