END OF OVER:20 | 20 Runs | MIE: 159/6 | RR: 7.95
- Akeal Hosein4 (1b)
- Romario Shepherd16 (8b)
- David Payne4-0-39-1
- Lockie Ferguson4-0-25-2
8:08pm An innings that was good in parts. The powerplay was excellent, with Perera and Waseem putting the bowlers to the sword. The middle overs, though, were not as productive and MI Emirates lost their way, only for Pollard and Shepherd to redeem them at the end, posting a total that gives them more than a fighting chance on a surface that has been two-paced and the ball has not quite come on.
Hasaranga, Ferguson and Lawrence were tidy but the Vipers' left-arm pacers travelled, which means they are now chasing probably 10-15 more than they would have felt completely comfortable chasing. Join us in a bit for the second innings!
19.6
4
Payne to Hosein, 4 runs, Back of a length wide outside off. Hosein throws his hands at it and lofts it over extra cover. Hosein has to scramble for three initially but then, there is an errant throw which allows MI Emirates to sneak in a fourth. What an end to the innings!
19.5
1
Payne to Shepherd, 1 run, excellent yorker, right into the blockhole and denying room by virtue of being at the toes. Shepherd jams it into his back leg and the ball dribbles away for a single
19.4
2
Payne to Shepherd, 2 runs, zipped in full on leg stump. Shepherd clears his front leg and swings his blade like an axe, chunking it off the inside half of the bat towards deep backward square leg
19.4
1w
Payne to Shepherd, 1 wide, speared in fuller but again down leg. Shepherd moves out of the way and the umpire has to indulge in more exercise
19.3
6
Payne to Shepherd, SIX, another six! Payne is not learning! Dug in short but the line is the problem. Outside leg, which allows Shepherd to get inside the line and hook it over fine leg!
19.2
0
Payne to Shepherd, no run, oh my word - that was EXPONENTIALLY SLOW! Slower ball that Payne nearly bangs into his own toe. The ball comes off so slowly that Shepherd, after having breakfast, lunch and tea, swishes and still misses
19.1
6
Payne to Shepherd, SIX, Shepherd joins in on the fun! This is not great bowling. The slower short ball is working but not when it is on the hips. Shepherd swivels and hoists it over deep backward square leg!
Hosein in at 8. Payne to bowl the last over. Shepherd on strike
Vishal Poojary: "Pollard has been doing this for years now."
END OF OVER:19 | 14 Runs 1 Wkt | MIE: 139/6 | RR: 7.31
- Romario Shepherd1 (3b)
- Lockie Ferguson4-0-25-2
- David Payne3-0-19-1
18.6
W
Ferguson to Pollard, OUT, cracked straight to deep mid wicket! Ferguson keeps banging it short and he keeps taking the pace off, meaning that Pollard has to muster all the power. He gets a fair chunk of it, but he also picks out Wood to absolute perfection. A sprightly cameo comes to an end, and now, someone else will have to take MIE to 150!
KA Pollard c Wood b Ferguson 36 (23b 2x4 3x6) SR: 156.52
18.5
0
Ferguson to Pollard, no run, leg-cutter on a full length wide outside off. Pollard swings himself off his feet but only grabs a handful of fresh air. That was on its way to Europe had he connected...
18.4
1b
Ferguson to Shepherd, 1 bye, slower short ball outside off. Shepherd swings like a rusty gate and swings way too early. The keeper cannot fumble cleanly and that allows Pollard to get back on strike
18.3
1
Ferguson to Pollard, 1 run, shortish and very wide outside off. Pollard reaches out for it and squirts it off the inside edge towards the keeper
18.2
6
Ferguson to Pollard, SIX, back to back sixes, and Pollard is on the charge! Shorter, perhaps designed to cramp Pollard for room. He knows that is coming too and steps inside the line, helping it a mile over the fine leg fence!
18.1
6
Ferguson to Pollard, SIX, Pollard turning back the clock! And that is, rather outrageously, his 900th six in T20 cricket! Length outside off. Pollard picks it early, stands tall and then lets the wrist do the work, moosing it over long on!
Ferguson to bowl the penultimate over. Can Pollard take him down?
END OF OVER:18 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | MIE: 125/5 | RR: 6.94
- Romario Shepherd1 (2b)
- Kieron Pollard23 (18b)
- David Payne3-0-19-1
- Sam Curran3-0-28-0
17.6
0
Payne to Shepherd, no run, shortish and sliding just down leg. Shepherd swings at it and misses it. He then looks quizzically at the umpire but does not get the wide call he is after
17.5
1
Payne to Pollard, 1 run, another slower bumper outside off that barely arrives. Pollard swats it to deep mid wicket and walks across to the other end
17.4
0
Payne to Pollard, no run, slower bumper outside off. Pollard plays three strokes in his head and then has to bail out of his fourth. That was incredibly slow
17.3
1
Payne to Shepherd, 1 run, cutter on a back of a length on middle and leg. Shepherd helps it towards short fine leg and calls Pollard through. Pollard has to scamper but makes it in the end
Shepherd in at 7. He can give it a whack. Payne goes around the wicket
17.2
W
Payne to Mousley, OUT, Mousley perishes! Payne digs it in short after seeing Mousley advance. The batter still has width to work with and tries to carve it over cover. Slices it a little too much, though, and he is subsequently unable to generate the requisite power. Straight to Lawrence at sweeper cover and MI Emirates lose their fifth!
DR Mousley c Lawrence b Payne 15 (14b 0x4 1x6) SR: 107.14
17.1
2
Payne to Mousley, 2 runs, well well! Back of a length wide outside off. Mousley shapes for the reverse-lap and somehow gets it past short fine leg. The ball pinged off the toe-end of his blade
Payne to bowl the 18th
END OF OVER:17 | 7 Runs | MIE: 121/4 | RR: 7.11
- Kieron Pollard22 (16b)
- Dan Mousley13 (12b)
- Sam Curran3-0-28-0
- Luke Wood3-0-23-0
16.6
0
Curran to Pollard, no run, off-pace on a back of a length outside off. Pollard has a huge swing at it and drags it towards backward square leg
16.5
1
Curran to Mousley, 1 run, slow and short outside off. Mousley, when the ball eventually arrives, dabs it towards backward point and picks up a single
16.4
1
Curran to Pollard, 1 run, slower ball into the track outside off. Pollard waits a while for it before tugging it towards deep backward square leg
16.3
0
Curran to Pollard, no run, this is much fuller, almost in the blockhole outside off. Pollard digs it out towards the bowler
16.2
4
Curran to Pollard, FOUR, one hand will do for Pollard! Off-pace and hung up full and wide outside off. Pollard has to reach out but still manages to slice it over extra cover (one-handed) for pace!
Around the wicket to Pollard
16.1
1
Curran to Mousley, 1 run, slower ball on a length on off. Mousley takes a step down the track before turning it towards deep mid wicket
Right. Four overs left. Can MI Emirates push towards 160? The Vipers, you'd reckon, will be happy chasing anything in the 140-145 range. Curran to get us underway after the time-out. Over the wicket
