Yellow Magic

By Aswath.B

What is it with the yellow uniform? Teams sporting it, end up winning more often than not. The Aussies win almost everything. They won in Yellow the WCs 1999,2003 & 2007 and now CSK have won IPL3 and ACLt20. So is it really the team that is winning?

Ofcourse it is. CSK were clinical all through the Champions League, winning all but one of their games (they lost in a one over eliminator to the Bushrangers). They batted, bowled and fielded well throughout the tournament. The had their batsmen making big runs, Vijay and Raina firing at the top and their spinners too did a tremendous job. Not often do you see an Ashwin outshine a Murali but the stats in this tournament has it that way.

A wonderful journey has come to an end for CSK. The teams will now be broken up for the auction and a new CSK will be formed come November. What is heartening for them is that their owners have been involved in cricket for decades together and know their stuff.

CSK are now the CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS and have painted the planet yellow.

A LION affair again; forceful this time

Chennai Super Kings vs  Central Stags

Kingsmead, Durban, 9/11

By

Aswath.B

Oh Yes! 9/11 had struck again.

This was the first meeting between the two sides. It was mass murder. The Pride of the CSK lions pounced on the helpless Stags.

The beginning was slow though. The fleet stags produced some spicy bouncers and rocked the CSK top order. They were clueless and looked like club cricketers out there. Then some sensible batsmanship from their middle order, rebuilt their den and ended up with a solid 151/4 thanks to a couple of good knocks.

If the CSK batting looked funny, the Stags’ approach was hilarious. They never settled in or had the run rate under control at any point in their innings. Bollinger  and Morkel bowled very well and controlled the start. Then came       L. Balaji alias Lion Balaji (thats what we call him in this part of the world). To everyones surprise, he bowled the first maiden of CLt20, 2010 and produced a super spell taking 3 wickets in his 4 overs.

Murali sporting the no. 800 jersey and R.Ashwin too chipped in with wickets. Everyone had contributed and it was wothout doubt, “a Lion hearted effort” from the CSK team. They won easily.

Lions make a ROARING start

By

Aswath.B

VS    

It was Eid alright, but MI need not have been so generous on the field. It was said before the match that the Lions were the underdogs. Well. They just realized that they were the Lions and came up with an awesome batting performance;made 186/5 in 20 thanks to a fluent 71(48) from Vandiar.

Sachin’s captaincy just made you feel worse. Some inexplicable moves, bowling Ali Murtaza in the end, an over each to Sathish and JP Duminy and 2 to Pollard. Mclaren bowled the opening over of the innings and may be after that Sachin thought that he had done his job and another over he would get too friendly with his countrymen! Nothing else can explain playing him over Bravo and giving him just one over! The other MI bowlers were gifting runs anyway.

The Mumbai Indians batted well though. Very well. Tendulkar played an awesome knock of 69 in 42 balls, Pollard entertained for a bit and they made 177-6, falling short by 9 runs in the end.

If only there had been some sense in the MI bowling. If you needed to summarize MI’s efforts on the field, it was like Bhajjis slip during his first delivery. Anyway, full credit to the Lions for pulling it off.

AirTel Champions League T20, 2010 – The Favorites

By

Aswath.B

When someone walks up to you while you are having coffee and asks you casually; “which team do you think is going to win ACLt20 2010?”, chances are that you will answer more from your heart than from your head. I don’t blame you one bit.

Ask the same question to a person in India, and chances are 90 % of them would pick one among the three IPL teams.

Lets talk about the Chennai Super Kings first. They have a very well balanced side, did well in IPL2 in South Africa, reaching the semi finals and there is no reason why they cant do well this time.

The Mumbai Indians. For one, they have Sachin Tendulkar. Need I say more? Anyway, they have Duminy and Mclaren who are well aware of how the wickets play there, Jonty is there too! We also know what damage Malinga and Keiron Pollard can do. They stand a good chance as well.

RCB next. They have enough number of quality South African players in their side and also the captain of Victoria. Oops, I know what you are thinking. No no. This is not match fixing. Cameron White is playing for RCB. They had a great run in IPL2 and finished runners up to Deccan Chargers. Think RCB can win? Why not?

The sides from Australia, the Bushrangers and the Redbacks play all their cricket on similar wickets. The Bushrangers have won 4 T20 championships and are masters at it. What chance do they stand? A big one! The Redbacks might not have Pollard, but are still a very formidable side.

The Wayamba XIs are not much talked about but one cannot take them and the Central Stags lightly. They are champions in their leagues afterall. And we all know what T&T did in the CLt20 last time.

The Warriors and the Lions know the conditions more than any other side and have played enough cricket on those wickets to know how to win. So can they win? You would not bet against that.

Finally, Guyana. Its not that I have saved the best for the last and all the build up is going to culminate in me saying that the team from Guyana are clear favorites. But what I am going to say is no different from what I have been saying earlier. Do not count them out.

After all, this tournament is called the Champions League and its all about awesome entertainment. There is no one clear favorite.

So sit back and enjoy the tournament. Its gonna start soon. Until then keep singing and start getting into the mood.

whoooooooohoooo….oola olaaaa….baby i like it….

Oooooho….ola ola ho…..ooooho….ola ola ho….

MI storm into semis thanks to a (6+4)DULKAR Masterclass

Rajasthan Royals Vs Mumbai Indians

Sawai Mansingh Stadium, 11^th April 2010

By

Aswath .B

MI storm into semis thanks to a (6+4)DULKAR Masterclass

The Mumbai Indians needed some inspiration to get back to their winning ways and they needed to look no further, as the Master played an innings par excellence.

The Rajasthan Royals had never lost a single IPL match at the Sawai Mansingh Jaipur until yesterday. They were brimming with confidence as they came in to the match. MI batted first and Tendulkar started with a bang, hitting two boundaries off the Yusuf Pathan over. Sanath Jayasuriya, who came back into the side to strengthen the MI batting line up, lasted only 2 balls  He is woefully out of form and unless he gets few big scores before the Semi Finals, he might well be warming the benches again.

Ambati Rayudu also fell in the same over and MI were struggling at 12-2. They then were reduced to 30-3, as the young Indian players in the MI line up were getting teased into playing false strokes. Shane Watson kept giving them mouthfuls, and Rayudu and Tiwary fell for it. Only had Shane Watson batted or bowled as well as he talked yesterday, it would have been better for the Royals.

JP Duminy then gave Sachin good company and they string together a partnership of 63 in good time. JP then played a stroke, which even he would have realized, was unwanted at that stage and perished.

But in the course of this partnership, we saw the revival of the Tendulkar V Warne battle again, and there was absolutely no doubt as to who was the winner this time. In the twelfth over, Tendulkar smashed Warne for three amazing boundaries on the off side, and the nightmares were back to haunt Warne again.

Sachin looking to press the pedal hard in the fifteenth over, skied a Trivedi delivery which went straight into Aditya Hole’s; oops, Dole’s hands, who failed to hang on to it. He had dropped the catch and with it the match.

Sachin then opened up completely, trashing everyone who came to bowl thereafter. K.Pollard too, played a good cameo of 25 runs in 13 balls. They propelled MI to 174-5 in 20 overs. Sachin made 89 (59b,10×4,2×6).

Sachin brought up 1000 IPL runs, surpassed Kallis to get the Orange Cap and also now has the most number of 4s in IPL 2010. Each time Tendulkar has got a 50 this IPL, MI have won.

The RR innings never got going. ZK bowled brilliantly upfront. The other bowlers too did their job and RR run rate was always kept under check. Their innings had 3 run outs as well! A 50 run 8^th wicket stand, after RR were reduced to 87-7, leant some respectability to the total.

The Mumbai Indians are the first team to book their place in the Semis in IPL 3, and how happy they will be. They will want to carry this momentum into their remaining matches as well.

RR’s NRR has taken a hit yesterday, and they will need to regroup soon, if they have to make it to the final four.

Mumbai Indians Over reliant on Tendulkar

Mumbai Indians Over reliant on Tendulkar

This is no new story to any team with Tendulkar. India was relying too much on this man at one point, and now the Mumbai Indians are showing signs of it. Their bowling is pretty good. They tend to keep their opponents under check. But it is the psychological advantage that their opponents gain after seeing the back of Tendulkar, that is hurting them the most.

The successful run of the Mumbai Indians in the first half of the tournament is attributed largely to the very good opening stands that Sachin and Dhawan were providing them with. Also, the Indian players in their line up were making good contributions. All that has changed in the last two games, and if that does not change soon, it could hurt them later. They might win a game and make it to the Semis, but a different level of performance is required at that stage.

JP Duminy should have got a chance a couple of games earlier. He lends solidity to the middle order. He would be the perfect man to capitalize on the good starts from Sachin and Dhawan. Remember, JP also provides them a cool slow bowling option. Apart from Bhajji, Mumbai do not have another spinner, with Jayasuriya also not playing. JP is a very good fielder too. They could also try Abhishek Nayar for R.Sathish.

Bravo & Pollard are similar kinds of bowlers, equally good fielders. Pollard is a bigger and cleaner striker of the ball, thus he could make the team ahead of Bravo. It is a difficult choice though.

MI need to seal their semi final berth soon. That is foreign territory for them, and may be they are feeling the pressure a bit. If the defeat against CSK was a jerk, the one against KXIP is a major jolt! Mi have to recover and fast. They would also be looking to give Malinga a rest and may be get Jayasuriya in for a few games.

It is very difficult to regain lost momentum, as evident from RCB’s recent performances. But again, it is up to each person in the team to put their hand up and perform. All this said, if anyone can inspire the team and lead by example – it is Sachin Tendulkar. He will know in the back of his mind, how close MI were to reaching the Semis in season 1, and he will be waiting to fire in the next game.

If MI can capitalize on the good starts or be able to rebuild the innings from a shaky start, it would take a lot of pressure off Tendulkar’s shoulders, and the Mumbai Indians will soon be on track again.

Mumbai Indians Blow The Fuse On The Chargers

Mumbai Indians   Vs Deccan Chargers 

Brabourne Stadium, 3^rd April 2010

By

Aswath .B

MUMBAI INDIANS BLOW THE FUSE ON THE CHARGERS

This is professionalism to the core. MI did not take this game lightly even though they were on top of the table. They came out once again and went about doing what they do best, win . Sachin won the toss and elected to bat. It was the usual story after that. The openers, Tendulkar and Dhawan, laid a solid foundation with a 53 run opening stand in just 6 overs.

The spinners then took over for DC. Ojha and the lesser known Rahul Sharma, got Deccan back into the game by dismissing three MI batsmen in the space of 9 runs. S.Tiwary and A.Rayudu  came to the party, once again. They resurrected the MI innings by adding 65 runs in just 46 balls and presented Pollard with a great launch pad. Rayudu made a blistering 55 in 29 balls. Tiwary made 44 in good time and Pollard accelerated in his usual explosive manner and made 21 runs in just 10 deliveries. MI made 178 for 5 in their allotted quota of overs. Considering the pitch was slowing down, it was advantage Mumbai!

DC got off to a good start, not a flier by any means. They then lost wickets at regular intervals and never looked to threatening to the Mumbai Indians who were bowling to their field. Symmo was the only batsman in their side to make it past 20, and DC surrendered meekly in the end.

MI won easily by a huge margin of 63 runs. It was a total team effort and Rayudu was man of the match for his terrific innings. They are sitting pretty at the top of the tree, and are almost guaranteed a Semi final spot.  They travel to Chennai next, and an exciting contest awaits; considering CSK are piping hot right now.

Dadagiri Zindabad!!

Kolkata Knight Riders Vs  Deccan Chargers

Eden Gardens, Kolkata , 1st April 2010

By

Aswath .B

Dadagiri Zindabad!!

If the Chargers win games delivering high voltage shocks to opponents, Dadagiri seems to be the way for KKR. DC have now been pushed to seventh in the points table and have a tough game against the Mumbai Indians coming up tomorrow. KKR have now moved to position 5, and this victory puts them equal on points with RCB and RR.

KKR won a very crucial toss and chose to bat. The wicket at the Eden Gardens is known to slow down in the second innings. Dada blazed away right from ball one, and KKR got 10 in their opening over. It was Dada’s day out. He was coming under criticism for his slow scoring and he answered his detractors with the bat! KKR would only hope he plays in the same way in the remaining games.

He made a swashbuckling 88 in just 54 balls which included nine 4s and five 6s. When Dada hits these 6s, you know you are in for a treat. This is easily his best innings in an IPL match yet, and it came when his side needed it the most. Apart from David Hussey, none of the other KKR batsmen really made significant contributions. Thanks to Dada, it did not matter. KKR made 181 for 6 in 20 overs, and that on the Eden Gardens wicket; with decent bowling was very defendable.

Gibbs started the DC innings with a bang and they got 14 runs from their first over. Gilly flopped once again and the Chargers innings was a story of fluctuating voltages. Gibbs was dismissed for 50 and Symmo made a useful 45, but the surge never came. Their voltage dropped completely in overs 15 to 19 when they managed just one solitary boundary and it was curtains. KKR won by 24 runs and will now be looking to carry on their momentum into their next game against the struggling KXIP.

MI continue holidaying in Kashmir; KXIP happy in Kanyakumari

Mumbai Indians Vs Kings XI Punjab

Brabourne Stadium, 30th March 2010

By

Aswath .B

MI continue holidaying in Kashmir; KXIP happy in Kanyakumari

Oh yes! You guessed it. That’s where the teams are on the points table!

What is it with these MI vs KXIP games? Three out of the five games between the sides have been last over thrillers. And it was third time lucky for the Mumbai Indians.

It was a complete team effort from the Mumbai Indians. What was heartening to see was that the team did well to hold their nerve very well right upto the end in spite of the Master not scoring too many runs. However, with a beautiful swivel and swat past short fine leg, Sachin got a boundary and with it the Orange Cap. He is now the leading run scorer in IPL 2010.

The KXIP line up was bolstered by the return of Shaun Marsh, who once again proved his class with a well made 57. He held the KXIP innings together. Other batsmen just came in and went, however, thanks to some shoddy Mumbai fielding and maintaining a steady run rate, Punjab notched up 163 in their 20 overs. ‘Slinger’ Malinga bowled a brilliant spell of 4-0-22-4 for the Mumbai Indians.

MI started off their innings with a flourish and then steadied the ship. Shikhar Dhawan made a beautiful half century and made sure Mumbai were always on track to chase down the runs. Sachin went soon, and in came Pollard. He did not waste time out there and did what he does best, hit out. After he went, Saurabh Tiwary came to party, yet again. He played a superb hand of 31 in 23 balls, which was extremely crucial at that stage in the game.

Things got really tight for Mumbai in the last 3 overs. They needed 31 runs. The equation then became 19 runs from 2 overs and KXIP were seeing a small glow at the end of the tunnel. Rajagopal Sathish, the Trichy lad, had other ideas though. With two skillfully executed boundaries, he swung the pendulum in MI’s favour. Tiwary too, hit another crucial boundary before he perished and the game entered the final over with MI needing 6 runs. MI won the match with 3 balls to spare (CSK – were you watching?) and remain at the top of the table. For KXIP, it was yet another case of so near, yet so far.

Deccan Discharged!!

Deccan Chargers Vs  Mumbai Indians

DY Patil Stadium , 28^th March 2010

By

Aswath .B

Deccan Discharged!!

Imagine playing your home game in your opponent’s den! That is exactly what the Chargers were doing at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. 55,000 people were cheering for the Mumbai Indians and the Chargers by no means were feeling at home.

MI did not blast away as usual, but managed a decent solid start, thanks to Sachin and Bravo. They reached 64 for 2 in the eighth over when Bravo fell. Then MI started to relive their clash against the RCB, with the middle order collapsing thanks to some ridiculous shots. They lost their next 5 wickets for just 29 runs. This was so uncalled for with Sachin playing so well at the other end. The Master continued in his merry way, slowing down a tad, just to take Mumbai to a competitive score. He fell for yet another half century and this moved him to within 7 runs of the orange cap holder – Kallis. By the time he fell, MI would have been happy to settle for anything between 140-150.

In walked the man of the day! Bhajji, blasted a terrific 49 runs in just 18 balls, shocking the Chargers, and taking the MI total to 172. They had the upper hand now.

Bhajji did not stop there. Having been called on to bowl the first over of the DC innings, he dismissed their best player, Gilly off just the second delivery he bowled, thanks to a one handed stunner from Sachin. Sachin, Dravid and Ganguly, who some called ‘the not so agile’ (I am being polite here), have taken a stunner each now!

After a brief surge from Gibbs and later a well complied 45 from Rohit Sharma, the Chargers never looked to be in the hunt. The MI bowlers kept things tight in the middle overs and won the match by 41 runs, which is a big margin in a T20 game. Bhajji, Zak and Malinga picked up 3 wickets each and Bhajji was unanimously chosen as the man of the match. Bhajji also revealed in the presentation that it was Sachin’s bat with which he played. How nice it would be for MI if he gave his bat for everyone in the team to play!

They still remain at the top of the table and would be looking to go further ahead when they play the struggling KXIP tomorrow. DC on the other hand, need to recharge to get back on track. Their loss has opened up the table and now, the IPL is getting spicier.