Dismal Legends awards a win to the determined Stormers

After making a solid score of 97 runs in 10 overs, Legends squandered a great opportunity to score their first win in CCL 6 when they allowed Stormers to storm to their target with a loss of just 1 wicket in 8.5 overs. In a match of missed catches and lost opportunities by both sides, Stormers won by 9 wickets.

On winning the toss, Stormers’ captain Ranjth E decided to field first. For the Legends, Mahadevan and Saleem started the innings. However before they could build a partnership, Renjith K of Stormers gave the first jolt to Legends by removing the skipper Mahadevan for just 2 runs. Three batsmen who followed the fall of that wicket, Latheesh, Ajith and Gireesh, didn’t make a lot of runs as they fell to the bowling of Renjith K and Gopalan. Saleem was waging a lone battle when he got the right support from Henry at the other end. Though he started slowly, Saleem shifted to top gear soon and started hitting fours and sixes at will. In total he hit five 4’s and six 6’s and scored his third 50 of CCL. In the allocated 10 overs, Legends made 97 runs with Saleem top scoring with 71 runs.

Chasing a steep score of 98 runs in 10 overs, Stormers started steadily with their openers Vijai and Ranjith E. They started slowly, yet the two batsmen made sure that they dispatch loose balls to the fence without fail, which they got aplenty. A very dismal performance from the Legends on the field gave a lot of chances for the Stormers’ batsmen to score runs. Ranjith E, who didn’t had a particularly good form in the previous two seasons, made immense of the opportunities he got. He made a match winning fifty that included six 4’s and two 6’s and finished with a personal score of 54 runs in just 29 balls. He was ably supported by Vijai, who hit two 4’s and two 6’s in his quick fire 36. Though Stormers lost Vijai in the last over, they romped home with an easy 9 wicket win.

Ranjith E was adjudged Man of the Match for his brilliant innings.

Significant stats of the match

• Saleem and Ranjith E have three 50’s each now, second only to Sujith’s four 50’s.
• In all three occasions when Saleem made 50, he remained unbeaten.
• Saleem’s score of 71 out of a team total of 97 is the second best of maximum percentage of individual score in a team total (71.19%). Record is being held by Jobins (53 of 72 runs -71.61%), which he made when he was playing for Mystic Warriors against CSEZ Super XI in the first season of CCL in 2009
• 71 runs Saleem made today is the second best individual score in CCL; the first being 84 made by Sujith.
• Today is the first time in CCL history that two 50’s have been scored in a match.

SCOREBOARD

STORMERS WON BY 9 WICKETS