Yorkshire kept in check by weather yet again

Cape Town in October evoked memories of Colwyn Bay in June and Chesterfield in July, where only a handful of overs had been possible during the worst summer weather-wise since the sinking of Titanic.

The ill-fated liner would not have looked out of place in the pools beneath Table Mountain, which itself could have passed for the giant offending iceberg in the early evening gloom.

Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On would have been the appropriate soundtrack to this watery scene; instead, the Newlands speakers blared out only the news that play had been abandoned.

When that announcement came at 8.30pm local time, the teams had been off the field for around 90 minutes.

In the 17.5 overs possible, Mumbai had scored 156-6 after being sent into bat and were well-placed to put the game beyond Yorkshire’s compass.

We will never know whether Yorkshire would have chased down a formidable target against a bowling attack which included Australia’s Mitchell Johnson, Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga and India’s Harbhajan Singh, to name but three.

The only certainty was that both sides were denied the chance of a much-needed win, and that both are now reliant on the other to reach the semi-finals.

For Yorkshire to get there, two things must happen.

First, they must win their final two games against Highveld Lions in Johannesburg tomorrow and Chennai Super Kings in Durban on Monday, with both matches starting at 12.30pm UK time.

That would prevent Highveld and Chennai reaching the semi-finals and mean the only challenge to Yorkshire for the second semi-final place from Group B would come from Mumbai, with last night’s washout ensuring that Sydney Sixers definitely go through.

However, as Yorkshire were thrashed by Sydney in their opening game, Mumbai have the potentially significant advantage of a superior net run-rate.

At present, Yorkshire and Mumbai have an identical record – one defeat and one no-result.

Should Mumbai win their final two games against Chennai tomorrow and Sydney on Monday, and should Yorkshire also win their final two games, both sides would thus finish level on points.

However, unless Yorkshire inflict on Highveld or Chennai a similar beating to that given them by Sydney, Mumbai would finish above Yorkshire by virtue of a better net run-rate, which is the second tie-breaker after most wins to separate sides who are level on points.

Not only must Yorkshire win their last two games, therefore, but they must hope Mumbai do not take maximum points from their last two, while both Mumbai and Yorkshire would definitely be out if Yorkshire lose to Highveld tomorrow.

The situation is thoroughly complex, but on the evidence of yesterday’s action both teams will find it difficult to qualify.

Yorkshire’s bowling was decent in patches, less so in others, while Mumbai made a present of most of their wickets.

Yorkshire, however, are punching above their weight, while Mumbai are an established Indian Premier League franchise and defending champions.

It was always going to be a case of David versus Goliath, particularly as Yorkshire are without their South African batsman David Miller until their final group game. With both teams unchanged from their opening fixture, Mumbai made the more purposeful start.

Dwayne Smith sent the second and third deliveries of the match from Joe Root high into the stands as Yorkshire’s customary tactic of starting with the spinner failed to pay dividends.

But from the final ball of the third over, calamity struck for the Indian side.

Sachin Tendulkar, who played for Yorkshire in 1992, drove Steve Patterson to mid-on and called his partner for an easy single.

Smith, ball-watching like a schoolboy, sent him back as Gary Ballance returned swiftly to wicketkeeper Dan Hodgson, who whipped off the bails.

Tendulkar walked off looking suitably unhappy with his partner and Yorkshire were suddenly back in the game.

Ryan Sidebottom left the field for a time, struggling with cramp, while Moin Ashraf pulled a hamstring after bowling just three deliveries.

Adam Lyth stepped into the breach but Yorkshire could ill-afford such disruptions to rhythm.

Runs arrived at a fair old lick, with only Patterson and Sidebottom approaching parsimony, but wickets also fell regularly too.

After thumping Root for two more leg-side sixes, Smith slapped lazily to deep square-leg; Rohit Sharma was yorked stepping back; Dinesh Karthik drove loosely to cover; Ambati Rayudu spooned forlornly to the same area, where Andrew Gale took a fine tumbling catch, while Harbhajan, after striking Rafiq for two successive sixes, skied the same bowler high into the covers.

Kieron Pollard struck three sixes in an unbeaten 37 – including one maximum off the labouring Adil Rashid that travelled exactly 100m and arrived at its destination faster even than Usain Bolt.

Champions League
Mumbai Indians v Yorkshire

Cape Town: Yorkshire won toss.

Mumbai Indians Innings

D R Smith c Patterson b Root 37

S R Tendulkar run out 7

R G Sharma b Rafiq 25

K D Karthik c Rafiq b A U Rashid 12

A T Rayudu c Gale b Rafiq 15

K A Pollard not out 37

Harbhajan Singh c Rafiq b A U Rashid 12

M G Johnson not out 5

Extras lb5 w1 6

Total 6 wkts (17.5 overs) 156

Fall: 1-23 2-59 3-86 4-86 5-109 6-136

Did Not Bat: D Kulkarni, S L Malinga, P P Ojha.

Bowling: Root 2 0 26 1, Sidebottom 3 0 17 0, Patterson 3 0 12 0, Ashraf 0.3 0 4 0, Lyth 1.3 0 14 0, Rafiq 4 0 36 2, A U Rashid 3.5 0 42 2.