Harbhajan Singh: We were 20 runs short ? Cricket News Update ...

Harbhajan Singh: We were 20 runs short ? Cricket News Update

Mumbai Indians skipper Harbhajan Singh reckoned they were 20 runs short of a par total, after his side lost the Champions League T20 opener to South Africa?s Highveld Lions, here at the New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, on Sunday, October 14, 2012.

After being invited to bat, the defending champions could manage a mediocre 157 for six in their stipulated 20 overs, which the local outfit chased down quite comprehensively, courtesy blistering half centuries from Neil McKenzie and Quinton de Kock.

The Mumbai attack looked completely hapless against the rampaging Lions? duo; McKenzie smashed unbeaten 68 off just 41 balls, while de Kock played a pugnacious knock of 51 not out off just 33 balls ? sharing a 121-run stand between them ? to take the side home with eight wickets and seven balls to spare.

After the eight-wicket thrashing, Harbhajan admitted that the home side played much better than Mumbai, and said that they would need to play ?better cricket? if they were to defend the title they had won in India last year.

"We need to play better cricket. There was a bit of dew, but we cannot complain about that. I think we were 20 runs short," the Mumbai skipper said at the post-match presentation ceremony on Sunday.

"McKenzie played superbly, along with another youngster. Overall Lions played much better than us, they know the conditions better than us... credit to them," Bhajji went on to add.

The visiting skipper felt his batsmen failed to attack the opposition spinners, especially Dirk Nannes (4-0-15-1).

"I think we didn't look to attack their spinners, he (Dirk Nannes) got away with 15 runs for four overs," said the turbanator, an off-spinner himself.

Harbhajan also defended his decision to send tailender Mitchell Johnson up the order, ahead of specialist batsmen Kieron Pollard, Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu.

"Mitchell Johnson was the only left-hand batsman we had," said Bhajji when asked about his surprising move to send the Australian quite early. The Aussie pacer consumed a lot of deliveries during his 30-run knock.

Mumbai now have a three-day break before they play Yorkshire, while Lions will take on Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Harbhajan-Singh-We-were-20-runs-short-Cricket-News-Update-a194697

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