Another closely fought match in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) in the first of Sunday’s double-header of fixtures saw Victoria overcome Rangpur Riders by a margin of 10 runs in Providence.
After losing their first match the Riders were looking to get their points tally moving but they came up against a slick looking Australian outfit who were full of confidence after their own winning start to the tournament.
Nural Hasan won the toss for Riders and elected to field first, he may well have been regretting the decision when glancing at the scoreboard in the ninth over and seeing the opposition cruising at 70-0 with both Victoria openers timing the ball and finding the gaps.
Blake McDonald was the first to fall for a well-made 40 off 29 deliveries and the old adage of ‘one bringing two’ saw fellow opener Joe Clarke succumb in the next over for 32.
Mahedi Hasan and Rishad Hossain were the pick of the bowlers for Riders and after the strong start regular wickets saw Victoria pegged back.
A score of 151-6 meant that Riders were still in the game if they could build some partnerships of their own with the bat.
Soumya Sarkar was the glue that held Riders chase together, the Bangladeshi southpaw struck an impressive half century with 51 off 42 deliveries from the top of the order but when he fell as one of player of the match Callum Stow’s three wickets in the game, the Riders had it all to do at 108-4 with a little over five overs left.
Rishad Hossain kept the Riders hopes burning in the 18th over with a well struck and timely six dispatched off Max Birthisel but Dominc Drakes and Corey Anderson shut up shop for Victoria in the final two overs to see Victoria run out winners.
Victoria now look the team to beat in the GSL and sit top of the table on four points with two wins in two.
The standings don’t look so pretty for Rangpur Riders who are rooted to the bottom of the table without any points from their first two fixtures. (GSL)
