Doeschate feels Libra Legends were a major let down in MCL

Michael Lumb from Libra Legends playing a shot during the MCL match between Libra Legends vs Virgo Super Kings at Sharjah cricket stadium.

For Libra Legends the inaugural edition of the Oxigen Masters Champions League will be a tournament they would like to forget as soon as possible. The Jacques Kallis-led side failed to register a solitary win from the five matches they played in Dubai and Sharjah.
Ryan Neil ten Doeschate who had a decent tournament with scores of 53, 42*, 8, 1 and 67, felt it was a major let down from his side.
"It's very disappointing because I thought we had a very good team. At times it's been embarrassing what we put out there. We should have done better. I thought overall it was a great trip but cricket wise it was a major let down," the Dutchman said after the match on Sunday night which the bottom-placed team lost to Leo Lions by 11 runs.
Considered one of the finest players the non-Test world has ever produced, ten Doeschate said he was happy with his own batting form especially as it came ahead of a big county season.
Doeschate almost took the Legends to their first win when chasing 201 he blasted 67 from 39 balls, clearing the Sharjah Stadium on one particular occasion.
"It would have been great to have at least one win under our belt," he added.
A decent right-arm medium pace bowler who has 204 T20I wickets, Doeschate felt the tournament gave him a chance to have a go with the ball which made him happy as he hasn't been doing that in recent times.
The batsman who made things difficult for Libra was Leo Lions' Scott Styris. The New Zealander plundered 45 from 20 balls (fives sixes and 1 four) to take the match away from Legends.
"I think the 30 runs in the last over helped us get to 201and it gave us a kind of a buffer," Styris said after the match.
"We bowled pretty well, the ball was really wet so we knew we needed a big score because it would be tough for our spinners to get the same purchase that Libra Legends bowlers were able to get."
Unlike Doeschate who was disappointed and embarrassed with his team's performance, Styris thought Leo Lions' performance was really pleasing.
"We got off to a big start from Hamish Marshall and Neil Carter so the rest of us could play freely. It was a pleasing performance."
In the semifinals Leo will take on Virgo to whom they lost to in the league stage. The batsmen struggled against India's Murali Kartik but Styris is confident of coming good this time.
"We felt we should have beaten them last time but James Foster played well so looking forward to another clash with them.
"At this point in time it doesn't matter whether you finish first or fourth in the standings as we are just two wins away from winning the competition."
clareto@khaleejtimes.com