MINYvSFU report: Pollard smashes, David tonks, but 216-run target too steep
By MI New York Media
A minor blip, nothing more. A high-scoring encounter, and our batters really tried, but alas, coming close wasn’t enough. We started off in style with the ball, finished in style with the bat, but in those middle overs, lost our way a bit.
The Polly show
Oh we know how much we’ve missed these. Although the asking rate was touching 15rpo, there was hope. In fact there was more than hope, there was the belief that Pollard would take us over. He’s spoilt us over the years in the IPL with his takedown of bowlers. Walking in at 64/3 in the ninth over, he didn’t have much of a choice. Time wasn’t a luxury. Ah, he didn’t need it. He started off his rampage right from the start – four fours, two sixes, in a 27-ball 48.
Tim, Tim!
It started off as a support act to Polly. 1 off 4. 7 off 9. 13 off 13. But after the skipper fell in the 18th over, David just went into beast mode. 60 runs were needed off the final two overs, Haris Rauf was bowling the 19th, and he was in for some special treatment. Two massive sixes and a flat one-bounced four into deep mid-wicket, before tonking another couple of maximums against Marcus Stoinis in the final over.
A dream start
It indeed was the perfect start we could have hoped for. After the Unicorns opted to bat first, our bowlers had them on the mat at 22/3, with Rabada and Boult combining to send their top three in Finn Allen, Matthew Wade and Stoinis back. Their skipper, Aaron Finch, didn’t last long either. It soon became 50/4. However, sadly, a rearguard came. Corey Anderson and Shadab Khan didn’t just rebuild. They counter-attacked, and how. 91 off 52 for the former. 61 off 30 for the latter. And together, they’d taken SFU to a whopping 215-run score.
Again, just to reiterate, this is just the beginning. In a short tournament such as this, matches come thick and fast, and we need to ensure we brush this off and get on the winning horse. We know the MI spirit. We know the MI brand of cricket. In Polly and Co., we trust fully. Against LA Knight Riders in less than 48 hours, we will be back. OH, WE WILL BE BACK.
