Ponting guides run chase after leg-spinner grabs three wickets in response to Sehwag’s fifty
A composed unbeaten innings from former Australia Test captain Ricky Ponting has steered Warne’s Warriors to victory in the first T20 All Stars clash in New York.
Shane Warne was named man-of-the-match for figures of 3-20 from four overs in a total of 8-140 posted by Sachin’s Blasters, which the Warriors chased down with 16 balls and six wickets to spare.
The match was played in front of a raucous crowd of 36,000 people at Citi Field, leading both Warne and co-organiser Sachin Tendulkar to declare the event a success.
The New York clash is the first of three matches to be played in the United States this month, which are aimed at generating a greater supporter base for the game in America. Ponting led the way in the Warriors’ run chase with an unbeaten 48 from just 38 balls, including three sixes.
“I know I’ll be stiff and sore tomorrow,” Ponting said afterwards. “I haven’t done anything for three years.”
Pakistani fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar was the star with the ball for the Blasters, bowling with pace beyond his 40 years and taking 2-26 from four overs.
Warne had earlier turned back the clock with three wickets as his side restricted the Blasters at what is normally the home of baseball team the New York Mets.
Warne picked up the wickets of Tendulkar, Brian Lara and VVS Laxman to turn the match his side’s way after Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag had got the Blasters off to a rapid start.
The Indian duo put on 85 in eight overs for the first wicket with Sehwag smashing six sixes and three fours in his innings of 55 from just 22 balls.
Tendulkar scored 26 but he and Mahela Jaywardene (18) were the only other batsmen to score more than 15.
Warne had Tendulkar brilliantly caught at cover by Jacques Kallis before he trapped Lara in front for 1 and then had Laxman stumped for 8.
The leg-spinner finished with 3-20 from four overs while countryman Andrew Symonds also picked up three wickets. Ponting shared a crucial partnership with Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara in the run chase after Akhtar had helped to reduce the Warriors to 2-22.
The Australian hit three fours and three sixes, while Sangakkara also cleared the short boundaries three times before he fell to Akhtar for 41. The highlight of the Sri Lankan’s innings was the consecutive sixes he hit off the bowling of West Indian legend Curtly Ambrose.
Their All-Star series moves to Houston and Los Angeles in the next week.
TEAMS
Sachin’s Blasters: Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Brian Lara, Mahela Jayawardene, Carl Hooper, Shaun Pollock, Moin Khan, Shoaib Akhtar, Muttiah Muralitharan, Curtly Ambrose
Warne’s Warriors: Matthew Hayden, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, Andrew Symonds, Jonty Rhodes, Wasim Akram, Daniel Vettori, Shane Warne, Courtney Walsh, Allan Donald.
