Expectations were high in the Caribbean Islands and the 1.3 million population of Trinidad and Tobago were praying as they prepared to toast their cricket team’s victory in IPL T20 final against New South Wales in Hyderabad, especially after the attack restricted the Blues to 159 for 9.
Alas! It was not meant to be. Congratulations NSW. They’ve been an in-form team along with T&T throughout the ACLT20 tournament and won comfortably by 41 runs. The Blues were hurt by T&T but Lee’s 48 proved match-winning. Lee further put the hurt on T & T when he bowled a fiery opening spell in which he took two wickets, then he held the crucial catch of Pollard in the last over.
Sad end to what has been a fascinating campaign by T&T. They played wonderful cricket throughout and stumbled at the end. Five consecutive wins, fans in the Caribbean have every reason to be proud of them. T & T has dazzled the world but today no one really stood out for the Caribbean isle. T&T were been beaten by 41 runs. The man who did was an Australian. It was Lee’s match.
NSW Blues, lifted by a spectacular all-round effort from Brett Lee and a great performance on the field. Brett Lee’s career best knock of 48 off 31 could not have come at a better time for his team. He came in to bat when his side were reeling under the T&T onslaught. And when he came out to bowl, he took two wickets early on, making it an ominous start for T&T. What made it a superb all-round outing for him was taking catch in the deep to dismiss the destructive Kieron Pollard.
Kieron Pollard’s dismissal for 25 in the 15th over off a Hauritz delivery. Had the run machine from T&T stayed on, it could have been a red letter day in West Indies’ cricketing history. A thunderous six off Pollard’s bat and Hauritz’s bowling in the 15th over that travelled high over long-on and landed somewhere in the third tier of the stands. Pollard, and T&T’s chances, were dismissed in the very next delivery.
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