Guyanese batsman Shimron Hetmyer and Australian Chris Lynn struck a pair of seventies to lead Gulf Giants to a five-wicket win over Desert Vipers in Match 12 of the International League T20 (ILT20) on Sunday in Dubai.
Set a huge target of 196, Giants powered to victory halfway through the final over, with Hetmyer and Lynn sharing a vital century stand to prop up the innings after an early wobble.
Giants lost Tom Banton (3), James Vince (4) and Rehan Ahmed (1) to be reduced to 30-3 at the start of the fifth over, before Hetmyer and Lynn swung the momentum back in their favour.
The pair added 117 for the fourth wicket, before the left-hander Hetmyer was dismissed for 70 off 35 balls (5x4s, 5x6s).
Lynn fell shortly after for 71 off 42 (8x4s, 3x6s), but David Wiese 22* off 19 (2x4s) and Liam Dawson 16* off 9 (3x4s) secured victory for the Giants.
West Indian left-arm seamer Sheldon Cottrell took 2-24 to move top of the wicket-takers pile in the tournament.
Earlier, England’s opener Alex Hales continued his rich form with his fourth consecutive score over 50 in the tournament.
The right-hander was dismissed for 99 off 57 (10x4s, 5x6s), missing out on a second successive hundred. Hales’ scores in the tournament read: 83*, 64, 110, 99.
Skipper Colin Munro made 39 off 23 (3x4s, 2x6s) and Guyanese Sherfane Rutherford 27* off 15 (2x4s, 2x6s).
