BLACKCAPS skipper Brendon McCullum and Corey Anderson will face off in a battle of the big hitters on Thursday night NZ time when the Chennai Super Kings play Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League Eliminator match.
Corey Anderson, who had been scratching for form to this point in the IPL, found it in eye-popping fashion for the Mumbai Indians this morning against the Rajasthan Royals in a match that was effectively a knock-out. Mumbai needed to chase down Rajasthan's 189 in 14.3 overs to go through on net run rate, and Anderson came to the crease at 19-1 meaning business from the very start, hitting Australia's Shane Watson for four through covers and six over deep mid wicket from his first two balls. From there, Anderson launched an unstoppable assault tonking six sixes into the electrified Mumbai crowd, along with nine fours.
You can watch highlights of Anderson's innings below (and the dramatic conclusion to the match here).
Anderson, who has been playing under the weight of the big price tag, has delivered big time for Mumbai Indians to get them to the play offs.
He'll be up against Brendon McCullum, the other BLACKCAP to show form in the IPL - he currently sits ninth on the 'most runs' ladder, with 380 from 12 matches at an average of 34.54 and a strike rate of 124.18. After returning to New Zealand for the birth of his third child, he is back in India and ready to resume his devastating opening partnership with Dwayne Smith.
The match is on Sky Sport at 2.15am Thursday morning New Zealand time.
For Ross Taylor and Jimmy Neesham (Dehli Daredevils) and Tim Southee (Rajasthan Royals) the tournament is over and they will join the BLACKCAPS squad in the West Indies.
In England, Colin Munro has been in solid form in the NatWest T20 Blast for the Worcestershire Rapids, scoring 39 from 33 balls in a 12 run loss to Lancashire Lightning on 17 May, and 31 from 22 in a 24 run loss to the Nottinghamshire Outlaws on 23 May. Jesse Ryder scored 30 from 18 balls for the Essex Eagles in their four wicket win against Glamorgan on 23 May.
In the county championship division one, Williamson scored 75 in Yorkshire's innings and 155 run win over Jeetal Patel's Warwickshire.
