Rising

The newest team on board the ICL Ahmedabad Rockets beat Chandigargh Lions by 19-runs in the inaugural match of the second edition of Indian Cricket League Twenty20 tournament on Sunday night.

Chasing 159 to win, Lions were in the game with skipper Chris Cairns (21) and Dinesh Mongia (16) at the crease after they lost three top-order batsmen.

Opener Matthew Elliott (39) was the only batsman who made some useful contribution for the Lions.

However, Cairns fell to Jason Gillespie and soon after Mongia departed, falling to Heath Streak, reducing Lions to 113 for 5 in 16.2 overs.

With the asking rate shooting up, the task would always be cut out for the Lions lower order batsmen, who only managed to take the total to 139 for 6.

Earlier, Ahmedabad Rockets had a splendid start after winning the toss, with former West Indian left-hander Wavell Hinds flowing freely.

Hinds, who opened the innings along with Madhya Pradesh batsman Sachin Dholpure, hit five huge sixes and three fours to reach 53 in just 43 balls before being run out.

Dholpure, too, looked in sublime touch and scored briskly accumulating 54 runs in just 43 balls, which included three sixes and four boundaries. Both the batsmen were involved in a 122-run stand for the first wicket.

Mongia applied brakes on Rockets' innings by dismissing Dholpure and then cleaned up rival skipper Damien Martyn for 2.

Cairns claimed two scalps for the Lions.

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