The Champions League got off to the intriguing start that the competition needed on Friday night as local side, the HJighveld Lions, upstaged Mumbai to clinch the opening match by nine runs.

Much like last year's tournament, when the unfancied Cape Cobras stunned Bangalore in their own backyard, this was the result to raise eyebrows and also awareness.

Few names in the Lions side would have been recognised outside of South Africa prior to Friday evening, but those watching around the world will have added Jonathan Vandiar and Shane Burger to Neil McKenzie and Alviro Petersen on that list.

Vandiar struck 71 from 48 balls and was well backed up by McKenzie's 30-ball 56 as the Lions posted 186 for five, before Burger was the star with the ball as Mumbai fell nine runs short.

With Mumbai seemingly coasting to victory as Kieron Pollard heaved 16 runs from the first five balls of the 17th over, Burger kept his cool to sting the West Indian with a yorker that changed the course of the match.

When JP Duminy (30 from 23 balls) was out two overs later the Lions had completed the turnaround, ensuring that Sachin Tendulkar's masterful 69 from 42 deliveries went in vain. Mind you, the Lions would point out that Ethan O'Reilly had Tendulkar plumb lbw in the second over, and the match might not have been so tight had Asoka de Silva given him out.

In retrospect Tendulkar's side probably lost the match in the field with sloppy errors, but the Mumbai skipper should also take responsibility after making a number of clumsy bowling changes.

Ryan McLaren opened but was only allowed one over in the innings, Harbhajan Singh didn't bowl his full quota despite proving difficult to get away and Tendulkar generally rotated too often as he rifled through eight different bowlers.

In contrast, the Lions stuck to their gameplan despite an 83-run opening partnership bnetween Tendulkar and Shikhar Dhawan, and fielded like their livelihoods depended on it.

Lions skipper Alviro Petersen, who hit just 12 runs before being run out in a bizarre mix-up with Vandiar in the fourth over, said: "I knew the boys would give 100%. We got good runs on the board, and the bowlers backed it up.

"We set ourselves 160-170, and towards the end we managed more - 186 was a winning total, but Sachin batted well and gave us some nerves."

Tendulkar, meanwhile, called on his side to raise their game for the rest of the tournament.

"All credit to the Lions, who batted well," he said. "They picked off wickets at crucial moments. I thought my wicket and Pollard, we got out at the wrong time.

"Our bowling and fielding looked rusty. We need to get charged up."