Spectacular Gemini Arabians win maiden MCL title

The final of the Masters Champions League (MCL) did not just have its fair share of drama but produced some unexpected twists and turns of delight too. Gemini Arabians who were not short of being stellar the entire tournament, remained unbeaten in their campaign and were rightly crowned champions of the inaugural edition.

Tipped off as the best team in the tournament by a mile, they once again proved in style why the tag held right until the end having found different ways winning irrespective of the situation. Leo, who lost 3 for 3 at the start and then 5 for 6 in the later half, didn't stand a chance as Gemini's pacemen were all over them with Rana Naved-ul-Hasan picking up a hat-trick, finishing with astonishing figures of 4 for 9.

When Leo Lions sealed their spot in the finale after beating Virgo Super Kings, Brian Lara, their captain, said that it was bowling that was their strength and they hoped to restrict Gemini to around 120 if they got the chance to bowl first. And so they did - not to 120, but to 130 on Saturday (February 13) at the Dubai International Stadium. However, it's not the run fests that cause trickier chases, it's the low-scorers, as seen today - being well and truly worthy of a final.

With dew coming into play in the second innings, it was little surprise that Gemini opted to go with medium pacers for most parts. Leo's batting woes remained the sorry tale to tell until the end as they faltered once again after a spectacular outing from their bowlers.

Defending a meagre total, Gemini got off to a dream start, reducing Leo to 3 for 3 in the third over. Kyle Mills opened the bowling and struck off his third ball, getting Neil Carter for a duck and coming back in the third to scalp James Franklin, the man of the match from the semifinal, for 0. Graham Onions came in from the other end with a wicket maiden to send back Brendan Taylor and Gemini had the upper hand.

This setting was tailor-made for Lara to step up and lead from the front after a poor tournament so far, with a highest of 8. He, along with Hamish Marshall forged a stand for the fourth wicket to get the chase on course.

The last time Muttiah Muralitharan bowled to Lara earlier in the tournament, he dismissed him off the first ball. However, this time, Lara seemed to have found his feet and brought up a 50-run stand with Marshall before he limped away, retiring hurt with a hamstring injury with 53 on the board.

Marshall carried on stealing runs off Jacques Rudolph and Saqlain Mushtaq but the turning point came in the 14th over when the batsman got the biggest inside edge you'll ever see that rammed into his pads but umpire Steve Davis couldn't spot him and adjudged him out for 46, leaving two new batsmen to battle it out, and Leo never recovered from there.

Scott Styris was almost run out in the 16th over before being granted the benefit of the doubt after he just about grounded his bat when the bails were taken off a direct hit, but Leo sank deeper after substitute fielder Shivnarine Chanderpaul took a splendid running catch off the next ball, giving Muralitharan his first wicket.

Naved-ul-Hasan then as good as sealed the game for Gemini in the 17th over with some brilliant bowling, picking a hat-trick. He got Johan Botha and Heath Streak in succession, which forcced Lara to make his way back out with a limp. The legendary West Indian was bowled to hand Naved his third on the trot with Leo losing 5 for 6 in 19 balls. Leo eventually were bowled out for 114 in 19.3 overs.

On the same wicket that was used for both the semifinals and that had a bit of nip and wholeness, Fidel Edwards bowled fast and aggressive to kick-start things for Leo. Virender Sehwag and Kumar Sangakkara seemed to be struggling against the moving ball and some great lines from the West Indian paceman. Sehwag was dropped by Styris at first slip when on 8. However, it was Peterson who scalped the Gemini captain for the second time in the tournament in the next over when Sehwag tried to go over extra cover with the spin, but misread the delivery which had none.

Gemini hobbled along to their slowest powerplay of the tournament with only 32 on the board. Richard Levi holed out to deep midwicket where Heath Streak took the catch comfortably, but he took one step too many towards the rope, which caused questions over the catch. Streak, however, believed he caught it clean and video replays suggested it was a close call but they ended up taking the word of the fielder and Levi had to depart for 21 off 29. The batsman was unhappy but it might have been for the best as Gemini were looking for some momentum.

Lara's aggression was evident in his field placings and the way he shuffled his bowlers around. He himself was at forward short leg, looking for wickets and trying to create chances. The bowlers obliged, as did the fielders.

Sangakkara held his ground while wickets tumbled at the other end. Edwards returned in the 11th over and set Brad Hodge up beautifully. He banged in the first ball short, following it up with one that bounced an extra bit. Hodge top-edged the next short one to the boundary and then fell for the trap getting a thick outside edge straight to third man. With just six fours hit in the first 12 overs, the first six for Gemini came as late as the 14th over when Justin Kemp swung one into the stands.

Sangakkara departed in the following over attempting the pull, but top-edged to short fine leg where Johan Botha took an easy catch with any possibility of getting close to the 140 mark looking bleak. It was the first time in the tournament that Sangakkara was dismissed under the score of 50.

With every run vital at that point, Mills's 9 was vital and Kemp's unbeaten 32 off 29 put in perspective made the difference in the end.

Brief scores: Gemini Arabians 130/7 in 20 overs (Justin Kemp 32*, Kumar Sangakkara 30; Fidel Edwards 2-27, Scott Styris 2-18) beat Leo Lions 114 in 19.3 overs (Hamish Marshall 46, Brian Lara 28; Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 4-9, Kyle Mills 2-13) by 16 runs.