New South Wales celebrate their Champions League victory, New South Wales v Trinidad & Tobago, Champions League Twenty20 final, Hyderabad, October 23, 2009
New South Wales Blues have won the Champions League T20 by beating Trinidad and Tobago in the finals by 41 runs. Brett Lee was the star of the game as he first rescued the Blues from trouble with a 31-ball 48 and then bowled his two overs for ten runs and picked up two wickets.
The Trinidad and Tobago skipper Daren Ganga won the toss and invited the opposition to bat first. Soon enough, the Blues were in trouble as they lost their top four for 47, and the fifth at 75. It required the partnership between two bowlers, Steve Smith and Brett Lee to add 49 for the seventh wicket and take them out of trouble. Smith scored 33, whereas Lee smashed five sixes in his effort.
In reply, the Trinidad and Tobago side went off to a start like they were chasing 200 in the 20 overs and not 160. William Perkins set the ball rolling by being bowled for a duck off the second ball, while the rest followed soon after – TT soon collapsing to 68/5. Ramdin and Pollard then went on to try and rescue the side with some lusty hitting, but with the dismissal of Pollard, the TT hopes also vanished and the NSW Blues were deserving winners.
Lee was not only the man of the match, but also the man of the series for his dazzling show with both, the bat and the ball throughout the tournament.
Final Match Results
New South Wales 159/9 (20/20 ov)
Trinidad & Tobago 118 (15.5/20 ov)
T&T played valiantly but the mighty blues were too powerful. Brett Lee Man of the Match!
Brett Lee hoists David Warner in celebration, New South Wales v Trinidad & Tobago, Champions League Twenty20 final, Hyderabad, October 23, 2009
Photos courtesy of cricinfo
The second semi-final of the Champions League T20 was played between the Cape Cobras and the Trinidad and Tobago. And despite scoring 175/5 in their 20 overs, the Cobras suffered an easy loss to the Trinidad and Tobago side.
Cobras batted first after winning the toss and finally had Herschelle Gibbs playing the innings of the tournament to get to 42 off only 27 balls after having scored only one run in his last three innings. JP Duminy continued his stellar run and smashed a half century as the Cobras got to 175/5. Lendl Simmons scalped two wickets and Sherwin Ganga bowled his four overs for only 28.
The chase could have been difficult but Henry Davids dropped two catches and then Dwayne Bravo was dropped by Justin Ontong. This was enough for the T&T side to take full toll of and Bravo went on to score his first half century of the tournament to win the game for his side. Daren Ganga remained unbeaten at the other end as well, as the victory was achieved in 19.2 overs. 93 runs were added for the fourth wicket by the pair.
In the final, the Trinidad and Tobago side will face the New South Wales Blues. The Blues had easily beaten the Victorians in the other semi-final.
Which CLT20 Team's Cheerleaders are These Girls?
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Frequently Asked Questions on CLT20
Official CLT20 Mission Statement?
The Airtel Champions League Twenty20 is a platform where the world's best domestic teams get the opportunity to pit their cricketing skills against each other.
Who is the primary sponsor and official name of CLT20?
Airtel Champions League Twenty20
What do the King Pins have to say?
Chairman of the CLT20 Lalit Modi said
"Never before has a domestic cricket tournament featured as many cricket superstars as the inaugural CLT20. As expected, almost all eligible international stars have confirmed their attendance at domestic cricket's showpiece event.
Picking a winner of the tournament is impossible. While some of the squads consist almost entirely of international players, there is enough high-class talent in all teams to ensure that no team enters the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 as overwhelming favourites.
With just 30 days to go until the first ball is bowled, today's announcement of the teams is another important milestone as we build towards the first match on October 8."
Dean Kino, Champions League Twenty20 Governing Council Member and Director of Legal and Business Affairs, said:
"When the Champions League Twenty20 concept was first devised by the BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa, we set out to create a tournament that reflected cricket's global appeal and would be a true test between the best of best.
The quality of players who will line up for their respective teams, coupled with the billions of people who will follow the tournament through host broadcaster ESPN Star Sports, will do this vision justice.
A number of players, including AB de Villiers, Paul Collingwood, Dirk Nannes and Daniel Vettori will represent their 'away' teams in the tournament, highlighting the global nature of domestic Twenty20 cricket."
Manu Sawhney, Managing Director, ESPN STAR Sports, said:
“The much awaited Champions League Twenty20 has got teams, players and fans brimming with excitement, and the announcement of match schedules for this October’s tournament will certainly raise the levels of anticipation even higher. We are looking forward to showcasing this exciting marquee cricket property across the globe to passionate fans in the most engaging and entertaining manner.”
James Sutherland, Chief Executive Officer, Cricket Australia, said:
"Cricket fans across Australia and the world are indeed eagerly awaiting the inaugural edition of the Champions League Twenty20. The CLT20 is set to build on the success of the KFC Big Bash Twenty20 competition in Australia and elsewhere in a manner which accelerates the development of cricket globally. I am certain that the CLT20 will undoubtedly benefit interstate cricket in Australia and equivalent levels elsewhere, giving players at that level a chance to hone and perfect their cricketing skills when they come up against the best domestic cricketers from around the world."
Gerald Majola, Chief Executive, Cricket South Africa, said:
"The Champions League Twenty20 will electrify global audiences come October, and South African fans will definitely follow their favorite Pro T20 and Indian Premier League teams after the success of Season 2009. I am certain that CLT20 will encourage the pipeline of cricket development from the club, affiliate and franchise levels through to the international arenas. I am sure the global broadcast of the Champions League Twenty20 will ignite the passion of cricket lovers the world over."
Who has Commercial Rights to CLT20?
ESPN STAR Sports is the commercial rights holders for Champions League Twenty20 for a period of 10 years.
Who made the CLT20?
Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa
How much money will the winner make in CLT20?
The 2009 Champions League Twenty20 will offer teams US$6 million in prize money, more than any other competition in world cricket. The prize money will be shared between the teams and their players.
Who is in the CLT20 Governing Council?
Lalit Modi, N. Srinivasan, James Sutherland, Niranjan Shah, Dean Kino and Gerald Majola, together with its founding members.
Who are the Exciting Players to Keep a Watch for?
Graeme Smith, Virender Sehwag, Brett Lee, Brendon McCullum, Paul Collingwood and Dwayne Bravo.
Where can I find a schedule?
Please check the official CLT20 schedule post.
How many Teams are in the CLT20?
12
How many people within a Team?
15
When does the Champions League Twent20 start? Read the rest of this entry...
