Tim Seifert and Jos Buttler cracked blazing half-centuries as Manchester Super Giants cruised to a comfortable 9-wicket win over Welsh Fire, chasing down the target of 156 with 31 balls to spare, at Old Trafford, on Wednesday. En route to his unbeaten 20-ball 51, Buttler became the highest run-getter in T20s, surpassing the record previously held by Kieron Pollard, and helped his side end their three-match losing streak.
The hosts were quick to assert their dominance in the chase. Even as Seifert got going with an edge that raced away to the boundary, the keeper-bat smashed four more boundaries in the next set. Walter, his opening partner, wasn’t to become a liability at the other end. He took time to take charge, but once he did – against Marco Jansen and Rachin Ravindra – he clubbed the two bowlers 24 runs in a space of five balls.
Even as Sam Cook had him caught at deep mid wicket in the 35th ball of the innings, Walter’s fall didn’t derail the chase. Buttler got going early in his innings, scooping Jansen for a boundary off the fourth ball of his innings.
But the real carnage began when Jansen returned for another set, as Buttler smashed the pacer for three successive sixes. The first of those – a slot delivery whacked over square leg – helped him go past Pollard’s mark. By then, with the fate of the contest certain, Buttler clubbed Lockie Ferguson for two more sixes, the second of which helped him raise a half-century and take the team over the line.
Earlier in the day, Fire had made a slow start after electing to bat. However, even as Phil Salt was struggling to get the boundaries flowing, Matthew Short repeatedly had moments where he would take the attack to the bowlers. First, it was against Liam Dawson, who was smashed for a six and two boundaries off successive deliveries. And then, against Noor Ahmad who was taken apart for three boundaries in a space of four balls.
Salt’s only brief moment of release came against Sonny Baker’s short deliveries getting carted for two boundaries and a six. Both the openers departed in quick succession after adding 125 runs for the opening wicket. But with only 17 deliveries left following the departure of Salt, the rest were just left swinging their bats in the end. Jordan Cox and Ravindra managed to send one over the ropes each as Gus Atkinson chipped in with a brace as the visitors were limited to 155 for 4, which resulted in Fire losing their second game of the season.
Brief Scores: Welsh Fire 155/4 in 100 balls (Matthew Short 71, Phil Salt 48; Gus Atkinson 2-12) lost to Manchester Super Giants 161/1 in 69 balls (Tim Seifert 62*, Jos Buttler 51*) by 9 wickets
