Mayers, Wood star in Lucknow’s win over Delhi

LUCKNOW: Riding on a splendid performance from batter Kyle Mayers and pacer Mark Wood, Lucknow Super Giants defeated Delhi Capitals by 50 runs in the IPL here on Saturday. Set to chase a daunting 194, Delhi’s batting crumbled in the face of a disciplined bowling effort from Lucknow as it was restricted to 143/9.

Wood, with his express pace, struck telling blows taking the prized scalps of Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh and Sarfaraz Khan to leave Delhi tottering at 48 for three in the seventh over. Wood finished with an impressive five for 14. It was a tall order for Delhi from thereon with captain David Warner waging a lone battle scoring 56 (48b, 7x4). Delhi failed to get a partnership going with Lucknow leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi perfectly complementing Wood taking the key wickets of big-hitter Rovman Powell and Rilee Rossouw in the middle overs. Pacer Avesh Khan chipped in with a couple of wickets in the climactic stages.

Earlier, Mayers made a grand entry on IPL stage with a scintillating 38-ball-73 to lead Lucknow to an imposing 193/6.

The left-hander from Barbados, who was included in the absence of South African opener Quinton De Kock, made Capitals pay a heavy price for dropping him on 14, by blazing his way to a 28-ball fifty as his knock had as many as seven sixes.

Deepak Hooda (17, 18b) at the other end was a mere spectator to Mayers’ fury as they stitched 79 runs in 42 balls to accelerate the run-rate in the middle overs.

The duo departed in the space of three balls, while Marcus Stoinis (12) got out cheaply in the middle overs.

BRIEF SCORES: Lucknow Super Giants 193/6 in 20 overs (K Mayers 73) bt Delhi Capitals 143/9 in 20 overs (D Warner 56, M Wood 5/14)