Lucknow, May 7 (PTI) Mitchell Marsh smashed a ferocious century before repeated rain interruptions disrupted Lucknow Super Giants’ rhythm as they posted 209 for 3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their 19-overs-a-side IPL clash here on Thursday.
With as many as three rain interruptions causing close to an hour’s delay, the contest was eventually reduced to 19 overs per side.
Marsh (111 off 56 balls ) put on a breathtaking display of power-hitting, first stitching a 95-run opening stand with Arshin Kulkarni (17) to lay the platform for LSG’s explosive start, before adding another 70 runs with Nicholas Pooran (38).
Skipper Rishabh Pant then blazed away to 32 not out off 10 deliveries to provide the final flourish.
The Australian opener looked ominous from the outset, unleashing a barrage of clean strikes all around the ground. His 56-ball knock was laced with nine fours and as many sixes, most of which came in the powerplay.
With LSG’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread, Marsh came out all guns blazing after being asked to bat, taking apart the RCB attack with ruthless aggression.
Josh Hazlewood bore the brunt of the early carnage as Marsh launched two towering sixes straight over his head before following it up with three boundaries in the pacer’s next over.
Marsh’s attack forced RCB to introduce Rasikh Dar as early as the fifth over, but the move did little to stem the flow of runs.
The burly Australian continued his onslaught, hammering back-to-back sixes before adding a boundary for good measure. He raced to his fastest IPL fifty, reaching the milestone in just 20 balls, and dominated the scoring as LSG raced to 95/0 in nine overs.
However, LSG’s momentum was briefly disrupted by a 30-minute rain interruption, after which Krunal Pandya ended Kulkarni’s scratchy stay at the crease.
New batter Pooran wasted no time as he crunched Rasikh for back-to-back boundaries, while Marsh brought up his century with consecutive fours before launching a thunderous six over cover point just as rain halted play for the third time.
Marsh was dropped by Devdutt Padikkal on 110 but could not make full use of the reprieve, eventually falling to Hazlewood at deep point.
With Marsh gone it was time for the Pant show as the captain smacked four fours and two sixes. PTI APA ATK
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