Gautam Gambhir will not play in Friday's match against Chennai Super Kings at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Eric Simons, the assistant coach of Delhi Daredevils, has said. Gambhir pulled a hamstring during Wednesday's defeat to Mumbai Indians and was forced off the field within the first 10 minutes of the match. In his place the vice-captain Dinesh Karthik has been elevated to the lead the side.
"He [Gambhir] is going for a scan to see how bad it is. Once we assess him, only then we will know how long he will be out for. It's reasonably serious and he won't play on Friday," Simons said.
"The captain plays an important role. He should understand the game and should be able to take quick decisions. So many captains have been fined for slow over-rate in this tournament and we need to be careful."
Karthik has captaincy experience leading his state side Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy and other domestic competitions but this is his first task leading players of international quality in a lucrative tournament. Delhi won their first two matches before losing heavily to Mumbai at home.
Gambhir joins a long injury list that includes Graeme Smith, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Ashish Nehra, Charl Langeveldt and MS Dhoni - all within one week of the IPL. Yusuf Pathan recovered from a shoulder issue and Virat Kohli survived a dodgy fall while bowling. However, most injuries - Gambhir's the notable exception - have been the sort that cannot be avoided on the field, as Lalit Modi, the IPL Commissioner, stressed on Thursday.
"I think injuries are not happening because it [the IPL] is packed too soon, injuries are happening because of the game," Modi told the TV channel CNN-IBN. "Injuries will take place if the person gets hit by a ball on the wrong place and that's what happens. Cricket is a game like that, it's not because of the schedule that one gets injured."
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Katich steers under-pressure Australia with 74
New Zealand forced Australia to scrap for runs in the middle session as they collected two important wickets before Simon Katich guided the visitors to 163 for 3 at tea. Australia scored 70 in 28 overs after lunch against the disciplined local attack, with Katich unbeaten on 74 after two dropped chances and Michael Clarke on 9.
The hosts removed Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey to have Australia 115 for 3 and achieved their aim of slowing their opponents' usually fast scoring, but their situation could have been even better. Brent Arnel, the debutant, picked up a wicket in his first over in the morning before Australia recovered through a 79-run stand between Katich and Ricky Ponting.
The combination worked well in sunny conditions until Katich dropped a ball from Arnel on the offside and started to run, thinking Ponting would be alert to his action. Ponting, who was backing up but wasn't expecting the single, was so far out he didn't bother sliding his bat and was well beaten by BJ Watling's under-arm to the striker's end.
Ponting had just pulled Chris Martin for four in the best shot of his innings and he rocked his head back as he walked off with 41. Michael Hussey started with a crisp cover drive off Martin but fell trying to repeat the shot and edged to Watling, who collected a sharp take to his right at third slip.
Katich was Australia's ideal man for the difficult situation on a surface that was playing slower after offering the bowlers movement in the morning. Katich was less inclined to chase boundaries than his team-mates - although he forced himself to become more adventurous to Daniel Vettori - and he was rewarded for his composure.
A hook behind square off Arnel brought up Katich's half-century and he slog-swept Vettori for an awkward six, but mostly he nudged and glanced while taking his time. The approach changed shortly before tea when he gained two reprieves. The first came on 68 when he drove at Tim Southee and a diving Brendon McCullum couldn't accept the inside edge. Daryl Tuffey was then given a chance when Katich skied a drive off Vettori, but the bowler spilled the tough offering at mid-on.
Clarke entered after Hussey's dismissal and was under scrutiny following his off-field excursions over the past fortnight. He was unflustered as he got used to the pitch, taking 31 balls for his first two runs, and was intent on a big innings.
Tuffey, who gave up barely a run an over, and Vettori kept the situation tight during the middle session to follow the restrictive efforts of Martin and Arnel after lunch. Arnel, a 31-year-old right armer, delivered a tricky opening spell of seven overs and had 1 for 36 from 12 while Martin's figures were 1 for 36 off 11.
In the morning Hughes began with a series of drives through the offside, including two in a row off Southee's first over, but was undone when he slashed a cut and was caught by Ross Taylor at first slip. The score was 25 - 20 of those went to Hughes - and he had missed another chance to confirm his spot when given an unexpected opportunity following Shane Watson's hip injury.
The hosts removed Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey to have Australia 115 for 3 and achieved their aim of slowing their opponents' usually fast scoring, but their situation could have been even better. Brent Arnel, the debutant, picked up a wicket in his first over in the morning before Australia recovered through a 79-run stand between Katich and Ricky Ponting.
The combination worked well in sunny conditions until Katich dropped a ball from Arnel on the offside and started to run, thinking Ponting would be alert to his action. Ponting, who was backing up but wasn't expecting the single, was so far out he didn't bother sliding his bat and was well beaten by BJ Watling's under-arm to the striker's end.
Ponting had just pulled Chris Martin for four in the best shot of his innings and he rocked his head back as he walked off with 41. Michael Hussey started with a crisp cover drive off Martin but fell trying to repeat the shot and edged to Watling, who collected a sharp take to his right at third slip.
Katich was Australia's ideal man for the difficult situation on a surface that was playing slower after offering the bowlers movement in the morning. Katich was less inclined to chase boundaries than his team-mates - although he forced himself to become more adventurous to Daniel Vettori - and he was rewarded for his composure.
A hook behind square off Arnel brought up Katich's half-century and he slog-swept Vettori for an awkward six, but mostly he nudged and glanced while taking his time. The approach changed shortly before tea when he gained two reprieves. The first came on 68 when he drove at Tim Southee and a diving Brendon McCullum couldn't accept the inside edge. Daryl Tuffey was then given a chance when Katich skied a drive off Vettori, but the bowler spilled the tough offering at mid-on.
Clarke entered after Hussey's dismissal and was under scrutiny following his off-field excursions over the past fortnight. He was unflustered as he got used to the pitch, taking 31 balls for his first two runs, and was intent on a big innings.
Tuffey, who gave up barely a run an over, and Vettori kept the situation tight during the middle session to follow the restrictive efforts of Martin and Arnel after lunch. Arnel, a 31-year-old right armer, delivered a tricky opening spell of seven overs and had 1 for 36 from 12 while Martin's figures were 1 for 36 off 11.
In the morning Hughes began with a series of drives through the offside, including two in a row off Southee's first over, but was undone when he slashed a cut and was caught by Ross Taylor at first slip. The score was 25 - 20 of those went to Hughes - and he had missed another chance to confirm his spot when given an unexpected opportunity following Shane Watson's hip injury.
Dominant Bangalore crush Rajasthan
A superlative bowling performance by Royal Challengers Bangalore, including a hat-trick by Praveen Kumar, decimated Rajasthan Royals to a paltry 92 and set up a huge win. The match lasted just 30.3 overs as Bangalore strolled home by 10 wickets to call it an early night, and also seal the second-most comprehensive victory in terms of ball to spare.
The bowlers stuck to a plan of bowling quick, short deliveries, which contributed to an abject batting performance by a weakened Rajasthan. The batsmen struggled to find a weak link to exploit. Although Praveen hogged the limelight with the first hat-trick of IPL 2010, it was the combined bowling performance that set the platform for back-to-back wins at home.
The Bangalore bowlers focused on bowling as straight as possible and tucking the batsmen up. The batsmen looked out of depth from the beginning, playing and missing and failing to find gaps. The first five overs produced only two fours and 27 runs, quite an antithesis to the Twenty20 brand of cricket.
The pressure began to tell on Rajasthan, and the urgency to push on cost them three early wickets. Jacques Kallis struck with his first delivery when he had Naman Ojha splicing to cover-point. Michael Lumb, the Hampshire left-hand batsman, had a testing IPL debut, particularly against Dale Steyn, who got the ball to skid through and fizz past the outside edge on a few occasions. He tried his luck against Anil Kumble by chipping down the track to a slow flighted delivery, but failed the read the googly and was stumped by yards.
Match Meter
RCBThe first strike:Rajasthan didn't look convincing in the first five overs, scoring 27, before Jacques Kallis removed Naman Ojha with his first ball.
RCBThe working over: Steyn used his extra pace and bounce to dig it in short to Yusuf and play on his weakness. In the tenth over, Steyn peppered an unsteady Yousuf for four balls. Only two runs were scored in the over
RCBPraveen's hat-trick: Praveen returned for a new spell and pocketed three in three with different deliveries. The yorker claimed Damien Martyn, the short ball sent back Sumit Narwal and a length ball headed straight to Paras Dogra's middle stump. Rajasthan were 85 for 7 and didn't look like reaching 100
RCBI have a plane to catch: Jacques Kallis was in a hurry and welcomed his South African team-mate Morne Morkel with two consecutive fours and hit two more to pick 20 off the second over. After two overs, Bangalore were already 32 for 0 Advantage Honours even
Even the experienced Damien Martyn looked out of sorts. The rustiness of not having played too much competitive cricket since retirement began to show against some sharp bouncers from Kallis. The dismissal of Abhishek Jhunjhunwala - chopping Kallis onto the stumps - heralded the arrival of Yusuf Pathan, the best man to get them out of jail.
There wasn't to be an instant manic revival. Yusuf struggled to put bat on ball early on. Realising his weakness against the short ball, Bangalore persisted with back-of-a-length deliveries, and Yusuf kept swishing at thin air. Between the seventh and 11th over, the run-rate did not cross four and even their most attacking batsman was in inertia.
However, the bowlers were made to pay when they bowled fuller, as Yusuf demonstrated with consecutive thumps over deep midwicket off Vinay Kumar. He was dropped twice - on 19 and 24 - off thick top edges, but it didn't cost Bangalore much as he was sent packing with an athletic direct hit by Virat Kohli, diving forward.
Praveen used three different deliveries to get his hat-trick, the seventh in the tournament's history. A sluggish Martyn struggled to break free and lost his middle stump when Praveen returned for a new spell. Praveen followed the yorker with a short delivery to Sumit Narwal, who top-edged it down fine leg's throat. Paras Dogra faced the hat-trick ball, but had his middle stump pegged back to a length delivery, trying to swipe him across the line. The procession of wickets stamped Bangalore's authority on the game, which was all but sealed at that point.
Going by the way Manish Pandey and Kallis closed out the game, only a double hat-trick could have saved Rajasthan. Kallis was at his elegant best, clipping the ball off his pads, tearing into his countryman Morne Morkel for 20 in his first over. Pandey showed scant respect to his countryman, Munaf Patel, muscling the ball down the ground. He also planted one over deep midwicket off Sumit Narwal. The only time Rajasthan looked like taking a wicket was when Pandey sliced the ball to mid-off, and replays couldn't confirm if Morkel took it cleanly.
Rajasthan looked deflated and lost for ideas as Kallis and Pandey threatened to finish the game within 10 overs. Bangalore went to second place in the points table, behind Mumbai Indians.
The bowlers stuck to a plan of bowling quick, short deliveries, which contributed to an abject batting performance by a weakened Rajasthan. The batsmen struggled to find a weak link to exploit. Although Praveen hogged the limelight with the first hat-trick of IPL 2010, it was the combined bowling performance that set the platform for back-to-back wins at home.
The Bangalore bowlers focused on bowling as straight as possible and tucking the batsmen up. The batsmen looked out of depth from the beginning, playing and missing and failing to find gaps. The first five overs produced only two fours and 27 runs, quite an antithesis to the Twenty20 brand of cricket.
The pressure began to tell on Rajasthan, and the urgency to push on cost them three early wickets. Jacques Kallis struck with his first delivery when he had Naman Ojha splicing to cover-point. Michael Lumb, the Hampshire left-hand batsman, had a testing IPL debut, particularly against Dale Steyn, who got the ball to skid through and fizz past the outside edge on a few occasions. He tried his luck against Anil Kumble by chipping down the track to a slow flighted delivery, but failed the read the googly and was stumped by yards.
Match Meter
RCBThe first strike:Rajasthan didn't look convincing in the first five overs, scoring 27, before Jacques Kallis removed Naman Ojha with his first ball.
RCBThe working over: Steyn used his extra pace and bounce to dig it in short to Yusuf and play on his weakness. In the tenth over, Steyn peppered an unsteady Yousuf for four balls. Only two runs were scored in the over
RCBPraveen's hat-trick: Praveen returned for a new spell and pocketed three in three with different deliveries. The yorker claimed Damien Martyn, the short ball sent back Sumit Narwal and a length ball headed straight to Paras Dogra's middle stump. Rajasthan were 85 for 7 and didn't look like reaching 100
RCBI have a plane to catch: Jacques Kallis was in a hurry and welcomed his South African team-mate Morne Morkel with two consecutive fours and hit two more to pick 20 off the second over. After two overs, Bangalore were already 32 for 0 Advantage Honours even
Even the experienced Damien Martyn looked out of sorts. The rustiness of not having played too much competitive cricket since retirement began to show against some sharp bouncers from Kallis. The dismissal of Abhishek Jhunjhunwala - chopping Kallis onto the stumps - heralded the arrival of Yusuf Pathan, the best man to get them out of jail.
There wasn't to be an instant manic revival. Yusuf struggled to put bat on ball early on. Realising his weakness against the short ball, Bangalore persisted with back-of-a-length deliveries, and Yusuf kept swishing at thin air. Between the seventh and 11th over, the run-rate did not cross four and even their most attacking batsman was in inertia.
However, the bowlers were made to pay when they bowled fuller, as Yusuf demonstrated with consecutive thumps over deep midwicket off Vinay Kumar. He was dropped twice - on 19 and 24 - off thick top edges, but it didn't cost Bangalore much as he was sent packing with an athletic direct hit by Virat Kohli, diving forward.
Praveen used three different deliveries to get his hat-trick, the seventh in the tournament's history. A sluggish Martyn struggled to break free and lost his middle stump when Praveen returned for a new spell. Praveen followed the yorker with a short delivery to Sumit Narwal, who top-edged it down fine leg's throat. Paras Dogra faced the hat-trick ball, but had his middle stump pegged back to a length delivery, trying to swipe him across the line. The procession of wickets stamped Bangalore's authority on the game, which was all but sealed at that point.
Going by the way Manish Pandey and Kallis closed out the game, only a double hat-trick could have saved Rajasthan. Kallis was at his elegant best, clipping the ball off his pads, tearing into his countryman Morne Morkel for 20 in his first over. Pandey showed scant respect to his countryman, Munaf Patel, muscling the ball down the ground. He also planted one over deep midwicket off Sumit Narwal. The only time Rajasthan looked like taking a wicket was when Pandey sliced the ball to mid-off, and replays couldn't confirm if Morkel took it cleanly.
Rajasthan looked deflated and lost for ideas as Kallis and Pandey threatened to finish the game within 10 overs. Bangalore went to second place in the points table, behind Mumbai Indians.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Swann apologises for celebration outburst
As a man who once feared his international career would be limited to five wicketless overs in a forgotten ODI in Bloemfontein, Graeme Swann is in a hurry to make up for lost time. So much so, that even when the conditions have seemingly been designed to slow him down, he still continues to take strides into the history books. On Tuesday in Chittagong, he completed the first ten-wicket haul of his career (having earlier in the game bagged a wicket in the first over of a spell for the 18th occasion in 17 Tests) to emulate the late, great Jim Laker, the last England offspinner to achieve such a feat, in 1956.
Laker, as it happens, grabbed the small matter of 19 for 90 on that famous occasion at Old Trafford to secure match figures that may never be equalled. But he would at least have sympathised with the hard toil that Swann had to put in to get his rewards, having whirled his way through 51.2 overs in Australia's second innings of that match, compared to Swann's 49 on days four and five in Chittagong.
"I certainly didn't realise I was the first since Jim Laker, so to be in that esteemed company is a really nice feeling," Swann said. "But I wasn't thinking about that when I was bowling. All I was thinking about was how on earth are we going to break this partnership that has lasted for four-and-a-half hours, so to get through that and end up with ten was the icing on the cake."
The partnership in question, between Junaid Siddique and Mushfiqur Rahim, spanned 69.4 overs and more than two sessions, and had worn England's patience to the bone by the time the breakthrough did finally come. Two overs after lunch, Junaid propped forward to be caught at slip by Paul Collingwood, and Swann's loud and clear reaction was one that he instantly regretted. Laker, who used to celebrate his wickets with a cursory handshake and a flick of his jumper over the shoulder, most certainly would not have approved
"It all happened in the heat of the moment and it certainly wasn't anything malicious," said Swann. "I apologise unreservedly if I did swear - and I know I did - because it's certainly not something I condone. I feel a bit ashamed, because it wasn't meant as a personal slight at him, it was just a release of pent-up emotion.
"He batted phenomenally, and it's a testament to him that he did get everyone frustrated," added Swann. "To bat for four-and-a-half hours - and we think we're a pretty decent attack, albeit on a pretty flat wicket - he proved a real thorn in our side. That was born out of emotion, which is exactly what Cooky [Alastair Cook] told us not to do, so I'm in his bad books."
On the subject of the outburst, Cook diplomatically claimed not to have heard anything, but added that he had no objection with England playing the game hard but fair. "Emotion does sometimes take over but we still executed our skills well," he said. "In hot conditions, it was easy for things to bubble over a lot more than they did, but I was happy with the aggression we showed. Not giving an inch, that's what international cricket is about."
If Swann really is in his captain's bad books, then he is unlikely to remain there very long, because Cook knows that his spinner is England's most potent matchwinner of recent times. He has now claimed 79 wickets in 17 Tests, including six five-fors - the last of which came during their memorable innings victory over South Africa at Durban. In addition to those, he played key roles in both of England's victories over Australia at Lord's and The Oval in the summer, and Cook believes that he's heading for a special slot in England's annals.
"Swanny has so much control of his game," said Cook. "He's very easy to captain, he knows the fields he wants, and you trust him to make the breakthrough. To get ten on that wicket was an amazing effort, and he bowled a lot of overs so that shows his determination. Everything is going right for him, and the skill he's shown over the past 12 months proves it's not a fluke. If he keeps his feet on the ground, there's no reason why he can't [be one of the greats]. If he can keep producing performances, I'm sure he'll continue doing it."
Efforts such as the one he produced in this match will aid his overall development as a player, because as Swann himself said, he was forced to alter his natural gameplan to conquer conditions that didn't aid his variations. There was even an unveiling of a ball that went the other way, which he coyly admitted was something he'd been working on - "I've not come up with a name for it yet, as spinners are supposed to do," he said. "Perhaps I'll call it the Chittagong.
"It was a flat pitch, but there wasn't any pace either, so my normal trick of trying to slide one off the pitch for an lbw against the left-hander was straight out of the window," he said. "It didn't turn anything like as much as we hoped it would as the game wore on, which is probably the reason why Bangladesh bowled first to start with, even though that worked in our favour."
Overall, however, Chittagong provided another five days of satisfaction to file away in Swann's cuttings book, even if today's effort did require a change of cap at lunch to ensure a swift end to proceedings. "It just keeps getting better, and I'm more than happy with how things are going," he said. "But I'm very superstitious. If I've not taken a wicket for a while, then you'll probably find me changing my hat or switching the bails around."
Laker, as it happens, grabbed the small matter of 19 for 90 on that famous occasion at Old Trafford to secure match figures that may never be equalled. But he would at least have sympathised with the hard toil that Swann had to put in to get his rewards, having whirled his way through 51.2 overs in Australia's second innings of that match, compared to Swann's 49 on days four and five in Chittagong.
"I certainly didn't realise I was the first since Jim Laker, so to be in that esteemed company is a really nice feeling," Swann said. "But I wasn't thinking about that when I was bowling. All I was thinking about was how on earth are we going to break this partnership that has lasted for four-and-a-half hours, so to get through that and end up with ten was the icing on the cake."
The partnership in question, between Junaid Siddique and Mushfiqur Rahim, spanned 69.4 overs and more than two sessions, and had worn England's patience to the bone by the time the breakthrough did finally come. Two overs after lunch, Junaid propped forward to be caught at slip by Paul Collingwood, and Swann's loud and clear reaction was one that he instantly regretted. Laker, who used to celebrate his wickets with a cursory handshake and a flick of his jumper over the shoulder, most certainly would not have approved
"It all happened in the heat of the moment and it certainly wasn't anything malicious," said Swann. "I apologise unreservedly if I did swear - and I know I did - because it's certainly not something I condone. I feel a bit ashamed, because it wasn't meant as a personal slight at him, it was just a release of pent-up emotion.
"He batted phenomenally, and it's a testament to him that he did get everyone frustrated," added Swann. "To bat for four-and-a-half hours - and we think we're a pretty decent attack, albeit on a pretty flat wicket - he proved a real thorn in our side. That was born out of emotion, which is exactly what Cooky [Alastair Cook] told us not to do, so I'm in his bad books."
On the subject of the outburst, Cook diplomatically claimed not to have heard anything, but added that he had no objection with England playing the game hard but fair. "Emotion does sometimes take over but we still executed our skills well," he said. "In hot conditions, it was easy for things to bubble over a lot more than they did, but I was happy with the aggression we showed. Not giving an inch, that's what international cricket is about."
If Swann really is in his captain's bad books, then he is unlikely to remain there very long, because Cook knows that his spinner is England's most potent matchwinner of recent times. He has now claimed 79 wickets in 17 Tests, including six five-fors - the last of which came during their memorable innings victory over South Africa at Durban. In addition to those, he played key roles in both of England's victories over Australia at Lord's and The Oval in the summer, and Cook believes that he's heading for a special slot in England's annals.
"Swanny has so much control of his game," said Cook. "He's very easy to captain, he knows the fields he wants, and you trust him to make the breakthrough. To get ten on that wicket was an amazing effort, and he bowled a lot of overs so that shows his determination. Everything is going right for him, and the skill he's shown over the past 12 months proves it's not a fluke. If he keeps his feet on the ground, there's no reason why he can't [be one of the greats]. If he can keep producing performances, I'm sure he'll continue doing it."
Efforts such as the one he produced in this match will aid his overall development as a player, because as Swann himself said, he was forced to alter his natural gameplan to conquer conditions that didn't aid his variations. There was even an unveiling of a ball that went the other way, which he coyly admitted was something he'd been working on - "I've not come up with a name for it yet, as spinners are supposed to do," he said. "Perhaps I'll call it the Chittagong.
"It was a flat pitch, but there wasn't any pace either, so my normal trick of trying to slide one off the pitch for an lbw against the left-hander was straight out of the window," he said. "It didn't turn anything like as much as we hoped it would as the game wore on, which is probably the reason why Bangladesh bowled first to start with, even though that worked in our favour."
Overall, however, Chittagong provided another five days of satisfaction to file away in Swann's cuttings book, even if today's effort did require a change of cap at lunch to ensure a swift end to proceedings. "It just keeps getting better, and I'm more than happy with how things are going," he said. "But I'm very superstitious. If I've not taken a wicket for a while, then you'll probably find me changing my hat or switching the bails around."
Trans-Tasman foes face off
Is there cricket on in Wellington this week? Anyone reading the Australian papers could easily have missed that fact in amongst the round-the-clock Michael Clarke coverage. Nobody will be happier than Clarke when the attention turns to the action on the field come Friday, when Australia begin the first of two Tests on their tour of New Zealand. It is sad that Test series between the two countries have been cut back, while five ODIs and two Twenty20s graced the schedule. But the reality is that over the past couple of decades, most Trans-Tasman Trophy series have been pretty one-sided, with the exception of the nil-all draw in Australia in 2001-02. It will take something very special from New Zealand to change that trend.
The Australians are coming off a home summer in which they won five Tests and drew one, and although the competition could have been stronger than West Indies and Pakistan, it's still a formidable form-guide. Add in the fact that New Zealand's top order is a potential house of cards and it could be a quick kill again. But with the help of Martin Crowe, the home team's batsmen have lifted their training regime in the lead-up with longer sessions designed to simulate match conditions.
It could be a career-defining series for Tim McIntosh, BJ Watling and Peter Ingram, for whom success against Australia would set them up for the foreseeable future, while failure could send them quickly back to the Plunket Shield. The team's hopes are more likely to rest on strong bowling and even without the newly-retired Shane Bond and Iain O'Brien, an attack made up of Chris Martin, Daryl Tuffey, Tim Southee and Daniel Vettori could be a challenge in their home conditions.
For Australia, the goal is obviously to retain the Trans-Tasman Trophy but in a broader sense to prepare this team for the home Ashes series in nine months. There are only two more Tests, against Pakistan in England, before the urn is up for grabs and plans and team selections will be refined. Part of that process is finding the right personnel, so there will be much interest in how Marcus North bounces back from his slump and how the new faces of Clint McKay, Ryan Harris and Steven Smith perform if selected. Contributing to a winning series would be a good start, but Vettori's men will do their best to thwart that plan.
Form guide
Australia WWWWD
New Zealand WDLWL
Watch out for...
Who else but Michael Clarke? It will be fascinating to see how he handles the pressure of stepping back in to Test cricket so soon after being hounded by the media over his private life. It is not the first time he has stayed home due to personal reasons. On the 2008 tour of the West Indies, when he rejoined the side after missing a Test due to the funeral of Lara Bingle's father, he promptly made a century in his first game back. This scenario is different but expect a redoubled effort from Clarke, who is keen to show the time off has not affected the form that brought him his highest Test score in the home summer finale in Hobart.
Given the top order's inexperience, Ross Taylor will become even more important than usual coming in at No. 4. He has taken on extra responsibility this summer, having captained his country for the first time, and has enjoyed a productive season with 392 Test runs at 56 without making a century. He played well at times in the ODIs against Australia but was guilty on occasion of throwing his wicket away, and he is keen to play some much longer innings. "At Test-match level there's no time constraints, unless you're chasing a score," Taylor said. "I played some howlers of shots and was disappointed with how I went out. I'm just going to go out there and play straight and play my game. They are the No. 1 team in the world and it's a good gauge of where you are as a player. I've scored a one-day hundred against them, I'd love to put a Test match hundred to that."
Team news
Australia have a couple of selection decisions to make, firstly over whether North retains his place at No. 6. The claims of Smith are strong, following his outstanding end to the Sheffield Shield season and his usefulness as another bowling option. But it would be strange to bring the incumbent North and not give him at least one Test to turn around his poor form, so it is more likely he will play. The second query surrounds the third fast bowling spot behind Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger. The uncapped Harris might have squeezed ahead of McKay, who debuted in Perth, thanks to impressive one-day form. The only problem is that Harris is carrying a side injury that forced the selectors to fly over Peter George, the tall South Australian bowler. George is an extreme backup only, and should Harris not recover, McKay will definitely make his second appearance.
Australia (possible) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Marcus North, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Nathan Hauritz, 10 Ryan Harris/Clint McKay, 11 Doug Bollinger.
New Zealand's batting line-up is settled for the time being, with Mathew Sinclair's only chance of resuming his Test career being if there is a late injury. It leaves only one decision - two spinners and three seamers or one spinner and four seamers? It is Jeetan Patel's home ground, so his experience of drifting the ball in the Wellington wind could be useful. But the pace and bounce in the centre-wicket practice sessions at the Basin Reserve suggested Brent Arnel might be in line for a debut, which was supported by the distinct green tinge to the surface on Test eve.
"The nature of the pitch brings Brent Arnel into the equation," Daniel Vettori said. "We'll have a good hard look at it tomorrow. If you looked at it now you'd say it's got a bit of greenness in it and a bit of moisture so you look at the seamers, but we'll delay that decision as late as we can."
New Zealand (possible) 1 Tim McIntosh, 2 BJ Watling, 3 Peter Ingram, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Martin Guptill, 6 Daniel Vettori (capt), 7 Brendon McCullum (wk), 8 Daryl Tuffey, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Brent Arnel/Jeetan Patel, 11 Chris Martin.
Pitch and conditions
The wind was howling so much on Wednesday that one local reporter joked that it was lucky Shaun Tait wasn't in Australia's squad or he might hit 170kph. It was a slight exaggeration but the leading fast men will relish the chance to run in with the assistance of the conditions, while others will toil into the wind. The forecast for Friday is fine and 20C with northerly winds dying out.
The practice pitches have been lively and the Test pitch is green, so the new ball will be a challenge for the top-order batsmen. "It will have a bit of drying today," Vettori said, "but it's probably going to be a typical Wellington wicket where it's got a little bit in it early on and then flattens out to a really good Test match wicket."
Stats and trivia
New Zealand and Australia have met in eight Tests at the Basin Reserve for two Australian victories, one New Zealand win and five draws
New Zealand haven't beaten Australia in a Test match since March 1993, when Danny Morrison helped demolish Allan Border's men at Eden Park
Mitchell Johnson and Chris Martin have each picked up 14 wickets in Australia-New Zealand Tests, but Johnson has done it in two games at an average of 11, while Martin has taken eight matches at 74.14
Daniel Vettori has the most Test runs, centuries, fifties and wickets of anyone in the New Zealand side
Quotes
"We brought a bit of momentum against Bangladesh and Pakistan but Australia are going to be a different challenge. The batsmen are going to be under scrutiny, especially the top five"
Ross Taylor
"The Kiwis are always tough to play against, no matter which form of the game you're playing, they're very disciplined and they just hang in there for long periods of time. We're going to have to play very well to beat them." Michael Hussey
The Australians are coming off a home summer in which they won five Tests and drew one, and although the competition could have been stronger than West Indies and Pakistan, it's still a formidable form-guide. Add in the fact that New Zealand's top order is a potential house of cards and it could be a quick kill again. But with the help of Martin Crowe, the home team's batsmen have lifted their training regime in the lead-up with longer sessions designed to simulate match conditions.
It could be a career-defining series for Tim McIntosh, BJ Watling and Peter Ingram, for whom success against Australia would set them up for the foreseeable future, while failure could send them quickly back to the Plunket Shield. The team's hopes are more likely to rest on strong bowling and even without the newly-retired Shane Bond and Iain O'Brien, an attack made up of Chris Martin, Daryl Tuffey, Tim Southee and Daniel Vettori could be a challenge in their home conditions.
For Australia, the goal is obviously to retain the Trans-Tasman Trophy but in a broader sense to prepare this team for the home Ashes series in nine months. There are only two more Tests, against Pakistan in England, before the urn is up for grabs and plans and team selections will be refined. Part of that process is finding the right personnel, so there will be much interest in how Marcus North bounces back from his slump and how the new faces of Clint McKay, Ryan Harris and Steven Smith perform if selected. Contributing to a winning series would be a good start, but Vettori's men will do their best to thwart that plan.
Form guide
Australia WWWWD
New Zealand WDLWL
Watch out for...
Who else but Michael Clarke? It will be fascinating to see how he handles the pressure of stepping back in to Test cricket so soon after being hounded by the media over his private life. It is not the first time he has stayed home due to personal reasons. On the 2008 tour of the West Indies, when he rejoined the side after missing a Test due to the funeral of Lara Bingle's father, he promptly made a century in his first game back. This scenario is different but expect a redoubled effort from Clarke, who is keen to show the time off has not affected the form that brought him his highest Test score in the home summer finale in Hobart.
Given the top order's inexperience, Ross Taylor will become even more important than usual coming in at No. 4. He has taken on extra responsibility this summer, having captained his country for the first time, and has enjoyed a productive season with 392 Test runs at 56 without making a century. He played well at times in the ODIs against Australia but was guilty on occasion of throwing his wicket away, and he is keen to play some much longer innings. "At Test-match level there's no time constraints, unless you're chasing a score," Taylor said. "I played some howlers of shots and was disappointed with how I went out. I'm just going to go out there and play straight and play my game. They are the No. 1 team in the world and it's a good gauge of where you are as a player. I've scored a one-day hundred against them, I'd love to put a Test match hundred to that."
Team news
Australia have a couple of selection decisions to make, firstly over whether North retains his place at No. 6. The claims of Smith are strong, following his outstanding end to the Sheffield Shield season and his usefulness as another bowling option. But it would be strange to bring the incumbent North and not give him at least one Test to turn around his poor form, so it is more likely he will play. The second query surrounds the third fast bowling spot behind Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger. The uncapped Harris might have squeezed ahead of McKay, who debuted in Perth, thanks to impressive one-day form. The only problem is that Harris is carrying a side injury that forced the selectors to fly over Peter George, the tall South Australian bowler. George is an extreme backup only, and should Harris not recover, McKay will definitely make his second appearance.
Australia (possible) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Marcus North, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Nathan Hauritz, 10 Ryan Harris/Clint McKay, 11 Doug Bollinger.
New Zealand's batting line-up is settled for the time being, with Mathew Sinclair's only chance of resuming his Test career being if there is a late injury. It leaves only one decision - two spinners and three seamers or one spinner and four seamers? It is Jeetan Patel's home ground, so his experience of drifting the ball in the Wellington wind could be useful. But the pace and bounce in the centre-wicket practice sessions at the Basin Reserve suggested Brent Arnel might be in line for a debut, which was supported by the distinct green tinge to the surface on Test eve.
"The nature of the pitch brings Brent Arnel into the equation," Daniel Vettori said. "We'll have a good hard look at it tomorrow. If you looked at it now you'd say it's got a bit of greenness in it and a bit of moisture so you look at the seamers, but we'll delay that decision as late as we can."
New Zealand (possible) 1 Tim McIntosh, 2 BJ Watling, 3 Peter Ingram, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Martin Guptill, 6 Daniel Vettori (capt), 7 Brendon McCullum (wk), 8 Daryl Tuffey, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Brent Arnel/Jeetan Patel, 11 Chris Martin.
Pitch and conditions
The wind was howling so much on Wednesday that one local reporter joked that it was lucky Shaun Tait wasn't in Australia's squad or he might hit 170kph. It was a slight exaggeration but the leading fast men will relish the chance to run in with the assistance of the conditions, while others will toil into the wind. The forecast for Friday is fine and 20C with northerly winds dying out.
The practice pitches have been lively and the Test pitch is green, so the new ball will be a challenge for the top-order batsmen. "It will have a bit of drying today," Vettori said, "but it's probably going to be a typical Wellington wicket where it's got a little bit in it early on and then flattens out to a really good Test match wicket."
Stats and trivia
New Zealand and Australia have met in eight Tests at the Basin Reserve for two Australian victories, one New Zealand win and five draws
New Zealand haven't beaten Australia in a Test match since March 1993, when Danny Morrison helped demolish Allan Border's men at Eden Park
Mitchell Johnson and Chris Martin have each picked up 14 wickets in Australia-New Zealand Tests, but Johnson has done it in two games at an average of 11, while Martin has taken eight matches at 74.14
Daniel Vettori has the most Test runs, centuries, fifties and wickets of anyone in the New Zealand side
Quotes
"We brought a bit of momentum against Bangladesh and Pakistan but Australia are going to be a different challenge. The batsmen are going to be under scrutiny, especially the top five"
Ross Taylor
"The Kiwis are always tough to play against, no matter which form of the game you're playing, they're very disciplined and they just hang in there for long periods of time. We're going to have to play very well to beat them." Michael Hussey
Delhi fizzle out after Tendulkar, Tiwary onslaught
Tournament heavyweights Delhi Daredevils crashed to a 98-run defeat against an inspired Mumbai Indians outfit that seemed determined to set the lopsided head-to-head record straight and, in the process, went to the top of the points table. Quickfire sixties from Sachin Tendulkar and Saurabh Tiwary took Mumbai to an imposing 218 but a batting line-up capable of overhauling the biggest of targets was bowled out with more than three overs to spare.
Delhi were already handicapped by the loss of Gautam Gambhir to a hamstring pull early in the match so it was up to the middle order to anchor a big chase. But the loss of a steadying hand in Gambhir showed up as the likes of Virender Sehwag and Tillakaratne Dilshan performed well below expectation. The backup for those heavyweights had little time in which to plot and execute a Yusuf Pathan-like counterattack.
Dilshan began the chase on an audacious note by slapping the first ball over mid-off for four. It was an emphatic way to get off the mark after two consecutive ducks, and Delhi motored along at a rate marginally faster than Mumbai after three overs. Mumbai had to dislodge at least one of the opening duo of Dilshan and Virender Sehwag, and the first breakthrough came through Lasith Malinga in the fourth over. After firing it in the blockhole to keep Dilshan under check, he bowled a slower ball and sent the off stump for a spin as the batsman swished at thin air.
The expectations on Sehwag only increased but he was the first victim of double-strike by Dwayne Bravo in the seventh over. Trying to clear long-off, he made contact off the toe-edge of the bat straight down Ambati Rayudu's throat. Four balls later, AB de Villiers dragged one onto his stumps and the momentum had firmly swung in Mumbai's favour. A flurry of boundaries by Dinesh Karthik - three in a row - raised some hope, but he too joined the exodus, courtesy a brilliant stumping down the leg side by Aditya Tare. When Manhas perished in the tenth over, Delhi had lost half their side, and with Gambhir indisposed, the match had ceased to be a contest.
Match Meter
MI
Tendulkar fires: Tendulkar tore into Maharoof with consecutive fours to start an eventful fourth over. Jayasuriya's wicket was a blip as Tendulkar belted two more fours to make it 17 for the over, the most expensive of the innings
MI
Tiwary and Rayudu push on: Tendulkar's departure didn't hurt Mumbai as the overs 13-15 produced a massive 40. Tiwary and Rayudu combined to hit three sixes and a four to lift the run rate to 11
MI
Malinga nails countryman Dilshan: The opener looked in ominous form, hitting three boundaries. But he was dismissed in the fourth over for just 17, losing his off stump to a slower ball
MI
Bravo's double-strike: The seventh over, by Bravo, left Delhi in deep trouble. Sehwag fell off the first ball and four balls later, de Villiers followed. Delhi slipped to 58 for 3
Advantage Honours even
The pitch was nothing like the minefield which forced the abandonment of the one-dayer between India and Sri Lanka a few months ago. Evenly paced, Tendulkar showed just how easy it was to get to the pitch and pick the gaps with deft touches and delicate clips. It was similar to the way he started his innings in Gwalior, where he scored a memorable 200, squirting the ball past the gaps effortlessly.
Farveez Maharoof's one-dimensional bowling - overusing the legcutter - made it easier for Tendulkar to plan his shots. After slicing Maharoof past backward point, he made Delhi pay for not placing a slip as he guided the next ball to third man. He then chipped down the track, got inside the line and played a glorious on drive past midwicket to give Delhi some anxious moments.
He brought up his fifty, off just 23 balls, with a paddle to fine leg. Mishra had Tendulkar caught at long-off by the substitute Yogesh Nagar, who was earlier in the news for pulling off a one-handed blinder at mid-off to get rid of Sanath Jayasuriya. Filling in for Gambhir, Nagar had to propel himself backwards a long way but managed to time his leap to perfection.
Significantly, Tiwary and Rayudu didn't allow things to drift after Tendulkar departed. The over after his dismissal went for just three but the pair ensured they picked at least one boundary in every over during their 71-run stand, in just short of seven overs. If Tendulkar was all nonchalance, Tiwary and Rayudu were all about brute power. Tiwary employed the slog sweep against the spinners, staying in the crease and muscling three sixes. Rayudu used his feet a lot more, regularly chipping down the track to clear the rope. Mishra tried firing it flatter and shorter with the hope of getting the ball to shoot through but the batsmen were alert enough to slap them away.
By the time Delhi dislodged the pair, Mumbai were already on 193 with a little more than two overs left. Promoting Tiwary and Rayudu over the two West Indians - Bravo and Pollard - had proved to be a productive move. The Caribbean duo combined to push the score to 218 - the highest in this tournament so far - which was more than enough to stamp their dominance.
Delhi were already handicapped by the loss of Gautam Gambhir to a hamstring pull early in the match so it was up to the middle order to anchor a big chase. But the loss of a steadying hand in Gambhir showed up as the likes of Virender Sehwag and Tillakaratne Dilshan performed well below expectation. The backup for those heavyweights had little time in which to plot and execute a Yusuf Pathan-like counterattack.
Dilshan began the chase on an audacious note by slapping the first ball over mid-off for four. It was an emphatic way to get off the mark after two consecutive ducks, and Delhi motored along at a rate marginally faster than Mumbai after three overs. Mumbai had to dislodge at least one of the opening duo of Dilshan and Virender Sehwag, and the first breakthrough came through Lasith Malinga in the fourth over. After firing it in the blockhole to keep Dilshan under check, he bowled a slower ball and sent the off stump for a spin as the batsman swished at thin air.
The expectations on Sehwag only increased but he was the first victim of double-strike by Dwayne Bravo in the seventh over. Trying to clear long-off, he made contact off the toe-edge of the bat straight down Ambati Rayudu's throat. Four balls later, AB de Villiers dragged one onto his stumps and the momentum had firmly swung in Mumbai's favour. A flurry of boundaries by Dinesh Karthik - three in a row - raised some hope, but he too joined the exodus, courtesy a brilliant stumping down the leg side by Aditya Tare. When Manhas perished in the tenth over, Delhi had lost half their side, and with Gambhir indisposed, the match had ceased to be a contest.
Match Meter
MI
Tendulkar fires: Tendulkar tore into Maharoof with consecutive fours to start an eventful fourth over. Jayasuriya's wicket was a blip as Tendulkar belted two more fours to make it 17 for the over, the most expensive of the innings
MI
Tiwary and Rayudu push on: Tendulkar's departure didn't hurt Mumbai as the overs 13-15 produced a massive 40. Tiwary and Rayudu combined to hit three sixes and a four to lift the run rate to 11
MI
Malinga nails countryman Dilshan: The opener looked in ominous form, hitting three boundaries. But he was dismissed in the fourth over for just 17, losing his off stump to a slower ball
MI
Bravo's double-strike: The seventh over, by Bravo, left Delhi in deep trouble. Sehwag fell off the first ball and four balls later, de Villiers followed. Delhi slipped to 58 for 3
Advantage Honours even
The pitch was nothing like the minefield which forced the abandonment of the one-dayer between India and Sri Lanka a few months ago. Evenly paced, Tendulkar showed just how easy it was to get to the pitch and pick the gaps with deft touches and delicate clips. It was similar to the way he started his innings in Gwalior, where he scored a memorable 200, squirting the ball past the gaps effortlessly.
Farveez Maharoof's one-dimensional bowling - overusing the legcutter - made it easier for Tendulkar to plan his shots. After slicing Maharoof past backward point, he made Delhi pay for not placing a slip as he guided the next ball to third man. He then chipped down the track, got inside the line and played a glorious on drive past midwicket to give Delhi some anxious moments.
He brought up his fifty, off just 23 balls, with a paddle to fine leg. Mishra had Tendulkar caught at long-off by the substitute Yogesh Nagar, who was earlier in the news for pulling off a one-handed blinder at mid-off to get rid of Sanath Jayasuriya. Filling in for Gambhir, Nagar had to propel himself backwards a long way but managed to time his leap to perfection.
Significantly, Tiwary and Rayudu didn't allow things to drift after Tendulkar departed. The over after his dismissal went for just three but the pair ensured they picked at least one boundary in every over during their 71-run stand, in just short of seven overs. If Tendulkar was all nonchalance, Tiwary and Rayudu were all about brute power. Tiwary employed the slog sweep against the spinners, staying in the crease and muscling three sixes. Rayudu used his feet a lot more, regularly chipping down the track to clear the rope. Mishra tried firing it flatter and shorter with the hope of getting the ball to shoot through but the batsmen were alert enough to slap them away.
By the time Delhi dislodged the pair, Mumbai were already on 193 with a little more than two overs left. Promoting Tiwary and Rayudu over the two West Indians - Bravo and Pollard - had proved to be a productive move. The Caribbean duo combined to push the score to 218 - the highest in this tournament so far - which was more than enough to stamp their dominance.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Dhoni masterminds facile win for Chennai
MS Dhoni and S Badrinath added an unbroken 109-run stand from 65 deliveries to push Chennai Super Kings to a competitive total before their bowlers turned in an inspired performance to bowl them to a surprisingly facile win at the Eden Gardens. It was Chennai who had ended Kolkata's winning streak after the first two games in 2008 and history played out yet again.
Chennai were wobbling at 55 for 3 in the 10th over when Dhoni joined Badrinath to slowly change things around on a track with slightly variable bounce. It wasn't the traditional hit-everything-in-sight Twenty20 innings from them as they first strived to settle in with dabs and nudges before freeing their arms at the end.
Chennai were wobbling at 55 for 3 in the 10th over when Dhoni joined Badrinath to slowly change things around on a track with slightly variable bounce. It wasn't the traditional hit-everything-in-sight Twenty20 innings from them as they first strived to settle in with dabs and nudges before freeing their arms at the end.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Vaas the hero as Deccan return to winning ways
Chennai: Veteran Sri Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas starred with the ball as defending champions Deccan Chargers returned to winning ways by brushing aside Chennai Super Kings by 31 runs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.
Vaas took three wickets in his first two overs - Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina and Matthew Hayden - as Chennai, chasing a stiff 191 for victory, lost too many wickets at the start. Captain MS Dhoni (42) and Albie Morkel (42 not out) provided some late fireworks but Chennai could only manage 151 for the loss of nine wickets.
Chennai made a disastrous start to their run chase when Murali Vijay and Raina fell in the same over to Vaas. Hayden looked in fine touch but an adventurous shot to clear the short fine leg ended his stay.
The introduction of Pragyan Ojha into the attack brought immediate results as S Badrinath and Justin Kemp fell to the left-arm spinner, and by the time Dhoni and Morkel got together, Chennai had too much to ask for from the pair.
Dhoni's entertaining 42 lasted 29 balls and included two sixes before Andrew Symonds bowled the Chennai skipper. Morkel kept the fight alive with a barrage of sixes but the hosts ran out of overs.
Earlier, Andrew Symonds returned to form with a half-century while Herschelle Gibbs scored a fine 45 to lift Deccan Chargers to 190-4.
Symonds cracked three sixes in his 43-ball knock while Gibbs struck five fours and a six as the duo added 95 runs for the third wicket, after captain Adam Gilchrist got the Chargers off to a lightning start after electing to bat.
Gilchrist reached 1000 runs in IPL games in his brutal 17-ball 38 but two quick wickets - that of Gilchrist and VVS Laxman - pegged the defending champions back.
Gibbs and Symonds steadied the Chargers before launching into the Super Kings, but the visitors were again pulled back by the run outs of both the batsmen. Rohit Sharma and Tirumalasetti Suman then lifted the team to a stiff total in the final overs.
Off-spinner R Ashwin was the most successful bowler for Chennai with 1-26 from his four overs, while star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan gave away 28 runs from his four.
Warne blames coach for CB Series loss
Shane Warne might have quit international cricket but it has not stopped him from continuing his tirade against Johan Buchanan’s coaching methods.
Kapil Dev - The man who made India believe
An outstandingly accurate swing bowler and an uncomplicated hitter of the ball, Kapil Dev was India's greatest fast bowler, their greatest fast-bowling allrounder, and led the team to their finest triumph: the 1983 World Cup title. He was voted Wisden's Indian Cricketer of the Century in 2002, and had he not played at the same time as Imran Khan, Ian Botham and Richard Hadlee, would surely have been recognised as the finest all-round cricketer of his age.
No favourites in Twenty20 By Sourav
This is the third season of the Indian Premier League and it really makes one wonder how quickly time flies. It still seems just the other day that this mega-event got rolling. We are ready to play the first game of the new season and the boys are all geared up, mentally and physically. The first game of a tournament is always crucial from various aspects and we are raring to make a strong start.
We face Deccan Chargers, last year's winners, in our first match. Though they are the defending champions I'm pretty sure they will have to start from scratch, like any other team, in this tournament. The simple reason is that the Twenty20 format has no favourites - you can have no one claiming that they will walk out and maintain a winning streak.
The Deccan's four overseas cricketers are Andrew Symonds, Herschelle Gibbs, Chaminda Vaas and the captain, Adam Gilchrist. That's some fire-power in that line-up! Gilly and company must be happy to be playing their home matches away from Hyderabad because they have a horrible record at home. They have won none of the nine matches [including the Champions League] they played at their original home, which would have definitely had a bearing on their mind had they been playing there this year. Maybe the change of residence will bring Gilchrist's team better luck in the new season.
The DY Patil Stadium is a treat for the eye. I have never seen it before, leave alone played here, and I was pleasantly surprised by its appearance and was even more astonished when I was informed that it is owned by a university. It definitely qualifies as one of the world's best cricket stadiums.
I am sure there will be an electrifying atmosphere during our first game. The wicket has been re-laid, the person in charge of the 22 yards is a former India player and my one-time team-mate Abey Kuruvilla. I am sure he will give us a wicket with just the right kind of bounce and carry to facilitate both the fast bowlers and the stroke-makers.Twenty20 is generally considered a feast of runs, with nothing much for the bowlers. A good 22 yards, with even pace and bounce, at times balances the contest. The first sighting of the pitch indicates that there will be nothing much for the spinners.
We do have an attack that can exploit any given condition. There is a group of fast bowlers who, I am sure, will generate pace on any sort of wicket. As a captain I am looking to them to provide early breakthroughs.
We have prepared well for this year's tournament. We practised all year round and have proceeded carefully in spotting a few talented Indian youngsters. Much effort has gone into polishing them so I am looking forward to the Indian players to deliver this IPL. The likes of Manoj Tiwary, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Dinda and Murali Kartik have a fantastic platform to showcase their talent, put across to the selectors how good they are and make a name and a career for themselves.
For the start of the new IPL season we have the services of Brad Hodge, Owais Shah, Charl Langeveldt, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis and Mashrafe Mortaza. We will be joined shortly by Chris Gayle, Shane Bond and David Hussey. It really will be tough for the team management to decide what would be the best combination of foreign players for us. But it is a situation we don't mind - the more the merrier.
Gautam Gambhir stars in tense Delhi win
In his first match as IPL captain, Gautam Gambhirfollowed up inspired moves in the field with an old-fashioned innings full of sensible strokeplay and saved a glittering batting line-up the blushes in a straightforward chase of 143 on a flat pitch. It was thanks to disconcerting bowling from Dirk Nannes and timely big wickets for Farveez Maharoof that Delhi were chasing a paltry total, but Gambhir had to counter the regularly falling wickets and rising required rate to take his team home.
Sreesanth, who somehow nudged and edged nine runs in the final over to give himself something to bowl at, made the most of the extra few runs at Kings XI Punjab's disposal. He swung the ball beautifully, taking out Virender Sehwag and Tillakaratne Dilshan in his first over, and gave away just 15 in his first spell of three overs.
While sizeable contributions from the other end didn't arrive, Gambhir was not going to contribute to Punjab's cause. He ran hard, hit only one shot in the air before the six in the 19th over, never let the required rate reach unmanageable proportions, and got out with only three runs required. The main feature of the innings was the cut shot: the bat face opened at just the right time, at just the right angle, playing around with the point and third-man fieldsmen.
From 10 for 2 he took Delhi to 45 for 3 with AB de Villiers for company, and to 79 for 4 with Dinesh Karthik. By the time Karthik fell, Gambhir had paced himself to 37 off 34, but 64 required off 46 was just about entering the tricky territory. In the next over, though, Gambhir took 15 runs off five Ramesh Powar deliveries to turn the game Delhi's way. Nine of those came off shots either side of deep point.
Match Meter
 Advantage  Honours even |
A two-run 17th over by Yuvraj Singh gave Punjab an outside chance, with 26 required off the last three, but when Irfan Pathan dropped Mithun Manhas in the 19th over, it was all over for Punjab. That Gambhir batted through the innings meant he ran up and down the pitch 71 times. A cramping Gambhir towards the end wasn't what Delhi would have envisaged after a commendable fielding effort.
Nannes was too quick, Maharoof too opportunistic, and Delhi's fielders too alert for Ravi Bopara's 48-ball 56. Regular wickets punctuated Punjab's innings. Nannes went for just 12 runs in his four overs, and Maharoof claimed the big scalps of Kumar Sangakkara and Yuvraj Singh.
Bopara got support from Irfan - out of India's preliminary squad for World Twenty20 but fit enough to start for Punjab - during a 60-run fifth-wicket partnership, but they would have always felt it not enough.
Sharp fielding, Nannes' awkward bounce, and Maharoof's capitalising on the pressure left the lower middle order with too much to do. Manhas started Punjab's slide with a direct hit to remove Manvinder Bisla. Sangakkara, Punjab's new captain, came out counterattacking, but Gambhir persisted with Maharoof despite his 18-run fourth over.
Maharoof repaid the faith by removing Sangakkara and Yuvraj in his next over, both to softish dismissals. Sangakkara flicked him straight to short fine leg, and Gambhir himself took a back-pedalling catch at mid-off to get rid of Yuvraj.
That it was the last delivery of the Powerplay could have had something to do with Yuvraj's shot selection. Mahela Jayawardene, though, edged the first delivery after the Powerplay, a straight angling delivery from Pradeep Sangwan.
Bopara and Irfan applied themselves, also enjoyed some good fortune through edged boundaries to the third-man area, but another inspired move from Gambhir started the second collapse for Punjab. Tillakaratne Dilshan was given the ball in the 14th over, and Irfan - responsible until then - jumped out of the crease and missed a straight delivery.
Mohammad Kaif was stumped to a wide flighted delivery from Amit Mishra, and Bopara hit a low full toss straight to deep square leg. At 113 for 7 in the 16th over, Nannes and Maharoof against the tail was always going to be an unfair contest.
Kings XI Punjab innings (20 overs maximum) R B 4s 6s SR RS Bopara c Manhas b Mahesh 56 48 7 1 116.66 MS Bisla run out (Manhas) 2 6 0 0 33.33 KC Sangakkara*† c Sangwan b Maharoof 17 9 1 1 188.88 Yuvraj Singh c Gambhir b Maharoof 4 5 1 0 80.00 DPMD Jayawardene c †Karthik b Sangwan 0 1 0 0 0.00 IK Pathan st †Karthik b Dilshan 21 16 2 0 131.25 M Kaif st †Karthik b Mishra 6 6 1 0 100.00 PP Chawla c Maharoof b Nannes 5 7 0 0 71.42 RR Powar b Nannes 3 7 0 0 42.85 S Sreesanth not out 15 14 2 0 107.14 YA Abdulla not out 0 1 0 0 0.00 Extras (lb 8, w 5) 13 Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 142 (7.10 runs per over) Bowling O M R W Econ DP Nannes 4 0 12 2 3.00 (2w) MF Maharoof 4 0 37 2 9.25 (2w) PJ Sangwan 4 0 32 1 8.00 A Mishra 4 0 23 1 5.75 VY Mahesh 3 0 23 1 7.66 (1w) TM Dilshan 1 0 7 1 7.00 Delhi Daredevils innings (target: 143 runs from 20 overs) R B 4s 6s SR G Gambhir* c Jayawardene b Pathan 72 54 9 1 133.33 V Sehwag c Jayawardene b Sreesanth 8 6 2 0 133.33 TM Dilshan c Bisla b Sreesanth 0 3 0 0 0.00 AB de Villiers run out (Jayawardene/Chawla) 7 13 0 0 53.84 KD Karthik† c Pathan b Abdulla 20 18 3 0 111.11 M Manhas not out 31 24 2 0 129.16 MF Maharoof not out 1 1 0 0 100.00 Extras (lb 5, w 2) 7 Total (5 wickets; 19.5 overs) 146 (7.36 runs per over) Did not bat A Mishra, PJ Sangwan, VY Mahesh, DP Nannes Fall of wickets1-10 (Sehwag, 1.2 ov), 2-10 (Dilshan, 1.5 ov), 3-45 (de Villiers, 7.3 ov), 4-79 (Karthik, 12.2 ov),5-140 (Gambhir, 19.2 ov) Bowling O M R W Econ IK Pathan 3.5 0 27 1 7.04 (2w) S Sreesanth 4 0 24 2 6.00 YA Abdulla 4 0 30 1 7.50 PP Chawla 4 0 33 0 8.25 Yuvraj Singh 3 0 11 0 3.66 RR Powar 1 0 16 0 16.00
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