Malinga Bandara pushes Virgo Super Kings past Capircorn Commanders and beyond MCL mediocrity

Two mid-table sides had identical records of won two, lost two, coming into the game but Bandara’s feats with the ball and in the field gave the Super Kings the edge in the race for a quarter-final place, writes Paul Radley.

Malinga Bandara’s star-turn pushed Virgo Super Kings a step closer to the knock-out stages of the Oxigen Masters Champions League, as they beat Capircorn Commanders by 12 runs in Sharjah on Sunday.

The two mid-table sides had identical records of won two, lost two, coming into the game.

However, Bandara’s feats with the ball and in the field gave the Super Kings the edge in the race for a quarter-final place.

Read more: Teams and squads – Masters Champions League 2016

Commanders appeared to be coasting to their target of 132, as they were 53 for no wicket when the Sri Lankan legspinner entered the attack.

He then proceeded to take three for four off his first two overs, and affect the run out of Ashwell Prince, who was well set on 30.

Commanders could not recover from that top order collapse, and eventually fell well short, as Bandara ended with four for 16.

Defeat was harsh on Ben Laughlin, who took four for 18 as the Super Kings edged to 131 for nine from their 20 overs.

Neil McKenzie, filling in for his South African compatriot Graeme Smith as Super Kings’ captain, led the way with the bat as he made 43 from 29 deliveries at the top of the order.

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