Cottrell, Charles shine for Samp Army
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (CMC) — Left-armer Sheldon Cottrell and West Indies teammate Johnson Charles both produced superb efforts to ensure Samp Army crushed Delhi Bulls by eight wickets in the Abu Dhabi T10 here on Saturday.
The 33-year-old Cottrell sent down a magnificent first over which yielded three wickets and left Bulls in tatters at 23 for four in the fourth over, before they recovered to reach 94 for five from their 10 overs.
Charles then belted an unbeaten 58 from 22 deliveries as Samp Army cruised to their target with 14 deliveries to spare at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
The victory kept Samp Army unbeaten and put them top of the standings as one of three teams on four points, with Bulls sitting fourth on three points.
Opting to bowl first, Samp Army were given a rousing start when speedster Cottrell (3-10) wiped out the Bulls top order in the day’s first over.
He got another West Indies teammate Rahkeem Cornwall to top-edge the first delivery to Charles behind, claimed South African Rilee Rossouw (0) off the fourth ball to a catch at short third man before bowling Asif Khan first ball without scoring.
West Indies all-rounder Keemo Paul then helped to rebuild the innings, slamming an 18-ball unbeaten 36 with a four and three sixes as he posted 71 for the fifth wicket with Tom Banton who also struck 36 with a couple of fours and sixes.
In reply, Charles ruled out any hopes Bulls entertained of a comeback, lashing 10 fours and two sixes in a 58-run, second-wicket stand with George Garton (12), followed by a 37-run, unbroken third-wicket partnership with South African David Miller (20 not out).
In the opening game of the triple header, West Indies’ Odean Smith struck a 19-ball 38 with three fours and three sixes but Andre Russell suffered a first-ball ‘duck’ as Deccan Gladiators reached 109 for seven from their 10 overs.
Andre Fletcher (16) failed in reply but Eoin Morgan’s unbeaten 42 steered Kieron Pollard’s New York Strikers to an eight-wicket win off the final delivery.
Meanwhile, Northern Warriors Captain Rovman Powell hit a 10-ball 29 in his side’s 95 for seven but could not prevent Brandon King’s Team Abu Dhabi from cantering to an eight-wicket win.
