CLT20 as it happened: McCullum on song as Otago beat Faisalabad

Otago Volts have beaten Faisalabad Wolves by eight wickets Otago 142-2 after 17.5 overs: McCullum opens the face of his bat and swats one for four to win the match. It was a well-paced, composed innings from the usually explosive batsman. He started hitting only when he was confident that the team had enough on the board to risk some big shots. When he did get going though, there was no stopping him. After he was dropped he hit four fours and two sixes and remains unbeaten on 83 from 65 deliveries. Otago 61-2 after 10 overs: Faisalabad had scored just 45 runs in 10 overs and Otago look much more comfortable, especially with McCullum looking solid in the middle. He’s scored 29 from 33, and while it’s not a great strike-rate, he’s stuck in against the spin of Ajmal and co. to carve out a good position for his team. Wicket! Rutherford c Ali b Ajmal 25 (12b, 1x4, 3x6): The dangerman’s gone then! Rutherford was looking really good until he decided to sky Ajmal towards the on side. He had scored a six in the same area in the previous over but wasn’t lucky enough to clear the field this time. It’s 41-2 after 5.2 overs. Wicket! Broom c Khurram Shehzad b S Khan 0 (2b, 0x4, 0x6): Beauty from Khan — it’s a tight line and nips back slightly, confusing Broom, whose edge is well taken by wicket-keeper Shehzad. It’s 0-1 after 0.2 overs. Otago Volts need 140-runs to beat Faisalabad Wolves Wolves 139-8 after 20 overs: Two more wickets fell in the last two overs — Adil was run out after Salman was taken by de Boorder behind the wicket. It did seem that the Wolves will quickly fall after Misbah’s wicket, but they managed to put on 30-odd runs in three overs, which was quite good if you compare it to their bad start. Wicket! Imran Khalid c Wagner b Neesham 12 (9b, 2x4, 0x6): Driven through the covers, but straight to the fielder. He had just hit a four in that area a few deliveries ago but this time he’ll take the long walk back to the dugout. Wolves are 117-6 after 18 overs. [caption id=“attachment_1114779” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Otago Volts celebrate a wicket during a match in January 2013. Getty Images[/caption] Wicket! Misbah-ul-Haq b Butler 46 (34b, 4x4, 3x6): Misbah looks for some room to whip a shot through the offside, but it’s a brilliant yorker from Butler and the stumps are knocked back. Brilliant innings from the 39-year-old though. It’s 108-5 in 17 overs. Wicket! K Shehzad c Wagner b Butler 27 (36b, 3x4, 0x6): Three sixes and two fours from Misbah and suddenly the Wolves are look like they’ll post a competitive total. He’s taken a liking for McCullum, slamming him for two sixes and a four in the 14th over. Wolves are 95-4 after 15 overs — Shehzad falling on the last ball of the 15th over. Wolves 45-3 after 10 overs: Halfway stage and Wolves have managed to put up just 45 runs on the board. It’s quite poor to be honest, but Otago’s bowlers have been very accurate with their line and length. Absolutely no room given. Misbah’s trying some interesting shots, including a reverse sweep that was almost caught, but the runs are just not flowing. Wicket! Asif Ali c Beard b Neesham 14 (12b, 3x4, 0x6): Fisalabad’s scorecard says 34-3 in 7.2 overs now. Beard just latches on to Asif Ali’s attempted big hit and Otago are well and truly on top in this game. Ali was looking good, especially after the three fours he hit, but he’s wasted his good start. Wicket! Ali Waqas c Rutherford b McMillan 4 (11b, 1x4, 0x6) Waqas goes for the big shot — partly down to the confidence from an earlier shot which went for four. However, this time it’s just a clumsy slog and is taken easily. It’s 12-2 after 3.2 overs. Wicket! Ammar Mahmood c Rutherford b McMillan 5 (4b, 1x4, 0x6): McMillan makes a good start to his CLT20 campaign — scalping a wicket off his first delivery. Mahmood is caught at point and walks back dejected. It’s 5-1 after 1.1 overs. Faisalabad Wolves XI: Ali Waqas, Ammar Mahmood, Asif Ali, Misbah-ul-Haq (C), Khuram Shahzad, Imran Khalid, Mohammad Salman (W), Ehsan Adil, Saeed Ajmal, Asad Ali, Samiullah Khan Otago Volts XI: Hamish Rutherford, Neil Broom, Brendon McCullum (C), Aaron Redmond, Jimmy Neesham, Nathan McCullum, Derek de Boorder (W), Ian Butler, Neil Wagner, Nick Beard, James McMillan Faisalabad captain Misbah-ul-Haq wins the toss and has decided to bat first. The Champions League T20 kicks off with Faisalabad Wolves, led by Pakistan’s Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, taking on New Zealand’s Otago Volts in the first qualifier today. This would be followed by a star-studded Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by Delhi-dasher Shikhar Dhawan, squaring off against Sri Lanka’s Kandurata Maroons in the second qualifier at the PCA stadium. Faisalabad Wolves: Misbah-ul-Haq, Asif Alli, Ali Waqas, Khuram Shahzad, Muhammad Salman, Waqas Mqsood, Sami Ullah Kham Niazi, Asad Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Ehsan Adil, Hassan Mahmood, Rana Jahandad Khan, Farrukh Shahzad, Imran Khalid, Ammar Mahmood Khan. Otago Volts: Nicholas Beard, Michael Bracewell, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Mark Craig, Derek de Boorder, Jacob Duffy, Brendon McCullum, James McMillan, James Neesham, Aaron Redmond, Hamish Rutherford, Ryan ten Doeschate, Neil Wagner.