Ravichandran Ashwin Spins a Masterclass to Guide Dublin Guardians to Win
Dublin Guardians went on to secure a 13-run victory over Edinburgh Castle Rockers at The Village in Malahide. Harry Tector scored 47 runs to anchor Dublin to a strong total, as Ravichandran Ashwin troubled Edinburgh with his crucial spell.
Despite late resistance, Edinburgh fell short on chasing the 164-run total.
Pitch and Weather
The match will be played at The Village in Dublin, which is expected to offer a balanced T20 surface, as seamers will be able to find some early movement with cool and breezy conditions. The ball will be able to carry well, while spinners and cutters will be able to do well in the middle overs when the match progresses. Overcast skies, moderate humidity and a noticeable breeze should make the powerplay the best period for fast bowlers. Dew is expected to arrive later in the game, but it won't be excessive. A par score in the range of 165 to 170 will be considered as competitive.
Toss
Edinburgh Castle Rockers win the toss and decide to bowl first. Mitchell Santner aims to use his experienced pace attack to restrict Dublin Guardians from scoring runs.
Lineups
Dublin Guardians: James Vince, Harry Tector, Daryl Mitchell, David Willey, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Benjamin Calitz, George Dockrell, Ravichandran Ashwin (C), Josh Little, Matt Hollard, Craig Young
Edinburgh Castle Rockers: Ross Adair, JJ Smuts, Andries Gous, Brandon McMullen, Laurie Evans, Gareth Delany, Tom Curran, Mitchell Santner (C), Mark Watt, Jack Jarvis, Trent Boult
Match Report
Dublin Guardians only managed to score 164/8 after being sent to bat first, as Trent Boult used the early seam movement to remove James Vince for 7 in the second over. Harry Tector went on to continue scoring runs for the team, but Mark Watt’s introduction slowed down the run rate. The team went on to score 45/2 after six overs.
Tector and Daryl Mitchell went on to rebuild the innings by rotating strike and often finding boundaries. They avoided Watt and Mitchell Santner, which eventually helped to post a 58-run partnership and it ended with Santner removing Mitchell for 28. Tector lost his wicket after scoring 47, as he attempted to clear long-on against Tom Curran, which left Dublin at 108/4 after 15 overs.
The turning point arrived when David Willey stepped out to bat ahead of his usual spot, and he went on to score 27 runs off 19 balls. His dismissal triggered a short collapse, but Dockrell went on to score a quick 16 as a cameo from Josh Little took Dublin Guardians above 160.
Edinburgh Castle Rockers started the chase aggressively as Ross Adair smashed boundaries against Josh Little before falling at 21. Andries Gous went on to attack the spinners, as Brandon McMullen was able to rotate the strike effectively. Ashwin was able to respond by holding himself back, as he removed Gous using a slip fielder at the score of 34.
The team stood at 101/4 after 14 overs, needing 64 runs from 36 balls. Santner promoted himself in the batting line-up, but Ashwin was able to remove him and McMullen in successive overs. Tom Curran was able to keep the chase alive by scoring 23 runs off 15 balls, as Craig Young conceded just five runs in the 19th over. Edinburgh finished scoring 151/8 in 20 overs, losing the game by 13 runs.
Player of the Match
Ravichandran Ashwin won the Player of the Match award for taking crucial wickets, which kept Dublin Guardians in control and helped them to defend the target.
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