t was a day for the openers as they finished off proceedings for chasing teams in matchday 4 of the Abu Dhabi T10.
In the first match, Tom Banton and Tom Kohler-Cadmore shared a 100-run partnership, hitting a combined eight fours and eight sixes to take the wind out of Delhi Bulls’ sails.
The second game saw Paul Stirling and Phil Salt batter The Chennai Braves – hitting six fours and eight sixes in a bruising 88-run partnership, which helped them chase down 132.
Here’s how the matches unfolded on matchday 4.
Tom and Tom show tames Delhi Bulls | Full scorecard
Deccan Gladiators made short work of the total set by Delhi Bulls, courtesy of the blitz from Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Banton.
Chasing 113 in 60 balls, the Gladiators’ chase was off to a flyer with the English duo of Kohler-Cadmore and Banton scoring 28 runs in the first two overs.
The best, however, was yet to come.
In the third over, Kohler-Cadmore smashed four consecutive sixes off Adil Rashid, taking the score to 53/0. Later, Tom Banton joined the party and whacked a 21-ball 44, loaded with three sixes and five fours.
When Delhi Bulls sent Tom Banton back to the pavilion in the seventh over, the game was already out of hand. Kohler-Cadmore finished the proceedings in 7.2 overs with 51 off 19 (five sixes and three fours) and also took home the Player of the Match award.
Earlier, Rilee Rossouw helped the Bulls’ reach 112, hitting four sixes and three fours en route to a blazing 21-ball 48.
Despite Rossouw’s heroics, regular wickets at the other end, including two in Andre Russell’s eighth over, meant Delhi Bulls could not capitalise on their flying start and faced their first defeat of the Abu Dhabi T10 season.
Brief Scores: Delhi Bulls 112 (Rilee Rossouw 48, Andre Russell 3-17) lost to Deccan Gladiators 115/1 (Tom Kohler-Cadmore 51*, Dominic Drakes 1-18)
Team Abu Dhabi only team to remain unbeaten | Full scorecard
Openers Paul Stirling and Phil Salt’s 88-run partnership ensured Team Abu Dhabi’s unbeaten start to season 5 – the only team to do so thus far.
Phil Salt dominated strike in the opening overs – hitting four fours and three sixes – taking Team Abu Dhabi to 40/0 in three overs.
Paul Stirling then joined in the fun, blazing two fours and five sixes – including three consecutive ones off Samiullah Shinwari.
Skipper Liam Livingstone hit a six off the second ball he faced to set the tone for a 10-ball 24 and though he fell in the penultimate over, Phil Salt smashed two sixes in the 10th over to finish the game.
For The Chennai Braves, Ravi Bopara was promoted to open and hit 14 in 6 balls while Bhanuka Rajapaksa scored his second-consecutive half-century.
Rapid innings from Angelo Perera and captain Dasun Shanaka took them to a formidable 131/2.Brief Scores: The Chennai Braves 131/2 (Bhanuka Rajapaksa 54, Sheldon Cottrell 1-16) lost to Team Abu Dhabi 136/2 in 9.2 overs (Phil Salt 63*, Mark Deyal 1-18)
