Usman Khan and Adam Lyth lift Northern Warriors to a 34 runs win over Chennai Braves

From K.R. Nayar in Abu Dhabi 

Usman Khan and Adam Lyth’s stupendous batting display lifted Northern Warriors to a 34 runs win over The Chennai Braves  in the 16th match on the sixth day of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday. Usman Khan cracked 65 off 24 balls with six boundaries and five sixes while Adam Lyth remained unbeaten on 54 off 25 balls with four boundaries and four sixes to help Nothern Warriors post a whopping 141 for 3 in 10 overs.  Chasing the target, The Chennai Braves could muster only 107 for 5 in 10 overs.

Usman Khan... a six for the crowd

Northern Warriors won the toss and elected to bat. Usman Khan opened with Adam Lyth and was in belligerent mood from the start. He began by hitting Patrick Dooley’s fourth and fifth deliveries from the first over for sixes to long off and mid-wicket.

 Usman continued his big hits in the second over from Sam Cook . After hitting Cook for a boundary to mid-wicket off the second ball, he lofted the fifth delivery over the covers for a six. Lyth, who was watching Usman’s sixes, also hit Sikandar Raza for a six to long off. Usman hit his fourth six by to deep mid-wicket in that over.  The fourth over from Olly Stone had no boundaries from both the batsmen but they made up in the fifth over.

Usman hit James Fuller for a boundary and a six to race to his half century in 17 balls. He celebrated it with a six to mid-wicket. At the half way mark, Northern Warriors were at a strong score of  79 for no loss.

The big hit continued in the sixth over too when Carlos Brathwaite was introduced into the attack. While Usman picked a boundary. Lyth hit a six to deep square leg. Usman’s stupendous knock ended in the seventh over when Stone with the second delivery had him caught by Adhithya Shetty for 65. His knock off 24 balls had six boundaries and five sixes. Skipper Rovman Powell lasted only two balls to score two runs before hitting high to Ross Whiteley at long-off.

Usman Khan... another mighty hit 

With the first ball of the eighth over, Sherfane Rutherford got out caught by Patrick Dooley for 1. Adam Hose too joined the six hitting spree by lifting Brathwaite to deep mid-wicket for a six. Lyth ended the innings by hitting the fifth and sixth deliveries of the last over for sixes to remain unbeaten on 54 off 25 balls. Northern Warriors posted a huge total of 141 for 3 in 1o overs.

Chennai began their chase through openers Dawid Malan and Adam Rossington. Ten runs were scored off the first over from Mohammad Irfan though they needed to score at a run rate of over 14 per over.  Malan picked two boundaries off Abhimanyu Mithun’s second over for 12 runs from that over.

Chasing such a big score needed big hits form every over. Any tight over would mount the pressure and Isuru Udana bowled a good  third over taking the wicket of Adam Rossington too. Rovman Powell took a brilliant well-judged catch at the long-off boundary to end Rossington’s stay at the wicket for nine runs. Though Brathwaite hit the last ball from Udana for a six, only nine runs came off it.

Brathwaite hit his second six off Junaid Siddique to deep midwicket. That over yielded 12 runs but the required run rate went up to over 16. Wayne Parnell took the prize wicket of Malan who hit high into the hands of Adam Hose for 15.  James Fuller who joined Brathwaite hit Parnell to deep backward point for a six. With the score reading 59 for 2, and 83 needed off the last five overs, Udana returned for his second spell.  Brathwaite and Fuller hit him for boundaries and 15 runs came off that over. Mohammad Irfan was introduced in the seventh over.

Brathwaite hit him powerfully to long off for a boundary. With the fifth ball he dismissed the dangerous Brathwaite caught at sweeper cover by Lyth for 27.

With 62 needed off 18 balls, Northern Warriors were on top.  Sikandar Raza lofted Mithun to Powell at long on for a duck and Northern Warriors went for the kill choking runs and giving away just five runs. In the ninth over, Parnell got Ross Whiteley out for 3 caught by Rutherford at mid-wicket. Vriitya Aravind hit Parnell’s next delivery for a boundary but eight runs only came off it. Junaid Siddiqui who bowled the last over too did not give anything way and Northern Warriors won by 34 runs.

Brief scores
Northern Warriors bt The Chennai Braves by 34 runs.  Northern Warriors 141 for 3 in 10 overs (Usman Khan 65, Adam Lyth 54, Olly Stone 2 for 27) The Chennai Braves 107 for 5 in 10 overs (Carlos Brathwaite 27, James Fuller 36n.o, Wayne Parnell 2 for 24)
Player of the Match: Usman Khan