A confused Suresh Raina's near-century paved the way for the Chennai Super Kings' second victory of the Indian Premier League over the Rajasthan Royals on Thursday. In the second match of a double-header, Raina made 98 in guiding his team to 164-5 after Rajasthan won the toss and sent them in to bat. He reached his half-century from only 26 deliveries and thought he had reached a ton off 55 balls in the final over - the result of a mistake displayed on the stadium scoreboard.In fact, Raina was only on 98 when he lifted his bat in celebration. He went big off the next ball - the third-last of the innings - but was caught by Proteas skipper Graeme Smith in the deep and must have been seething when he got back to the dressing room.
Title holders Rajasthan were dismissed for 126 runs with seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji returning a magnificent 4-21 as Chennai secured a comfortable 38-run win. Kamran Khan, who injured himself bowling, did not bat. The Chennai bowlers combined superbly, with South African Albie Morkel and New Zealander Jacob Oram picking up two wickets each. Middle-order batsman Ravindra Jadeja put up a fight for the defending champions with a defiant 37 off 33 balls, but received little support as Chennai took a morale-boosting victory.
Earlier, Rajasthan spinner Yusuf Pathan, who led the attack with a return of 2-17, had done a tremendous job with the new ball, removing Chennai openers Matthew Hayden and Parthiv Patel cheaply. But Raina and Subraniam Badrinath put on 64 runs for the third wicket to steady the ship. Badrinath was lured out of his crease by Rajasthan skipper Shane Warne and was stumped by Mahesh Rawat for 29 off 27 balls, but 22-year-old Raina stuck around to anchor the innings.
Deccan Chargers surrendered the last perfect Indian Premier League record this season after a six-wicket loss to Delhi Daredevils Thursday. The result left the teams sharing first place in the Twenty20 extravaganza with four victories each from five matches and the Adam Gilchrist-led Chargers ahead on net run rate. It was a tense, low-scoring affair on a lovely autumn day at Centurion Park and as the game slipped from Deccan, Australian Gilchrist and West Indian Fidel Edwards were angered by several umpiring decisions. Deccan are a transformed team after finishing bottom of the eight-team standings last season, but batsman-cum-wicketkeeper Gilchrist conceded his outfit fell about 20 runs short when compiling 148-9 in 20 overs.
Australian Dirk Nannes played a key role in keeping Chargers in check, snatching the wickets of Gilchrist (8) and South African Herschelle Gibbs (0) and conceding just 16 runs in four overs of bounce, pace and swing. West Indian Dwayne Smith was the only Deccan batsmen to get on top of the Daredevils attack, hitting 48 off 28 balls, including two sixes and five fours. Skipper Virender Sehwag, who opted to open after having five stitches inserted in a fielding-induced finger injury, got the Delhi innings off to a good start with a boundary-laced 20 before his fourth-over departure.
Local boy AB de Villiers failed for once, making just five before joining his captain in the pavilion and the exit of opener Gautam Gambhir left Daredevils 49-3 seven overs into their response. Although the runs came slowly, Delhi did not lose another wicket until the 18th over and Sri Lankan Tim Dilshan smashed the winning runs with eight balls to spare and finished unbeaten on 52 and top scorer.
Kings XI Punjab handed Mumbai Indians their third defeat in five matches by defending a low total and eventually scoring a three-run win in a thrilling Indian Premier League match in Durban. Kumar Sangakkara had helped himself to an unbeaten 45 (44 deliveries), showing superb temperament in the face of a strong bowling from the Indians as the Kings XI made a meagre 119 for eight, batting first. Jean-Paul Duminy had kept Mumbai in the hunt with a superbly crafted 59, but his departure in the final over, bowled by Yusuf Abdulla, helped Kings XI run out winners. The Kings XI began their defence brightly, with Irfan Pathan getting rid of Jayasuriya for a duck and Vikramjeet Malik dismissing Sachin Tendulkar cheaply.
Number three Shikhar Dhawan recorded another failure, while Dwayne Bravo briefly sparkled before holing out in the deep to leave the Mumbai Indians reeling at 45 for four. But Duminy and Abhishek Nayar curbed their strokeplay and pushed the score along with ones and twos, the duo adding 49 for the fifth wicket. Irfan Pathan then had Nayar bowled for a run-a-ball 15, with the Indians still needing 26 from 17 deliveries. Further drama was added when Sangakkara, leading the side with Yuvraj Singh off the field, asked leg-spinner Piyush Chawla to send down the penultimate over and was rewarded with the wicket of Harbhajan Singh (six). The Indians were eventually left needing 12 runs off the final over sent down by Abdulla and Duminy narrowed it to seven runs from three before holing out in the deep, his team's fortunes sinking with his departure.
Abdulla finished with two for 19 from four overs and conceded just eight runs in his final over. Earlier, Tendulkar shuffled his bowlers around inside the powerplay and enjoyed success as they claimed quick wickets. Harbhajan, brought in after two accurate overs from paceman Zaheer Khan and one from Lasith Malinga, struck in his first over by sending back Karan Goel (12) with 18 runs on the board. Bravo, brought on from the other end, then made it 18 for two when he removed Ravi Bopara (six), inducing an expansive drive and catching the outside edge which Tendulkar held nicely at slip.
Duminy struck in his second over to get rid of the dangerous Yuvraj (10) before Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene (seven) fell to his countryman Jayasuriya. The wickets continued to fall and Irfan was caught in the deep immediately after Zaheer was brought back. Malinga claimed two wickets in his third over and Ramesh Powar (10) was run out off the final delivery of the innings from Bravo as the Kings XI finished with the third lowest total for a team batting first in the competition.
Kings XI Punjab handed Mumbai Indians their third defeat in five matches by defending a low total and eventually scoring a three-run win in a thrilling Indian Premier League match in Durban. Kumar Sangakkara had helped himself to an unbeaten 45 (44 deliveries), showing superb temperament in the face of a strong bowling from the Indians as the Kings XI made a meagre 119 for eight, batting first. Jean-Paul Duminy had kept Mumbai in the hunt with a superbly crafted 59, but his departure in the final over, bowled by Yusuf Abdulla, helped Kings XI run out winners. The Kings XI began their defence brightly, with Irfan Pathan getting rid of Jayasuriya for a duck and Vikramjeet Malik dismissing Sachin Tendulkar cheaply.
Number three Shikhar Dhawan recorded another failure, while Dwayne Bravo briefly sparkled before holing out in the deep to leave the Mumbai Indians reeling at 45 for four. But Duminy and Abhishek Nayar curbed their strokeplay and pushed the score along with ones and twos, the duo adding 49 for the fifth wicket. Irfan Pathan then had Nayar bowled for a run-a-ball 15, with the Indians still needing 26 from 17 deliveries. Further drama was added when Sangakkara, leading the side with Yuvraj Singh off the field, asked leg-spinner Piyush Chawla to send down the penultimate over and was rewarded with the wicket of Harbhajan Singh (six). The Indians were eventually left needing 12 runs off the final over sent down by Abdulla and Duminy narrowed it to seven runs from three before holing out in the deep, his team's fortunes sinking with his departure.
Abdulla finished with two for 19 from four overs and conceded just eight runs in his final over. Earlier, Tendulkar shuffled his bowlers around inside the powerplay and enjoyed success as they claimed quick wickets. Harbhajan, brought in after two accurate overs from paceman Zaheer Khan and one from Lasith Malinga, struck in his first over by sending back Karan Goel (12) with 18 runs on the board. Bravo, brought on from the other end, then made it 18 for two when he removed Ravi Bopara (six), inducing an expansive drive and catching the outside edge which Tendulkar held nicely at slip.
Duminy struck in his second over to get rid of the dangerous Yuvraj (10) before Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene (seven) fell to his countryman Jayasuriya. The wickets continued to fall and Irfan was caught in the deep immediately after Zaheer was brought back. Malinga claimed two wickets in his third over and Ramesh Powar (10) was run out off the final delivery of the innings from Bravo as the Kings XI finished with the third lowest total for a team batting first in the competition.
he Bangalore Royal Challengers beat Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets with just one ball to spare in an Indian Premier League match at Kingsmead on Wednesday. Chasing Kolkata's 139-6, opener Shreevats Goswami top-scored with 43 and Mark Boucher (25 not out) hit the winning runs from the penultimate ball to take Bangalore to 143-5. Kolkata captain Brendon McCullum said his team put up a good effort. "We gave as good as we got but when it came to the crunch we came up short." Bangalore got off to a flying start, Goswami and Jacques Kallis putting on 69 for the first wicket. Goswami was the more offensive of the two, hitting over the top often and blasting six boundaries from his 46-ball innings. He was dismissed in the 12th over attempting to sweep a delivery from Brad Hodge, giving wicketkeeper Morne van Wyk the first of his four catches.
Right-arm spinner Hodge was the pick of the bowlers for Kolkata, taking 3-29, while fast bowler Ishant Sharma swung the ball impressively to claim 2-15 from four overs. Kallis struck 23 from 25 balls before he skied a catch to van Wyk as he attempted to pull a quicker delivery from Sharma. Virat Kohli then edged a ball to van Wyk off Hodge for 19 to leave Bangalore on 3-106. Only one run was added before captain Kevin Pietersen was out for 13, caught by Wriddhiman Saha off Hodge attempting to chip over midwicket. Roelof van der Merwe was the last wicket to fall, edging a Sharma away swinger to van Wyk for 9.
With the score tied and two balls remaining, Boucher clinched the win by hitting a boundary over midwicket. Earlier, Morne Van Wyk top-scored with an unbeaten 43 and opener Chris Gayle scored 40 to guide the Kolkata Knight Riders to 139. Bangalore opened their bowling with spin, Pietersen taking the new ball with South Africa left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe, and it paid off. Pietersen removing the out-of-form McCullum with the first ball as he looked to hit a slower delivery and was caught by Virat Kohli at backward point.
"Gayle and McCullum like to go hard at the fast bowlers so we opened with spin," Pietersen said. Pietersen, who now leaves the IPL to joing his England teammates for a series against the West Indies, was fulsome in his praise for the tournament. "I love this tournament! It's the best academy. No coach will teach youngsters here what they will learn in the coming weeks," Pietersen said.
Yusuf Pathan's unbeaten half-century got the Rajasthan Royals back on track in the IPL with a five-wicket victory over the Delhi Daredevils. Yusuf made 62 from 30 deliveries, while South Africa skipper Graeme Smith made an unbeaten 44 from 46 as the Royals reached 147-5 to win at a canter. The Daredevils had earlier hit a tame 143-7 with AB de Villiers' half-century being the highlight off a relatively unspectacular effort Virender Sehwag's side stayed in the game thanks to leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who took out the Royals' middle-order with three quick wickets, reducing them to 64-5 at one stage.
Proteas skipper Smith steadied the ship though and allowed Yusuf's whirlwind knock to eventually turn the game the Royals' way. Rajasthan needed 48 off the last five overs, but fluent batting from Smith and Pathan kept the run rate from burgeoning. Yusuf then whacked a six and four in consecutive Mishra deliveries as his final over went for 18 and left the Royals needing less than a run a ball from the last three overs. Aptly it was Yusuf who finished up the match as his boundary helped his side over the line with 1.3 overs to spare.
Rajasthan Royals restricted Delhi Daredevils to 143 for seven in 20 overs in an IPL match here at Super Sport Park on Tuesday. Delhi was struggling on 49 for four at one stage before A.B. de Villiers (50, 40b, 5x4, 1x6) and Daniel Vettori (29) added 56 for the fifth wicket to rescue their side. Vettori also put on 30 in 3.1 overs with Mithun Manhas for the sixth wicket. Earlier, Delhi lost its openers to Dimitri Mascarenhas after electing to bat. The 31-year-old medium pacer realised the benefits of control and a touch of movement.
Gautam Gambhir was held splendidly at slip by Rajasthan captain Shane Warne, who flung himself to his left to catch the nick. The win puts the Royals in fourth place in the table on five points after their second win of the season - and leaves them just a point behind second-placed Delhi.
Yusuf Pathan's unbeaten half-century got the Rajasthan Royals back on track in the IPL with a five-wicket victory over the Delhi Daredevils. Yusuf made 62 from 30 deliveries, while South Africa skipper Graeme Smith made an unbeaten 44 from 46 as the Royals reached 147-5 to win at a canter. The Daredevils had earlier hit a tame 143-7 with AB de Villiers' half-century being the highlight off a relatively unspectacular effort Virender Sehwag's side stayed in the game thanks to leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who took out the Royals' middle-order with three quick wickets, reducing them to 64-5 at one stage.
Proteas skipper Smith steadied the ship though and allowed Yusuf's whirlwind knock to eventually turn the game the Royals' way. Rajasthan needed 48 off the last five overs, but fluent batting from Smith and Pathan kept the run rate from burgeoning. Yusuf then whacked a six and four in consecutive Mishra deliveries as his final over went for 18 and left the Royals needing less than a run a ball from the last three overs. Aptly it was Yusuf who finished up the match as his boundary helped his side over the line with 1.3 overs to spare.
Rajasthan Royals restricted Delhi Daredevils to 143 for seven in 20 overs in an IPL match here at Super Sport Park on Tuesday. Delhi was struggling on 49 for four at one stage before A.B. de Villiers (50, 40b, 5x4, 1x6) and Daniel Vettori (29) added 56 for the fifth wicket to rescue their side. Vettori also put on 30 in 3.1 overs with Mithun Manhas for the sixth wicket. Earlier, Delhi lost its openers to Dimitri Mascarenhas after electing to bat. The 31-year-old medium pacer realised the benefits of control and a touch of movement.
Gautam Gambhir was held splendidly at slip by Rajasthan captain Shane Warne, who flung himself to his left to catch the nick. The win puts the Royals in fourth place in the table on five points after their second win of the season - and leaves them just a point behind second-placed Delhi.
Senior pros Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya produced vintage strokeplay to give Mumbai Indians a key victory in the Indian Premier League here on Monday. The ageing duo hammered 127 for the first wicket from just 12.2 overs as Mumbai scored 187-6 in 20 overs after electing to take first strike and then bowled out Kolkata Knight Riders for 95 in 15.2 overs. The massive 92-run victory took Mumbai's tally to five points from four matches, putting them in third place behind leaders Deccan Chargers (eight points) and Delhi Daredevils (six).
Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan's Knight Riders were left tottering on three points from five games and needed to win a majority of their remaining nine matches to stay in contention for the semi-finals. Tendulkar, the world's leading Test and one-day batsman who has voluntarily opted out of India's Twenty20 squad, smashed a brilliant 68 off 45 balls. The prolific 36-year-old hit six boundaries and four sixes, one of them against Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis that landed outside the St George's Park stadium.
Jayasuriya, who turns 40 in June, hammered 52 off 32 balls with two fours and four sixes as the veterans turned the clock back in a breathtaking display of attacking batting. Kolkata's chase faltered early when skipper Brendon McCullum was dismissed by Lasith Malinga in the second over and West Indian captain Chris Gayle fell to team-mate Dwayne Bravo in the third. Brad Hodge (24) and Sourav Ganguly (34) were the chief contributors to Kolkata's meagre total as Lasith Malinga and Abhishek Nayar scalped three wickets each.
Sri Lankans Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara scored half-centuries to guide the Delhi Daredevils and King's XI Punjab to comfortable wins on day nine of the Indian Premier League. Dilshan compiled an unbeaten 67 to anchor the Daredevils to a target of 150 against the under-achieving Bangalore Royal Challengers who limped to 149 for seven before slumping to their fourth consecutive defeat. England's Kevin Pietersen top-scored with 37 for the Bangalore franchise before being bowled by Daniel Vettori and South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher belted 36 from 28 balls at the end of the innings. But Dilshan negotiated the inevitable wobbles in the run chase to push the tournament favourite Daredevils over the line with four balls to spare in Port Elizabeth.
Bangalore captain Kevin Pietersen was generally happy with his team's performance. "It's sad to lose. I'm upset, but when you lose the way we did it's encouraging," he said on Sunday. "The guys can raise their heads high." Pietersen will play one more IPL game before joining England to play a Test series against the West Indies. At Newlands in Cape Town the King's XI slumped to 48 for four in the face of disciplined bowling from 18-year-old left armer Kamran Khan and experienced seamer Munaf Patel. But Sangakkara rebuilt the innings during a fifth-wicket stand of 75 with Indian Irfan Pathan.
A final total of 139 for six may have looked below par but Newlands lived up to its reputation as a bowlers' paradise under floodlights and Shane Warne's team crashed to 42 for six. The great Australian leg-spinner made 34 not out in a stand of 60 with Ravindra Jadeja (37) to give the innings a semblance of respectability without ever threatening a victory. Sangakkara compiled a steady 60 from 51 balls in tricky batting conditions and Pathan contributed 39 from 33 deliveries with two fours and two sixes.
Michael Clarke's all-round performance helped his team give Pakistan a dose of their own medicine as Australia won the third day-night international by 27 runs at Abu Dhabi Stadium here on Monday. The 28-year-old hit a fighting 66 to anchor an otherwise struggling Australian innings which helped them reach 198-7 in their allotted 50 overs before claiming 3-15 to bowl Pakistan out for 171 in 47.1 overs. Clarke's brilliant bowling -- which saw Pakistan lose their ten wickets in the space of 76 runs -- steered his team to a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Pakistan won the first match by four wickets, while Australia clinched the second by six wickets -- both played in Dubai last week.
The remaining two matches will be played here on May 1 and 3. The only Twenty20 match is scheduled for Dubai on May 7. Shoaib Malik (30) and Sohail Tanvir (11) added 22 for the eighth wicket to raise hopes of Pakistan's win before both were dismissed on the same score of 170. Clarke and Nathan Hauritz got two wickets each off successive deliveries as Pakistan, fast approaching the target with openers Salman Butt (48) and Ahmed Shahzad (40), having put 95 for the first wicket in 22 overs, lost four wickets in the space of 12 runs.
Clarke sent Shahid Afridi back in his third over, leaving Pakistan at 123-5. Earlier, it was Clarke the batsman who hit a valiant 66 during an innings-building phase after Australia, who won the toss and batted, were made to struggle for runs by some accurate Pakistani bowling. Clarke, who hit eight boundaries during his 93-ball knock, added 54 for the fifth wicket with Callum Ferguson (41) and 46 for the third wicket with opener Brad Haddin (26). Clarke, who managed just 4 and 39 in first two matches, anchored the innings Australia had lost two early wickets with James Hopes (15) and Shane Watson (nought). Both Australia and Pakistan made two chnages each, with Pakistan resting Shoaib Akhtar, who played the two matches despite a high fever.
Senior pros Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya produced vintage strokeplay to give Mumbai Indians a key victory in the Indian Premier League here on Monday. The ageing duo hammered 127 for the first wicket from just 12.2 overs as Mumbai scored 187-6 in 20 overs after electing to take first strike and then bowled out Kolkata Knight Riders for 95 in 15.2 overs. The massive 92-run victory took Mumbai's tally to five points from four matches, putting them in third place behind leaders Deccan Chargers (eight points) and Delhi Daredevils (six).
Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan's Knight Riders were left tottering on three points from five games and needed to win a majority of their remaining nine matches to stay in contention for the semi-finals. Tendulkar, the world's leading Test and one-day batsman who has voluntarily opted out of India's Twenty20 squad, smashed a brilliant 68 off 45 balls. The prolific 36-year-old hit six boundaries and four sixes, one of them against Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis that landed outside the St George's Park stadium.
Jayasuriya, who turns 40 in June, hammered 52 off 32 balls with two fours and four sixes as the veterans turned the clock back in a breathtaking display of attacking batting. Kolkata's chase faltered early when skipper Brendon McCullum was dismissed by Lasith Malinga in the second over and West Indian captain Chris Gayle fell to team-mate Dwayne Bravo in the third. Brad Hodge (24) and Sourav Ganguly (34) were the chief contributors to Kolkata's meagre total as Lasith Malinga and Abhishek Nayar scalped three wickets each.
Herschelle Gibbs opened the final over with a huge six to set up a fourth victory out of four for the Deccan Chargers over the Chennai Super Kings today. Needing eight from the final six balls, Gibbs took all the tension out of the game with a huge shot over midwicket and Deccan went on to win by six wickets. Gibbs added a single off the next ball, and then left it to Azhar Bilakhia to hit the winning runs with a four as Deccan made 169 for four. The innings began with an explosive effort from Adam Gilchrist, whose 44 off 19 balls looked like setting them up for a comfortable run chase. But VVS Laxman managed only four and Rohit Sharma (18) and Dwayne Smith (12) likewise left it to Gibbs to see the Chargers home with an unbeaten 69.
Earlier, Deccan did a good job in restricting the Chennai line-up to 165 for six, keeping the run rate under nine even as Matthew Hayden made 49 off 35 balls and Jacob Oram added an unbeaten 41 off 29 balls. Parthiv Patel fell second ball without a run being scored, setting the tone for an innings in which Chennai struggled to find much fluency with Fidel Edwards particularly effective in frustrating Hayden and Suresh Raina, taking one for 21 off his four overs. But it was Pragyan Ojha who was the pick of the bowlers as he claimed the scalps of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Hayden in quick succession to put Deccan in control.
Dhoni went for 22 when he sliced the ball to Shoaib Ahmed in the covers, and three balls later Hayden fell one short of his half-century when Ojha put him off balance with a full delivery the Australian could only send into the hands of Sharma at mid-wicket. Ojha finished with two for 11 off two overs. Deccan top the table with their perfect record, while Chennai have won one and lost three.
Tillakaratne Dilshan struck a match-winning unbeaten 67 to help Daredevils beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets and register their third consecutive victory in the Indian Premier League match. After the early dismissal their openers Dilshan's 47-ball knock, studded with five boundaries and two sixes, kept the Daredevils in the hunt. Earlier, skipper Kevin Pietersen (37) and Mark Boucher (36) helped Royal Challengers Bangalore post a modest 149 for seven after opting to bat. With this victory the Daredevils remain unbeaten in the tournament with three victories from as many matches while Royal Challengers are lying at the bottom with just one win out of five games.
The Sri Lankan cracked two sixes and five fours in his 47-ball 67 not out as Delhi achieved a 150-run target with four balls to spare for their third win in as many matches. Kevin Pietersen-led Bangalore have so far posted just one victory in five matches. Dilshan steadied the innings after the early dismissals of openers Virender Sehwag (seven) and Gautam Gambhir (16). He put on 44 for the unfinished fifth wicket off just 22 balls with Mithun Manhas (23 not out). The Sri Lankan reached his second half-century of the tournament in style, hoisting South African Jacques Kallis for a six. AB de Villiers was the other notable contributor for Delhi with 21.
Chasing a modest 150 for victory, the Daredevils once again lost skipper Virender Sehwag (7) early after he mistimed a pull off Pankaj Singh (2/31) in the second over to give an easy catch to Pietersen at mid-on. But a determined Dilshan started from where he left against Chennai Super Kings and first hit R Vinay Kumay for a four in the third over and then struck a cheeky six over the keeper's head off Pankaj in the next over. Dilshan, however, got a reprieve on 18 when Pankaj grounded a difficult chance off his own bowling in the sixth over, but made amends a ball later by having Gambhir (16) caught behind.
A spinning masterclass from Pragyan Ojha and disciplined back-up from Venugopal Rao ensured Deccan Chargers consolidated their position at the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) table with a 12-run victory over Mumbai Indians here on Saturday. Chasing 169, Mumbai looked destined for victory when they entered the final 10 overs of their innings needing 85 to win with nine wickets in hand and star batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and JP Duminy at the crease. But Ojha's 3-21 swung the match as he had Tendulkar caught at short extra cover by Herschelle Gibbs for 36, then removed Shikhar Dhawan and Duminy (47) in consecutive overs.
"I was nervous coming into the match, but I know that if I work hard I can do it, and at the end of the day I did it for my team," said Ojha. Fellow spinner Rao squeezed the batsmen at the other end, allowing just 21 runs from his first three overs as Mumbai managed a meagre 24 runs in the five overs after the 'strategy break'. Dwayne Bravo and Harbhajan Singh led spirited resistance, but when Fidel Edwards removed fellow West Indian Bravo for 21, Mumbai's fate was sealed and they ended their innings on 156-7.
An opening stand of 63 between Adam Gilchrist and Gibbs set Chargers up for a big total after they won the toss and elected to bat under sunny Kingsmead skies. Even after Gilchrist had fallen for 35 to the bowling of Bravo, Gibbs continued the assault on Mumbai's bowlers with Dwayne Smith as Deccan reached 124-1 in the 13th over. But when Smith was bowled by Sanath Jayasuriya for 35, his dismissal instigated a collapse and none of the batsmen who followed reached double figures. Top scorer Gibbs was run out for a feisty 58 as Deccan made 168-8 in 20 overs.
Even though Bangalore put reasonably good score on the board, Kings XI Punjab team secure their first win in the second edition of the DLF Indian Premier League, due to the great batting performance from Ravi Bopara. When his former captain and the national team mate, Kevin Peterson went out for duck, Bopara shined with his star performance today. Earlier in the game once again Bangalore innings collapse, the only batsman who scored reasonable amount is Jacques Kallis. Ironically another South African player in the other side managed to get his wicket and another three wickets to ripple the Bangalore Royal Challengers Inning. He is fast boler Yusuf Abdulla. He and Yusuf Pathan together took seven wickets in the Bangalore Royal Challengers Inning.
Ravi Bopara lead from the front when Mohali team came in to bat.Even though he was the only star in that innings, Kumar Sangakkara and Yuvaraj Singh geve him good help as they managed to secure the victory in the nineteenth over with only three wickets down. Bangalore bowlers couldn't do much against the surge of Kings XI. So this win is very significant as this might be an indication of a repeating history, as Kings XI team faced the same fate like this in 2008 IPL. After loosing starting games they came back strongly till the semi finals. But Bangalore don't want to see the repeating history. They want to break it.
They did everything for that. Remove their former captain, bought Kevin Peterson for record amount of money and made him the leader. But whatever they did still there is no sign of relief. They had very good start to the series with a victory against the defending champions Rajasthan Royals. But now they are falling back when the teams like Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab are rising. But still still they have chance to fight back, but there won't be much time left. And there is another news, one of the two most expensive players of IPL Andrew Flintoff, have to go out of the series as he has to undergone a knee surgery. So this will be a big setback for chennai team even though he didn't manage to play big role in the games he played so far. Tomorrow will be a another big day. Stay tuned for much more cricket.
A brutal half-century from Adam Gilchrist set Deccan Chargers on their way to a 24-run win over Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League in Cape Town today. The Australian smashed a quickfire 71 and Rohit Sharma contributed 52 as Deccan reached 184 for six from their 20 overs. Bangalore's reply never really got going with captain Kevin Pietersen managing just 11 before he fell to a teasing delivery from Pragyan Ojha and a smart stumping from Gilchrist. Rahul Dravid gave them hope with a thumping 48 before holing out, and Virat Kohli posted 50, but with precious little support from their team-mates their efforts proved in vain. Having won the toss and elected to bat, Deccan opener Gilchrist took the fight to Bangalore from the outset, peppering the boundary on his way to a 71 off 45 balls which featured six fours and five sixes.
The veteran Australian was dismissed by Pietersen in the 14th over, one of two victims for the England man, the pick of his side's bowlers. Gilchrist was caught in the covers by Kohli to leave Deccan on 127 for three, but Sharma was on hand to carry on piling on the runs. He cracked 52 of just 30 deliveries before Pietersen pouched a catch at mid-on off the bowling of Dale Steyn, but by then the Chargers had already passed the 170 mark. The former England captain finished with two wickets for 31 off his four overs, also dismissing Scott Styris for 14. Herschelle Gibbs (13) was only other batsman to manage double figures for Deccan. Bangalore's innings got off to worst possible start when Jesse Ryder was clean bowled first ball by Fidel Edwards.
Neither Robin Uthappa (12) or Jacques Kallis (15) could make any significant inroads into the Deccan total as the Royal Challengers floundered on 38 for three. And Pietersen lasted just 15 balls and managed just one four before he too was sent packing. A fifth-wicket partnership of 53 between Dravid and Kohli, who was caught by Gibbs off RP Singh in the final over, threatened to haul them back into the contest, but the required run rate remained out of reach as Bangalore finished on 160 for eight. Singh finished with two wickets for 16 from three overs and Styris three for 32 from four.
Shahid Afridi exposed Australia's frailties against spin to help Pakistan rout their opponents for 168 in the first day-night international at the Dubai Stadium here on Wednesday. Leg-spinner Afridi took a career-best 6-38 and was ably supported by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (2-19) as the duo triggered a middle-order collapse after Australia won the toss and elected to bat. Australia were sailing merrily at 95-1 in the 19th over before losing eight wickets for 27 runs as their batsmen crumbled on the newly built Dubai Stadium pitch to the bowling attack of Afridi and Ajmal. James Hopes, who top-scored with 48 not out, added 46 for the last wicket -- a record against Pakistan in one-dayers -- with Ben Hilfenhaus (four) to give some respectability to the total.
Australia had raced to 41 as openers Shaun Marsh (16) and Brad Haddin easily negotiated the pace of Gul and Shoaib Akhtar before Marsh was run out. Shane Watson (40) helped Haddin (40) add 54 for the second wicket but once the spinners came, wickets fell like nine pins. Australia lost Haddin and Watson -- both falling to Afridi in quick succession -- and the innings derailed. Afridi broke the stand when he bowled Haddin in his fourth over and then never looked back. Haddin hit three fours and a six off 52-balls. Watson looked dangerous during his 47-ball knock and hit two boundaries and a six off Afridi before the leg-spinner bowled him with a sharp one that spun across the bat.
In between Ajmal had Australian captain Michael Clarke caught behind for four. Andrew Symonds, who returned to the squad after playing his last one-day in July last year, became Afridi's third wicket with a googly which caught the edge and was smartly snapped up by wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal. Symonds made just two. Afridi further dealt three blows by dismissing Callum Ferguson (two), Nathan Bracken (one) and Stuart Clarke (two) to improve his previous best one-day figures of 5-11 against Kenya at Birmingham in 2004. Hopes hit five fours and a six during his 46-ball knock.
AB De Villiers blasted a 54-ball 105 to record the first century in the second edition of the Indian Premier League as Delhi Daredevils snatched a slender nine-run win over Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling match here today. On a day which saw more than 350 runs being scored, Delhi Daredevils first posted an imposing 189 for five and then restricted the opponents just nine runs short of the target in the stipulated 20 overs. Chasing 190, Chennai went off to a flying start, courtesy a sparkling 22-ball 50 runs by Australian Matthew Hayden but once he was back in the hut the Super Kings lost the plot completely.
Pradeep Sangwan removed Hayden in the eighth over and once Parthiv and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (5) also perished, Suresh Raina (41 off 27 balls) and Andrew Flintoff (16) joined hands to stitch together a 31-run crucial stand. Needing 42 runs in last five overs, the Super Kings could not keep the score ticking and fell like a house of cards. Manpreet Gony (6), Joginder Sharma (4) and Laxmipathy Balaji (0) run themselves out in pursuit of quick runs and handed a narrow nine win to the Daredevils in the end. For Delhi, Pradeep Sangwan returned with a three-wicket haul for 28 runs and Daniel Vettori scalped two crucial wickets giving away 29 runs.
Flintoff needed a match-winning performance to justify his $1.5 million price tag, but he failed once more and at present is competing with countryman Kevin Pietersen for the tag of the tournament's priciest flop. Needing 24 off the last two overs Chennai lost Subramaniam Badrinath and Manpreet Gony within two balls of each other and had Joginder Sharma and MS Gony run out in consecutive deliveries, leaving Morkel needing to smash 11 from two - an improbable task which he failed.
What a game, this game told us that the how exciting the coming days of he second edition of the Indian Premier League. The game was moving in to the both sides from the beginning, but it was mostly with Kolkata Knight Riders side, till the forty second over of the game, where Yusuf Pathan showed his magic once again. What a entertaining player he is, he might not be among the best, but for sure top of the most entertaining and players who can change the result of the game. Royals didn't have good start for this season before this game and after loosing the first game, their second game was washed out. Delhi Daredevils and Chennai Super Kings were the pre-season favorite even though Rajasthan Royals are the defending champions. But now they have bounced back as they did in the last season, with big bang in the most entertaining game in the season so far.
But if Kolkta Knight Riders managed to grab the opportunity Yusuf gave in the Mendis's second ball, the story should have been different. It would save two runs and most importantly Yusuf Pathan would be back in the pavilion. But that's the nature of the cricket and that's why it's more exciting. Anyway the super over superiority should not take the credit away from the prince of Bengal who guided the Kolkata team to almost to the victory. But he should be still cursing him self for the mistake he made, that cost a much needed victory for the team. And Ajantha Mendis did well before he bowl the super over, and also it's Pathan's super batting that made him down. But still he managed to get an opportunity that that fielders were unable to convert.
And if I didn't put a note about the young bowler who bowled superb last over, even though he started with a wide. Kamran Khan did his part well and made it clear that his captain Shane Warne's comment about him is true. Warne named Kamran as a player to watch in this season. It's very interesting that he is basically a tennis ball player with no first class experience. Rajasthan team's director of coaching has noticed him in a twenty20 tournament in Mumbai and has taken him to the team with usd 24000 conract. This hidden talents might be very helpful for Rajasthan to defend their title in the second season. With ths victory Rajasthan jumped in to the forth place and Kolkata went down to seventh place.
By comparing the IPL season 2 so far with the last year's tournament, the rise of Deccan Chargers and the fall of Kings XI Punjab are the things to notice. And even though still too early to predict the result of the tournament Delhi, Mumbai, Deccan have good change to make in to the semi finals.
From the beginning it was clear. 207 is not a good score to defend against a team like Australia, unless they collapsed like they did in the last game. Day before yesterday Australians hardly made hundred and sixty nine. But today it was a different day. Salman Butt did well once again and so as Shahid Afridi. Afridi who played one man show in the last game did his part today also. But he can't play one man shows everyday, the other players should support them. But only Salman Butt did it. No of the other player contributed to put a reasonable score on the board. And also the Pakistani Innings was very slow from the beginning. They lost crucial wickets whenever the players were speeding up. So at the end of the day they were short of thirty, forty runs.
But still they could have win the game if somebody would be able to repeat what Afridi did in the last game with the ball. But it was once again Afridi is the one who leaded the bowlers with his spin attack. But he managed to grab only two wickets. No help from the others again. Compare to Pakistan innings Australian innings was well balanced and most of the players contributed some way to win this game. Hauritz, Hopes and Symonds did well in the ball. And Almost all the batsmen who came to the ground other than Haddin did their part to ensure the run chase is approachable.
But non other than Andrew Symonds who played star role today with his all round performance. His two wickets for twelve and fifty eight runs played big part of the victory. SO this is his first series in to the international arena after sitting out from the cricket for many years. This will be a good comeback call from Symonds. Now the series is leveled as 1-1 and three more games to go. I hope Pakistan will bounced back from the today's debacle. To do that their batsmen should keep their head high, as well as the fast bowlers. Lets meet on 27th in Abu Dhabi :)
Sri Lankans Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara scored half-centuries to guide the Delhi Daredevils and King's XI Punjab to comfortable wins on day nine of the Indian Premier League. Dilshan compiled an unbeaten 67 to anchor the Daredevils to a target of 150 against the under-achieving Bangalore Royal Challengers who limped to 149 for seven before slumping to their fourth consecutive defeat. England's Kevin Pietersen top-scored with 37 for the Bangalore franchise before being bowled by Daniel Vettori and South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher belted 36 from 28 balls at the end of the innings. But Dilshan negotiated the inevitable wobbles in the run chase to push the tournament favourite Daredevils over the line with four balls to spare in Port Elizabeth.
Bangalore captain Kevin Pietersen was generally happy with his team's performance. "It's sad to lose. I'm upset, but when you lose the way we did it's encouraging," he said on Sunday. "The guys can raise their heads high." Pietersen will play one more IPL game before joining England to play a Test series against the West Indies. At Newlands in Cape Town the King's XI slumped to 48 for four in the face of disciplined bowling from 18-year-old left armer Kamran Khan and experienced seamer Munaf Patel. But Sangakkara rebuilt the innings during a fifth-wicket stand of 75 with Indian Irfan Pathan.
A final total of 139 for six may have looked below par but Newlands lived up to its reputation as a bowlers' paradise under floodlights and Shane Warne's team crashed to 42 for six. The great Australian leg-spinner made 34 not out in a stand of 60 with Ravindra Jadeja (37) to give the innings a semblance of respectability without ever threatening a victory. Sangakkara compiled a steady 60 from 51 balls in tricky batting conditions and Pathan contributed 39 from 33 deliveries with two fours and two sixes.
Tillakaratne Dilshan struck a match-winning unbeaten 67 to help Daredevils beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets and register their third consecutive victory in the Indian Premier League match. After the early dismissal their openers Dilshan's 47-ball knock, studded with five boundaries and two sixes, kept the Daredevils in the hunt. Earlier, skipper Kevin Pietersen (37) and Mark Boucher (36) helped Royal Challengers Bangalore post a modest 149 for seven after opting to bat. With this victory the Daredevils remain unbeaten in the tournament with three victories from as many matches while Royal Challengers are lying at the bottom with just one win out of five games.
The Sri Lankan cracked two sixes and five fours in his 47-ball 67 not out as Delhi achieved a 150-run target with four balls to spare for their third win in as many matches. Kevin Pietersen-led Bangalore have so far posted just one victory in five matches. Dilshan steadied the innings after the early dismissals of openers Virender Sehwag (seven) and Gautam Gambhir (16). He put on 44 for the unfinished fifth wicket off just 22 balls with Mithun Manhas (23 not out). The Sri Lankan reached his second half-century of the tournament in style, hoisting South African Jacques Kallis for a six. AB de Villiers was the other notable contributor for Delhi with 21.
Chasing a modest 150 for victory, the Daredevils once again lost skipper Virender Sehwag (7) early after he mistimed a pull off Pankaj Singh (2/31) in the second over to give an easy catch to Pietersen at mid-on. But a determined Dilshan started from where he left against Chennai Super Kings and first hit R Vinay Kumay for a four in the third over and then struck a cheeky six over the keeper's head off Pankaj in the next over. Dilshan, however, got a reprieve on 18 when Pankaj grounded a difficult chance off his own bowling in the sixth over, but made amends a ball later by having Gambhir (16) caught behind.
A spinning masterclass from Pragyan Ojha and disciplined back-up from Venugopal Rao ensured Deccan Chargers consolidated their position at the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) table with a 12-run victory over Mumbai Indians here on Saturday. Chasing 169, Mumbai looked destined for victory when they entered the final 10 overs of their innings needing 85 to win with nine wickets in hand and star batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and JP Duminy at the crease. But Ojha's 3-21 swung the match as he had Tendulkar caught at short extra cover by Herschelle Gibbs for 36, then removed Shikhar Dhawan and Duminy (47) in consecutive overs.
"I was nervous coming into the match, but I know that if I work hard I can do it, and at the end of the day I did it for my team," said Ojha. Fellow spinner Rao squeezed the batsmen at the other end, allowing just 21 runs from his first three overs as Mumbai managed a meagre 24 runs in the five overs after the 'strategy break'. Dwayne Bravo and Harbhajan Singh led spirited resistance, but when Fidel Edwards removed fellow West Indian Bravo for 21, Mumbai's fate was sealed and they ended their innings on 156-7.
An opening stand of 63 between Adam Gilchrist and Gibbs set Chargers up for a big total after they won the toss and elected to bat under sunny Kingsmead skies. Even after Gilchrist had fallen for 35 to the bowling of Bravo, Gibbs continued the assault on Mumbai's bowlers with Dwayne Smith as Deccan reached 124-1 in the 13th over. But when Smith was bowled by Sanath Jayasuriya for 35, his dismissal instigated a collapse and none of the batsmen who followed reached double figures. Top scorer Gibbs was run out for a feisty 58 as Deccan made 168-8 in 20 overs.
A brutal half-century from Adam Gilchrist set Deccan Chargers on their way to a 24-run win over Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League in Cape Town today. The Australian smashed a quickfire 71 and Rohit Sharma contributed 52 as Deccan reached 184 for six from their 20 overs. Bangalore's reply never really got going with captain Kevin Pietersen managing just 11 before he fell to a teasing delivery from Pragyan Ojha and a smart stumping from Gilchrist. Rahul Dravid gave them hope with a thumping 48 before holing out, and Virat Kohli posted 50, but with precious little support from their team-mates their efforts proved in vain. Having won the toss and elected to bat, Deccan opener Gilchrist took the fight to Bangalore from the outset, peppering the boundary on his way to a 71 off 45 balls which featured six fours and five sixes.
The veteran Australian was dismissed by Pietersen in the 14th over, one of two victims for the England man, the pick of his side's bowlers. Gilchrist was caught in the covers by Kohli to leave Deccan on 127 for three, but Sharma was on hand to carry on piling on the runs. He cracked 52 of just 30 deliveries before Pietersen pouched a catch at mid-on off the bowling of Dale Steyn, but by then the Chargers had already passed the 170 mark. The former England captain finished with two wickets for 31 off his four overs, also dismissing Scott Styris for 14. Herschelle Gibbs (13) was only other batsman to manage double figures for Deccan. Bangalore's innings got off to worst possible start when Jesse Ryder was clean bowled first ball by Fidel Edwards.
Neither Robin Uthappa (12) or Jacques Kallis (15) could make any significant inroads into the Deccan total as the Royal Challengers floundered on 38 for three. And Pietersen lasted just 15 balls and managed just one four before he too was sent packing. A fifth-wicket partnership of 53 between Dravid and Kohli, who was caught by Gibbs off RP Singh in the final over, threatened to haul them back into the contest, but the required run rate remained out of reach as Bangalore finished on 160 for eight. Singh finished with two wickets for 16 from three overs and Styris three for 32 from four.
Shahid Afridi exposed Australia's frailties against spin to help Pakistan rout their opponents for 168 in the first day-night international at the Dubai Stadium here on Wednesday. Leg-spinner Afridi took a career-best 6-38 and was ably supported by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (2-19) as the duo triggered a middle-order collapse after Australia won the toss and elected to bat. Australia were sailing merrily at 95-1 in the 19th over before losing eight wickets for 27 runs as their batsmen crumbled on the newly built Dubai Stadium pitch to the bowling attack of Afridi and Ajmal. James Hopes, who top-scored with 48 not out, added 46 for the last wicket -- a record against Pakistan in one-dayers -- with Ben Hilfenhaus (four) to give some respectability to the total.
Australia had raced to 41 as openers Shaun Marsh (16) and Brad Haddin easily negotiated the pace of Gul and Shoaib Akhtar before Marsh was run out. Shane Watson (40) helped Haddin (40) add 54 for the second wicket but once the spinners came, wickets fell like nine pins. Australia lost Haddin and Watson -- both falling to Afridi in quick succession -- and the innings derailed. Afridi broke the stand when he bowled Haddin in his fourth over and then never looked back. Haddin hit three fours and a six off 52-balls. Watson looked dangerous during his 47-ball knock and hit two boundaries and a six off Afridi before the leg-spinner bowled him with a sharp one that spun across the bat.
In between Ajmal had Australian captain Michael Clarke caught behind for four. Andrew Symonds, who returned to the squad after playing his last one-day in July last year, became Afridi's third wicket with a googly which caught the edge and was smartly snapped up by wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal. Symonds made just two. Afridi further dealt three blows by dismissing Callum Ferguson (two), Nathan Bracken (one) and Stuart Clarke (two) to improve his previous best one-day figures of 5-11 against Kenya at Birmingham in 2004. Hopes hit five fours and a six during his 46-ball knock.
Sachin Tendulkar hit a half-century and Lasith Malinga claimed three wickets as the Mumbai Indians clinched a 19-run victory over Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of the Indian Premier League today. Tendulkar carried his bat, slamming an unbeaten 59 to help his side post 165 for seven. Chennai made a good fist of the chase thanks to Matthew Hayden's 44, but fell short and eventually ended with 146 for seven. After Mahendra Singh Dhoni had won the toss and asked Mumbai to bat, Sanath Jayasuriya and Tendulkar began briskly, tucking into opening pair of Manpreet Singh Gony and Thilan Thushara. The two helped Mumbai reach 27 in just four overs, forcing Dhoni into a bowling change which saw the introduction of Andrew Flintoff. The England all-rounder almost struck in his first over when Tendulkar looked to have edged the ball, but Hayden at first slip failed to hold on to a straightforward take. In the next over, though, the Australian made amends when he snapped up Jayasuriya at mid-wicket for 26 after Thushara drew a false stroke from his fellow Sri Lankan.
Play was then held up for more than 15 minutes by a roaming dog but, after it was eventually led off, Mumbai continued to find the boundary at will. Shikhar Dhawan and Tendulkar added 43 together, before the former top-edged Gony to Dhoni running in from mid-wicket for 22. The Indian seamer then claimed took a splendid return catch to get rid of JP Duminy (nine) in his next over, followed by the dismissal of Dwayne Bravo (five) - caught by Hayden at deep square leg to leave Mumbai 102 for four. Abhishek Nayar planted Flintoff for three sixes in an over before he was out for a 14-ball 35, with Tendulkar made to wait for a half-century which he eventually reached in 44 deliveries. Flintoff finally managed to claim his first IPL wicket off the penultimate ball of the innings when he had Zaheer Khan (two) caught at wide long-off by Thushara as Mumbai posted 166.
Malinga then struck with the second ball of the Chennai response, inducing an edge from Parthiv Patel (nought) that was excellently held by Tendulkar at first slip. Suresh Raina came in next, but lasted just nine balls for his eight and was caught by Rohan Raje at deep square leg off Bravo. Flintoff was promoted up the order and it looked a good call by Chennai as the Englishman plundered Bravo for a four and a six in the same over. Along with Hayden, they put on 50 in 42 balls, before Flintoff ent for a big shot against Harbhajan Singh and skied a return catch to the bowler for 4. Jayasuriya then accounted for Hayden (44) - caught well by Zaheer at cover - followed by Jacob Oram (eight) and Subramaniam Badrinath (nought) to leave Chennai at 109 for six. Needing 31 of the last two overs, Dhoni's men were pegged back by Zaheer, who conceded just six runs in the penultimate over. Malinga's final over then also yielded six, including the wicket of Dhoni (36), as Mumbai ran out convincing winners.
Veteran Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble sent the Rajasthan Royals crashing to defeat when they started the defence of their Indian Premier League crown at Newlands Saturday. Kumble took five for five as the Bangalore Royal Challengers gained a crushing 75-run win as the champions were bowled out for a paltry 58. "It was pretty disappointing," admitted Rajasthan captain Shane Warne. "As defending champions we expect better of ourselves. Our shot selection was poor." Bangalore skipper Kevin Pietersen was overjoyed with the opening win. "The boys played fantastic cricket," he said. "It was a great team effort and you can't buy Anil Kumble's experience in a shop."
Indian batting star Rahul Dravid made a fine 66 as Bangalore recovered from losing two wickets for no runs in the first three balls of their innings. Bangalore made 133 for eight, which hardly seemed likely to be a total easily defended, but the Royals made a horror start and never recovered. They were bowled out for 58, with no batsman making more than 11. England all-rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas had New Zealand's Jesse Ryder caught behind for a duck off the second ball of the match and then bowled fellow Kiwi Ross Taylor with his next delivery. Mascarenhas struck again when Robin Uthappa was caught behind to reduce the Challengers to 17 for three. But Pietersen made 32 as he and Dravid started a fightback. Dravid carried it on, batting until the last over of the innings as he made 66 off 48 balls with eight fours and a six.
Mascarenhas took three for 20 and he was backed up by Munaf Patel (two for 25) and Warne, who claimed two for 18 in his four overs. The Royals suffered early blows when opening bowler Praveen Kumar dismissed Swapnil Asnodkar and South African captain Graeme Smith in his first two overs. Medium-pacer Ryder took two quick wickets, Mascarenhas was run out first ball and Kumble ripped through the rest of the batting.
New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori took three for 15 as the Delhi Daredevils won a rain-shortened Indian Premier League match against Kings XI Punjab by ten wickets at Newlands Sunday. Vettori's bowling was mainly responsible for restricting the Kings XI to 104 for seven in 12 overs in an overs-reduced game after rain delayed the start by more than an hour and a half. Indian opening batsmen Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir made a revised target of 54 in six overs look easy, with Sehwag finishing the match with his fourth six in an innings of 38 not out off 16 balls. Punjab made a flying start, reaching 67 before losing their first wicket off the last ball of the sixth over when Vettori caught Karan Goel at mid-on of Yo Mahesh.
Goel hit 38 off 21 balls with three fours and three sixes, including a massive hit off Mahesh which sailed out of the ground beyond mid-wicket. Vettori came on to bowl the next over after the mid-innings break and trapped Ravi Bopara (22) leg before with his first delivery. The Punjab innings never regained momentum as Vettori took two more wickets in his three-over spell and two run-outs contributed to the collapse. "I think spinners are going to play a huge part in the tournament," said man of the match Vettori, referring to good performances by Mumbai's Harbhajan Singh, Rajasthan's Shane Warne and Bangalore's Anil Kumble Saturday on the first day of a double header opening weekend.
he Punjab innings never regained momentum as Vettori took two more wickets in his three-over spell and two run-outs contributed to the collapse. "I think spinners are going to play a huge part in the tournament," said man of the match Vettori, referring to good performances by Mumbai's Harbhajan Singh, Rajasthan's Shane Warne and Bangalore's Anil Kumble Saturday on the first day of a double header opening weekend. "Spinners have adapted as quickly as anyone in the Twenty20 game." Sehwag and Gambhir reached 24 in 1.5 overs before rain halted play. The revised target meant they needed only another 30 runs off 4.1 overs.
Chennai Super Kings got their IPL campaign back on track with a 92-run win over Bangalore Royal Challengers on Monday. Hayden starred with the bat scoring 65 before the Chennai bowlers bowled Bangalore out for 87. Earlier Matthew Hayden showed he has lost none of his batting prowess as he scored a blazing half-century that guided Chennai Super Kings to an imposing 179 for five against Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League in Port Elizabeth on Monday. The retired Australian batsman looked in vintage touch from the outset, smashing 65 from just 35 deliveries, including nine boundaries and two sixes. He added 106 runs in 10.1 overs for the opening wicket with Parthiv Patel, who scored a useful 30 from 26 deliveries, inclusive of two boundaries and a six. Earlier, Bangalore made a surprise decision, opting for Jacques Kallis in place of Jesse Ryder, who had made a vital contribution with the ball in the last match.
Chennai, shocked by Mumbai in their opening encounter, elected to bat and made three changes, bringing in Muttiah Muralitharan, Laxmipathy Balaji and Albie Morkel in place of Jacob Oram, Thilan Thushara and R Ashwin. Chennai openers Hayden and Parthiv looked to attack right from the word go. Hayden got the first boundary when he smashed Pravin Kumar through the off-side as the bowler pitched it a bit wide in the first over of the match. Parthiv got his first boundary, flicking Kumar through midwicket in the third over. In the same over, Hayden got the first six for Chennai when he smashed a full toss with absolute disdain, high over square leg. Parthiv got his first six when he dispatched a short delivery from Steyn to the square leg boundary. Kallis was introduced in the fifth over and greeted by Hayden with three consecutive boundaries off his first three deliveries. The left-hander lofted the final delivery of the over straight down the ground for a six as Kallis ended up conceding 20 runs in his first over as Chennai raced to 56 from five overs.
Hayden was unstoppable. He launched into Vinay Kumar, smashing him for two consecutive boundaries to take Chennai to 68 for no loss from their first six overs. The Aussie left-hander raced to 45 from 17 deliveries, inclusive of six boundaries and two sixes. At the other end, Parthiv, who had a few mis-hits, looked good on 21 from 19 deliveries, with a boundary and a six. It was proving to be a test for captain Pietersen as Hayden and Patel looked set for a big score. The Bangalore captain responded by bringing in part-timer Virat Kohli into the attack. It was surprising that veteran Anil Kumble was not called into the attack at a stage when Bangalore needed a couple of wickets to pull back things. Expectedly, Hayden helped himself to two more boundaries in Kohli's over to bring up his half-century off just 22 deliveries, as Chennai put up 77 in seven overs. Kumble was introduced in the eighth over and nearly grabbed Hayden's wicket. The leggie beat the former Australia opener with a slow, flighted delivery as he attempted a sweep but the umpire turned down the appeal.
In the final over, Flintoff easily flicked Steyn for a six through the fine leg region and then Albie Morkel opened the face of the bat to register a boundary through third man off his South African team-mate. But once again it was the bowler, who had the last laugh, as Steyn bowled Morkel with a fast full delivery for 5 from three deliveries. Flintoff was unbeaten on 22 from 13 deliveries, (2 boundaries and a six) as Chennai posted an imposing 179 for five in their 20 overs. This pitch looks good for batting and the bowlers are not getting as much assistance as in the earlier matches.
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