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Tim David and Marcus Stoinis have made it a fruitful day for Australian big hitters in India, with the two power batters helping muscle their sides to victory in the IPL.
David produced one of his rollicking specials on Sunday, cracking an unbeaten 45 off just 21 balls to help propel Mumbai Indians to their first win of the season in their home Wankhede Stadium against a struggling, Australian-flavoured Delhi Capitals side.
Later, all-rounder Stoinis blasted his eighth IPL half-century to set the platform for the Justin Langer-coached Lucknow Super Giants to beat the Gujarat Titans by 33 runs in Lucknow.
However the Aussie strikers would have doffed their caps to the real star of the day — West Indian Romario Shepherd, who offered up an extraordinary display of batting pyrotechnics at the end of Mumbai's innings.
The big Guyanese all-rounder was given his stage in the final over bowled by South African speedster Anrich Nortje and smashed 32 runs off it to take Mumbai to 5-234.
The quicker Nortje came in, the further Shepherd seemed to hit him, one monstrous six even disappearing out of the substantial ground.
"Just exciting to watch at the other end, he hit that six out of the ground which everyone here enjoyed," David said after the win.
"I got upstaged at the back end there, but it was a great effort. Sheppy put the hammer down, and it was the perfect finish."
In response, the Ricky Ponting-coached Delhi with three Australians in their ranks, couldn't get going and now sit bottom of the table.
David Warner was dismissed by Shepherd for 10 after hitting the West Indian for six.
Jhye Richardson, who'd earlier had to take a break from feeling groggy in the stifling heat as he went for 0-40 off his four overs, was then out for two, one of Gerald Coetzee's four victims as Delhi fell short by 29 runs on 8-205.
The other Aussie on view was Jake Fraser-McGurk who, while still waiting for his IPL bow proper, took two accomplished catches for Delhi as a substitute fielder.
In Lucknow, Stoinis cracked his first half-century of the season, top scoring with 58 off 43 balls in the Super Giants' 5-163.
Gujarat's Aussie left-armer Spencer Johnson did well again with his 0-32 off four overs, giving up only eight in the death over despite the second ball being whacked for six.
The Titans never threatened in the chase, with Yash Thakur taking 5-30 as Langer's impressive-looking outfit moved to third on the table.
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AAP