CLT20: Ryan the man as Otago close in on Maroons

Doeschate proved his worth again by guiding the Otago Volts to a comfortable win vs Maroons, contributing with both bat and ball to take them to the group stage of the CLT20. Ashutosh Sharma reports.

Ryan Ten Doeschate belongs to the fast-growing club in the cricketing world who can be termed as ‘mercenaries’.

With the Netherlands still an associate member of the ICC, the emergence of T20 leagues around the globe have come as a blessing for talented players like Ten Doeschate.

On Wednesday, he proved his worth again by guiding the Otago Volts to a comfortable win, contributing with both bat and ball to take them to the group stage of the CLT20.

If he turned out for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, he also plied his trade for Canterbury in England, Chittagong Kings in Bangladesh, Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland Eagles, Tasmania in Australia and South African sides Western Province and Impi.

Explosive stuff

His blistering 64 on Wednesday came when the Volts were in trouble, needing 110 off 74 balls. Coming in at the fall of Brendon McCullum, Ten Doeschate wasted little time in settling down, carting spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi for three consecutive sixes.

By the time he got out after a whirlwind knock lasting 32 balls, he had hit two fours and five sixes. James Neesham made (32) while Neil Broom and Hamish Rutherford added 25 and 20, respectively.

Earlier, Kandurata Maroons opener Upul Tharanga scored a well-paced 76 to not only hold up one end but also guide the team to a good score of 154.

Composure

Tharanga kept his calm as wickets fell around him. Shehan Jayasuriya (13), Kumar Sangakkara (13) and Dilhara Lokuhettige (15) were guilty of throwing away their wickets.

The Volts, on their part, did everything right and were able to apply consistent pressure.

They fielded well and the bowlers, led by Kiwi international Ian Butler, kept things tight by taking the wickets of Tharanga, Kaushal Lokuarachchi and Chamara Silva in the space of four balls of the 18th over to knock the wind out of the Maroons’ innings. Ten Doeschate took two for nine.

Otago coach Vaughn Johnson told reporters after his side’s win: “We came here with a lot of belief and a side that had prepared very very well both here in India prior to the tournament and also in Sri Lanka.”