Cricket Tournaments

Chennai Super Kings vs Royal challengers Bangalore

It will be great from India’s point of view that at least one of the IPL teams will make it to the summit clash of the Champions League T20. That might be either the Chennai Super Kings or the Bangalore Royal Challengers, depending on who gets the better of the other in the first semi-final at Durban. Both teams are equally matched and well-balanced, a fact their head-to-head record demonstrates – Bangalore have won four and Chennai three. And so, another tight contest can be expected on the big Friday.

Interestingly, both teams have charted a similar path enroute to get to the last four. It was only a victory in their final league game that got them through. However, the mistakes can’t be repeated now as the tournament heads into the knockout stage. It would be difficult to say who holds the advantage since both Bangalore and Chennai have varied strengths.

While Bangalore have a solid pace attack backed by the experienced hand of their leading spinner and skipper Anil Kumble, Chennai rely heaving on spin, with both R Ashwin and Muralitharan tasting a good amount of success. Even though the Durban pitch is expected to favour the faster men more than the slower bowlers, Ashwin and Murali are good enough to trouble the best, irrespective of the surface. And so, it might all boil down to the batting of the two sides, which boasts of rather impressive names.

There is the rock solid Rahul Dravid at the top of the order along with the rollicking Manish Pandey, who have been giving Bangalore worthy starts. And then, there is Virat Kohli, who has been scintillating down the order, notwithstanding the mixed results. The problem for Bangalore lies in between. Ross Taylor hasn’t lived up to the expectations yet. But, he is experienced enough to come good on the big day. Also, Robin Uthappa and Cameron White will get another chance to enhance their big-hitting reputation. On their day, they can be the most destructive.

If Bangalore’s batting line is imposing, Chennai need now worry. They have their own arms of giants. The experiment of Michael Hussey at the top of the order with Murali Vijay has worked nicely thus far and should continue. Another good opening stand would mean the big hitters like Raina, Dhoni and Anirudha can free their arms from the word go. And if any from the trio gets going, Bangalore’s bowlers, especially the ones short on pace like Vinay Kumar and Praveen Kumar, can be taken to the cleaners.

As if to set up everything evenly, both sides also have a South African injury problem and that too with their chief all-rounder. However, while Jacques Kallis has been ruled out of the tournament with a neck injury, Albie Morkel can still make it to Chennai’s XI provided he has recovered from his illness. In that case, it would be advantage Chennai, since Morkel will give his side better balance as compared to Bangalore.

Having weighed all permutations and combinations, a close contest seems imminent. Over to the teams to live up to the bidding.

Virat Kohli

Even as the Bangalore Royal Challengers became the first IPL team to make it to the semi-finals of the Champions League T20, one man would have been mightily relieved. Virat Kohli did not manage to take Bangalore past the finish line against the Mumbai Indians, but did well enough to knock Sachin Tendulkar’s team out and keep his side in the hunt. And against the Lions, he went one step ahead, leading the team to victory, as Bangalore marched their way into the final four.

For Kohli, it was a matter of turning from culprit to hero. He nearly messed things up for Bangalore during their chase of 160, before brining them right back on track.

Kohli first ran out key man Robin Uthappa in the 15th over of the innings, and then failed to make much contact with the ball in the next over. For some inexplicable reason, Bangalore had not gone for the kill from the word go and they seemed in eminent danger of being knocked out. However, this was when Kohli made amends, and in the best way possible. Over 40 were required from the last four overs when Kohli smashed Ethan O’Reilly for two sixes and a four. Bangalore’s chase was back on track with those three big hits as they cantered home.

The win also meant that Kohli had put behind the past and conquered the present. The image of him on his haunches, being consoled by Rahul Dravid, who himself must have been heartbroken having batted through the innings in the defeat, will be looked upon as a poignant moment of this tournament. But with having managed to pull Bangalore out of the hole, and more importantly guide them in to the semi-finals, Kohli would now have some happy memories going into the final four. Also, the close win would mean Bangalore would be better prepared for the bigger challenges ahead, even as the loss of Jacques Kallis would be a major setback.

Another key component in Bangalore’s win was the performance of their skipper Anil Kumble. His magical spell of 1/13 from his four overs meant Lions were restricted to just a respectable total. Bringing all his experience into play, the former Indian skipper did not give any room to the batsmen and ensured they were strangled for runs. Like Kohli, he also was looking for redemption, having dropped Dwayne Bravo in the previous game, which allowed Mumbai to come back into the match, and go on to win it. Here, he was on top of the game with both ball and as skipper.

Kumble’s introduction of Kohli in the bowling attack managed to stem the flow of runs from both ends, following the unlucky run out of Vaughan van Jaarsveld, who slipped while trying to make his ground. As the pressure mounted, Kumble sent back top-scorer Alviro Petersen, who missed a slog sweep.

The two Ks continued to choke Neil McKenzie, who was making a comeback. Even though the former South African opener managed to score at just over a run a ball, it wasn’t enough to help Lions maintain the momentum. In the end, it needed a rollicking Robert Frylinck to take them to a decent score. However, they couldn’t keep down an inspired Bangalore, despite a spirited challenge in the field as well.

Kieron Pollard

Kieron Pollard proved why he was the most expensive buy during the auction for IPL 3. He put in a magnificent all-round performance against the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the first semi-final as Mumbai sealed their place in the final with an emphatic 35-run win.

The fiery West Indian first slammed a sizzling, unbeaten 33 and in the company of Saurabh Tiwary (52 not out) enabled Mumbai to recover from a dicey position and post an imposing 184 for 5. Such was the brutality of the duo’s attack in the last five overs that as many as 77 runs were scored and the total skyrocketed from 107 for the loss of 4 wickets in the 15th over as roar at D Y Patil got bigger.

In reply, Bangalore never quite got going during the chase. The pressure of the semi-final clearly got even to the strong batting line-up. In the big game, Bangalore opened their reply Rahul Dravid joining Jacques Kallis at the top of the order. But, the move failed to work. While Kallis (11) was consumed by a brilliant outswinger from Lasith Malinga early in the innings, Dravid fell victim to a mix-up between him and Ross Taylor.

His hard-earned 22 did not do much to help the team’s cause. In between, a dangerous looking Kevin Pietersen (19), who was rightly sent in one down, was brilliantly stumped down the leg side by Ambati Rayudu off Harbhajan Singh’s bowling. In what appeared to be a well-planned move, the off-spinner fired one down the leg-side and Rayudu completed the smart stumping as Pietersen blindly charged down the track.

It was wide delivery, but Mumbai would have happily exchanged an extra run and delivery to see the back of the England’s world-class player.

With the top guns gone, all hopes were now pinned on Robin Uthappa. Could he turn batman again? Unfortunately not, for Bangalore even though he shone briefly. Uthappa lofted Harbhajan’s for two massive sixes. The 18-run over gave Bangalore some hope. But, with the run-rate always on the ascendancy, Uthappa had to keep on going for the big ones consistently.

One such stroke led to him downfall. Pollard chipped in with a smart slower ball. It was one of the rare occasions when Uthappa failed to time one and, as a result, holed out in the deep for 26. In walked Taylor, but out walked Dravid the very next ball, confused over taking a quick single. At 81 for 4, Bangalore needed something miraculous from the woefully struggling Taylor.

He did chip in with 31*. However, with wickets falling at the other end, he was deprived of the strike during the most crucial occasions. For Mumbai, Pollard and Malinga complemented each other perfectly – one slowing things up and causing trouble and other beating the batsmen with pace.

Mumbai’s batsmen played an equally significant part in the victory, earlier in the evening. Sachin Tendulkar fell early courtesy and the next three also departed with only 77 on the board. It was only Rayudu, who kept the runs flowing from one end, throwing his bat wherever and gathering a number of boundaries. He eventually fell for 40, but his dismissal put Mumbai back in trouble. It was here though that the game changed drastically.

Tiwary and Pollard put in a special exhibition of power-hitting. Tiwary began by slamming a wayward Kallis all over the park in the 16th over. The home team never looked back from then. Even Anil Kumble was taken for plenty in his final spell by the left-hander. Pollard took no time to get his eye in. He took care of Vinay Kumar and Dale Steyn as Mumbai were rollicking away. Bangalore could not recover from the brutal assault.

Deccan Chargers recovered sensationally after being in the doldrums at 14 for 3, the result of Dale Steyn’s magical opening burst, to stun Bangalore Royal Challengers by 13 runs. After Rohit Sharma and Monish Mishra combined to help Deccan reach a somewhat respectable total of 151, the bowlers fashioned a dramatic reversal at Nagpur.

Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis had taken Bangalore to 74 with ease after the loss of an early wicket. At that stage, the game seemed headed for a one-sided finish. But, once Dravid was dismissed by Andrew Symonds, caught in the deep one short of his half-century, things turned dramatically.

As wickets fell, it was only Robin Uthappa who kept his team in the hunt. But, after having played batman for so many games this season, he was bound to end up on the losing side someday. Painfully, it was this day.

Even as Bangalore faltered, no praise can be too high for Deccan’s bowlers. Right from the start, they were focussed. Ryan Harris, in an endeavour to bowl fast, ran in hard and was rewarded with his first ball itself. Manish Pandey was too late on an outswinger and only managed to edge it to a thrilled Adam Gilchrist.

And, while Dravid and Kallis batted like true veterans reading the game perfectly, Deccan did well to ensure that neither blazed away. Dravid was the more aggressive of the two, with some fluent strikes all round the wicket. His 49 was punctuated with eight boundaries, but his dismissal punctured what was until then a fluent chase.

Following Dravid’s departure, Kallis needed to take on the responsibility of guiding the team home. But, while he managed to reclaim the orange cap from Sachin Tendulkar, he wasn’t able to translate his start into a match-winning knock. He was deceived in the air by Pragyan Ojha and returned with 27 to his name.

Still, at 95 for 3, Bangalore remained favourites, but some splendid bowling from the unpredictable R P Singh turned the tide. Ross Taylor was castled by a yorker and Cameron White holed out. At the other end, Ojha got rid of Virat Kolhi and the chase had lost steam. Uthappa struck two magnificent sixes off Ryan Harris’ bowling, but Harmeet Singh got him for 34 with a well-directed straight delivery. That clinched it for Deccan.

No one would have given the ‘home’ side a chance after the disastrous start they were off to. Steyn ran in as fast as he could and knocked over the top three in no time. Adam Gilchrist was done in by one that left him, but not before taking the edge, T. Suman could not handle his short snorter while Herschelle Gibbs had no answer to his country-mate’s outswinger that beat him all ends up and crashed into the stumps.

In the third over, Deccan were gasping for breath at 14 for 3 and Anil Kumble’s decision to bowl first was justified. Steyn could have had another victim in his kitty, but for an edge falling short of slip. It was just the stroke of luck Deccan needed.

Mishra and Rohit Sharma took up the mantle of rebuilding with a sense of responsibility. The former played the aggressor between rotating the strike while Sharma timed the ball sweetly, just as he has being doing in his recent outings. The two took the score close to 100. And, with some help from Symonds and Harris, they managed to cross 150, enough for their charged up bowlers.

The script could not have been written for Delhi Daredevils as they looked to end their somewhat surprising losing streak against the rampaging Bangalore Royal Challengers at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Apart from the losing the toss, almost everything went right for them.

A sensational start provided by David Warner, a good consolidating knock by A B de Villiers in the middle and an unbelievably brilliant half-century by a little known Kedar Jadhav, who incidentally was with RCB last year, made sure that Delhi ended up with a highly impressive 183 for 4.

Then, despite another good start provided by Jacques Kallis and Manish Pandey, Delhi managed to stage a comeback courtesy Amit Mishra and Andrew McDonald and some atrocious running by the Bangalore batsmen.

Delhi had their noses in front right from the start. Warner went hammer and tongs from ball one and Delhi ended up crossing 50 in just over four overs. The Australian hammered 33 from 14 balls, inclusive of three fours and two sixes, and even Virender Sehwag looked sedate in comparison.

Post Warner’s dismissal, Bangalore did fight back, dismissing Sehwag and skipper Dinesh Karthik before they crossed 100. However, a smart partnership between de Villiers and Jadhav made sure that Delhi were in the hunt to post a challenging score. And after the South African was run out, five short of a deserved half-century, Jadhav took over and played an astounding knock.

His half-century came off a mere 29 balls and featured five fours and two sixes. None of the bowlers could make any impact on him as he slammed a couple of memorable boundaries off Kallis and opposition skipper Anil Kumble.

For Bangalore to overhaul the 183 set by Delhi, they needed another great start from Pandey and Kallis. And, while they did add 71, the fact that Delhi bowlers did not allow them to run away with the game, proved crucial in the end. Dirk Nannes kept things tight as usual and his bowling partner Umesh Yadav proved to be a surprise package.

The speed with which he bowled unsettled both Pandey and Kallis and different times. Still, Bangalore managed to reach a steady position before the cookie crumbled.

Kallis, after reaching a sedate 29-ball 27, fell trying to open his arms. An attempted slog sweep was missed and Amit Mishra had struck once again for Delhi. That was the beginning of the end for Bangalore. The chase deteriorated rather rapidly thereafter. Yet again, Pandey fell in the 30s.

On a day when Kallis failed, he should have gone on to do much better. Some dreadful running by Bangalore did not help matters either. Rahul Dravid lasted just one ball and Eoin Morgan could not prove his big-hitting prowess.

The lower half of the batting collapsed in a heap. If Bangalore lost by a somewhat respectable margin of 17 runs, it was only due to some good hitting by Virat Kohli (38*) towards the end.

All said and done, Delhi were the better of the teams on the day and deserved to win.

For the second game in a row, Chennai Super Kings allowed the opposition to get the better of them, after having dominated nearly one half of the match. For 17 overs after winning the toss and asking the Bangalore Royal Challengers to bat, the Chennai bowlers had Bangalore under the pump.

Jacques Kallis was finally dismissed after having made a rather streaky 19, on a day he surprisingly seemed off colour. Manish Pandey and Rahul Dravid, who hadn’t had a hit in the last three games, were accounted for by some wily bowling by the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan.

But, Robin Uthappa, who bided his time by and was dropped more than once, smashed 68 from 38 balls to help Bangalore finish on an impressive 171 for 5. Most of those runs came in the latter part of the innings. He was especially severe on Laxmipathy Balaji, whom he hit for three consecutive sixes in the penultimate over.

The bowler too didn’t do himself any favours by constantly pitch the ball in the same areas. Still, it was an amazing show of power and skill by Uthappa. At one stage it seemed like Bangalore would struggle to reach 150, but with Uthappa in such fine form, they managed to go well beyond that. It has to be said that Uthappa paced his innings beautifully.

When the early wickets fell, things were quite tough. Also, the bounce on the pitch was quite spongy. As such, he did well not to throw his wicket away.

What Uthappa’s knock did was it ensured the momentum was with Bangalore, going into the break. And this facet was evident when they came out to bowl. Praveen Kumar took out Parthiv Patel in the very first over. And though Matthew Hayden threatened to unleash the Mongoose effect once again, this time its impact was rather brief courtesy a smart piece of fielding from Dravid, resulting in his run-out. All this while, the batsman at the other end, George Bailey, was also kept quiet, which meant Hayden’s dismissal was a body blow for the Super Kings.

Skipper Anil Kumble chipped in with yet another remarkable four-over spell during which he leaked just 15 runs. He troubled Bailey bowling his typically nagging line to which the batsman had not answer. Kumble was eventually rewarded with the wicket of Murali Vijay. But, the biggest beneficiary of the pressure built up by Kumble and Kumar was R Vinay Kumar. With the batsmen having no option but to go after him, he ended up claiming four scalps.

He did go for plenty, and S Badrinath, in particular was impressive against him, caressing the ball for a few pleasing boundaries while not trying to hit the cover off the ball. Albie Morkel too joined in the act towards the end with some monstrous hits. Kumar, though, had the last laugh claiming both of them.

After having Bangalore five down for 119 in 17th over, Chennai should never have allowed them to get away. The fact that they did and were ragged in the field as well rubbed on to their batsmen, who also came up with an uninspired showing.

On a day when Bangalore Royal Challengers successfully chased down a target of 204 against Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders should have done better than succumbing to a 55-run loss against Chennai Super Kings. After all, there was no devil in the pitch at Eden Gardens and the home team were on a high following two successive wins in the tournament.

As such, the loss has to be attributed to some poor batsmanship, and possibly a sense of complacency. In stark contrast, Chennai recovered from a precarious 55 for 3 to post a challenging score of 164. MS Dhoni (66*) and Subramanian Badrinath (43*) combined brilliantly, blending caution and aggression in the right proportions, to see to it that the bowlers had a reasonable total to defend.

Chennai had some good fortune early on with the ball as a fierce hit from the in-form Brad Hodge (0) landed straight into the hands of R. Ashwin in the very first over of the innings bowled by Albie Morkel. And from thereon, Chennai made sure that they capitalized on the great start.

They were aided to quite an extent by the Kolkata batsmen, who played some atrocious slogs in between some flourishing strokes. A case in point was Manoj Tiwari (8), who hit a couple of spanking boundaries only to throw it away, playing across the line. Wriddhiman Saha’s exit was no different. He raced to 22, which included five wonderfully timed boundaries before he fell prey to some smart captaincy by Dhoni. The Indian skipper left the field open on the on side, and looking to play across the line, Saha was cleaned up by Laxmipathy Balaji.

At 34 for 3, Kolkata were in a similar position to Chennai earlier in the innings. But, instead of looking to rebuild, they continued to go for the big shots and perished one after the other. To be fair to Owais Shah, he got a good outgoing delivery from Balaji and couldn’t do much better than edging it behind the wickets while on 5. However, the rest, including skipper Sourav Ganguly (11 from 20 balls) succumbed to the pressure and the game sadly meandered to a one-sided result.

Due credit needs to be given to all the Chennai bowlers for sticking to their guns. Balaji (2/9) was highly impressive at the top while Justin Kemp (3/12) picked up crucial wickets in the middle overs.

The win though wouldn’t have been possible without the efforts of Dhoni and Badrinath. The duo joined forces when Chennai were struggling and the Kolkata bowlers were in complete control of the situation. Ishant Sharma had knocked over Matthew Hayden for 1. Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina also fell after getting starts. But, Dhoni came up with the special act expected of him.

After playing himself in, he unleashed an array of lofted, bottom hand strokes that spoiled the figures of Shane Bond, who was sensational at the start, as well as Ishant and Laxmi Shukla. Murali Kartik was the only one who escaped without punishment. At the other end, Badrinath too joined in the act with a mighty six towards the end.

On another day, 164 might not have been enough. But, considering that Kolkata were committed to falter, it proved to be more than handy.