Blues off to a winning start

NSW 6-144 (Katich 52, Henriques 27, van Schalkwyk 2-22) d Diamond Eagles 9-91 (R McLaren 40, Clark 3-12, Henriques 2-13)

A devastating bowling and fielding performance propelled NSW to a 53-run thrashing of South Africa's Diamond Eagles in its opening match of the Champions League Twenty20 yesterday.

After posting a seemingly skinny 6-144 at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, the Blues reduced the Cobras to a humilating 5-25, before tailender Ryan McLaren (40) showed some belated grit to drag his side's total to 9-91. Stuart Clark was the pick of the NSW bowlers with 3-12 off his four overs.

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