Match Center

Right then, we are done with game 3 of the inaugural edition of the World Championship of Legends and England Champions have bounced back from defeat in the opening fixture and have bolstered their net run rate quite a bit as well and South Africa Champions have a lot of work to do in their remaining fixtures. Also, the cricketing action doesn't stop in the WCL as it is a double-header day, and up next, it will be Pakistan Champions taking on West Indies Champions at the very same venue at 9 pm IST (3.30 pm GMT). However, you can catch the early build-up for that clash in just a few minutes time by simply switching tabs. Cheers!

Phil Mustard is the Player of the Match for his sensational knock. Phil says it was a bit different from the last game where the pitch was more sticky and it got better today. Adds that he feels, he and Kevin Pietersen were a bit negative with the approach in the first game and thankfully were able to change that. Smiles and says that he hasn't played much cricket at all and ends by saying that he is enjoying keeping the stumps.

Jacques Kallis, the captain of South Africa Champions is up for a chat. He says it was a tough outing and they faltered in every department. Adds it is one of those days where they need to write off and move on to the next one. Mentions the wicket was on a bit of a slower side early on and it was not easy to play freely, but says as the game progressed it got better to hit the strokes. He further adds that he is enjoying the time with the boys and wraps up by saying that they need to get the stiffness away and come back strongly in the next game.

The Presentation ceremony...

Not much to write home about South Africa Champions as they have been well beaten here. Given it was their first game and most players were playing after a long time, some slack can be cut but overall, they won't be happy with this showing. With the bat, the top order crumbled and it was only Herschelle Gibbs who had some runs under his belt and they were really saved by the lower middle order and the tail-enders as at one stage, it looked like they wouldn't even get to the 100-run mark but they got there and then some. However, the late resurgence with the bat was undone as Makhaya Ntini conceded 27 runs in the second over of the chase and after that, every bowler that came in went the distance. Rory Kleinveldt was the only one who showed control and picked up a wicket whereas Ryan McLaren came fairly late into the attack and even though he was economical, he couldn't do any damage.

After a strong showing with the ball where the pacers and spinners routed the opposition batters alike, the home team has now done it with the ball too. Ryan Sidebottom and Ajmal Shahzad got early wickets upfront before Owais Shah came in and ran through the middle order and Ravi Bopara too ended with three wickets to finish off the innings. In reply, Phil Mustard and Kevin Pietersen were quick off the blocks and Mustard in particular was hitting everything off the middle of the bat. Pietersen also got a few big hits before getting out but Mustard kept going and brought up a quickfire half-century. Ian Bell came in and just kept giving the strike back to Mustard who finished with a sensational unbeaten knock of 84 runs off just 35 balls and even hit the winning boundary.

What a turnaround in performance for England Champions from the first game and they have handed a thumping defeat to South Africa Champions by chasing down 138 runs in just 11 overs to register their first points on the board.

FOUR! PHIL MUSTARD WRAPS UP THINGS IN STYLE. England Champions register their maiden victory in this brand new tournament and get two crucial points on the table. Ryan McLaren bowls it on a fullish length, in front of the pegs, Phil Mustard just wrists it away and manages to clear the mid-wicket region for a boundary on a couple of bounces. Phil Mustard stays unbeaten on 84 off just 35 deliveries and swashbuckles through the Proteas bowling unit. England Champions win convincingly by 9 wickets. South Africa Champions looked a bit rusty out there and understandably so as it was their first game.

Lands it full and on the leg stump, Ian Bell watches the ball closely and sweetly clips it away to deep mid-wicket for a single. Just a hit away now.

Across off on a hard length, Phil Mustard stands upright and lifts it over the inner ring over covers for a single at deep cover.

Cannons in a yorker on the middle, Phil Mustard shovels it out to the leg side.

FOUR! That's powered away! Short in length, and on the top of the middle, Phil Mustard half-squats at it and pulls it away across the line towards deep square leg for a boundary. South Africa Champions's bowling has really huffed and puffed having no answers to this destruction whatsoever.

On the middle and full in length, Ian Bell flicks it nicely along the carpet for a single at deep square leg.

Strategic break! Well, well, England Champions seem to have recovered nicely from their opening game defeat to India Champions and at the halfway mark in the second innings, they are just 11 runs away from victory. South Africa Champions didn't have much of an answer with the bat and have had absolutely no answers with the ball in their opening fixture and are on the verge of a resounding loss.

SIX! He is striking the ball at will and with ease! Imran Tahir serves a friendly half-volley on the middle, Phil Mustard reads the line well, and sits down on his knee before sweeping it over deep square leg for a biggie. Imran Tahir has been quite expensive and so have the other South Africa Champions' bowlers. 19 off this over. Halfway done and England Champions just need 11 runs and they have all the time in the world to do so.

Short and turning on off from middle, Ian Bell rocks back quickly and pulls it towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

Lands it underneath the bat, on the stumps, Phil Mustard clears his front foot, stays leg side of the ball, and drills it down to long off for an easy single.