ADELAIDE, Australia, CMC – Big-hitting West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard once again proved his worth but his efforts could not deny Victoria Bushrangers a 48-run win over South Australia Redbacks and their capture of the Twenty20 Big Bash title yesterday.
Chasing 167 for victory, the Redbacks got a typically robust 44 from Pollard before they collapsed to 118 for nine off their allotted 20 overs at the Adelaide Oval.
Even without the services of another West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, who was sidelined with a hand injury for the second successive game, Victoria still had enough resources to clinch their fourth T20 title.
The right-handed Pollard, who was bought by Mumbai Indians for an incredible US$750 000 in the Indian Premier League auction earlier this week, lashed three fours and two sixes off 33 balls.
After the Redbacks slipped to 13 for three in the fourth over, Pollard shared a 64-run, fourth-wicket stand with Mark Cosgrove (22) to stage a recovery.
Pollard started slowly with his first 13 balls yielding just eight runs but he exploded to strike some telling blows.
Having reached 24 from just 25 balls, he clobbered two sixes in the same over off left-arm spinner Jon Holland and looked to be moving into high gear when he flicked seamer James Pattinson behind square in the next over for four.
However, both batsmen fell within the space of four balls in the 13th over to fast bowler Andrew McDonald (3-21), sparking a collapse which saw the next six wickets tumble for 37 runs.
Cosgrove was bowled looking for a big heave over mid-wicket while Pollard was brilliant caught in the same area by captain David Hussey leaping high on the ropes.
Earlier, opener Aaron Finch smashed 47 from 33 balls while Aiden Blizzard rallied the lower order with a cameo 44 from 19 balls, as Victoria reached 166 for seven off their allotted overs.
