CL T20 5: Sabres Shock Chargers with Late Victory

The third Indian IPL team in the Champions League Twenty20 suffered a loss in the league stage although this was perhaps the most shocking.

vvs laxman

The Somerset Sabres versus the Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, winners of the IPL 2 in South Africa, was expected to be a humdinger with two batsmen, Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Symonds, making unusual returns to India.

While Trescothick suffered from undisclosed mental turmoil when he last came to India, his return to India was unexpected even though Somerset qualified for the Twenty20 Cup final in England, Symonds has had his contract with Cricket Australia revoked during the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 in England.

However, while neither player came to the party eventually, V.V.S. Laxman's party was spoilt by one South African, Alfonso Thomas, and his late batting effort to pull the Sabres from the throws of defeat.

His thirty runs from seventeen balls rescued a sure defeat Sabres from seven down for ninety-nine to score a last ball win over the hosts at Hyderabad. Somerset though did not look like winning the match because although all their batsmen, including captain Justin Langer, got starts, no one stayed long enough to give them a winning chance. James Hildreth's twenty-five runs were brought to an end by Scott Styris but by then the Sabres needed just five runs from the final over.

R.P. Singh picked up three wickets while Pragyan Ojha, Tirumalsetti Suman and Styris shared two wickets apiece.

Earlier in the day Laxman smashed the ball around to give Deccan Chargers a chance to redeem their name at home. In the first IPL, the team struggled to win at home. Laxman's forty-six runs were the highlight of the Chargers innings, but even a score of 153 proved competitive to nearly have Sabres returning empty before Thomas brought his batting prowess to the fore to make Group A interesting of CL T20.

CL T20 4: Andrew Puttick Elevates Cobras Over Volts

CL T20 3:DareDevils Bushwhacked!

Champions League Twenty20: CL T20 Points Table and News

CL T20 2: NSW Steamroll Diamonds in the Rough!

CL T20 1: Cape Cobras Ride High on Duminy Over RCB

An Injury Hit Champions League Twenty20 Despite the Advertising!