The Official Chennai Super Kings Supporters Thread!!!!

[Guest HariSampath]

So CSK have already made Badri an Indian Int'l....LOL :hysterical:

[IndianRenegade]

Crunch games ahead for Super Kings: Chandra Chennai, May 12: Having garnered 12 points from nine matches with six wins and three defeats, the Chennai Super Kings enter the decisive phase of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition as the team heads to Mumbai tomorrow for their next encounter on Wednesday. Director for cricketing operations VB Chandrasekar said the Super Kings team looked more settled and balanced, especially after the two back-to-back victories that followed three consecutive defeats. “After those three losses, our team did look out of sorts, but the two victories last week has restored balance and also self-belief among our players,” he said. Super Kings successfully chased a victory target of 188 against Delhi Daredevils at the Kotla in the Capital and then defeated Kings XI Punjab by 18 runs at home after making 181 batting first.

“Out batting came good in both these games and against Punjab, our bowlers did the job for us. During the three matches we lost, we were not getting good starts whether in batting or bowling, but now, I feel we have a better balance,” Chandrasekar opined. Quite the most significant development from the Super Kings perspective has been the return of seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji who, bowing as fourth change, took five wickets, including a hat-trick against Punjab. Ntini, the South African fast bowler, did not play in the Punjab game on Saturday, but Chandrasekar hinted that he would be back to share the new ball. “Of course, Balaji gives us another bowling option. But we still need a frontline bowler like Makhaya Ntini along with Manpreet Gony and Albie Morkel,” he pointed out. Giving an insight into the team’s bowling strategy, Chandrasekar said Balaji, who is returning to competitive cricket after a long break owing to injury, was given a specific role to bowl the middle and end overs in harness with Muttiah Muralitharan in a bid to contain the rival batsmen. “Muralitharan has been bowling well and the batsmen are not taking any risks against him. It obviously means that they would be targeting the other bowler. Balaji bowled his quota of four overs quite well in two spells,” Chandrasekar said. He, however, asserted that T20 was more about teams getting their act together on a particular day and not so much about strategies. Looking ahead to the remaining five games (three away and two home), Chandrasekar said that despite having 12 points in the kitty, Super Kings face crunch matches. The Super Kings travel to Mumbai and Kolktata this week before returning to host Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals. They then complete their league engagements with an away game against Hyderabad Deccan Chargers. “Royals look certain for semi-finals as they have 14 points (from nine matches) while the other three spots are still up for grabs. So, Super Kings will be playing the crunch matches in the next couple of weeks,” he observed.

[IndianRenegade]

Balaji – heady mix of smile and skill! Walking briskly past a couple of reporters eager for a “byte”, he looked a man anxious to be left alone, as he had been for the past three years, so that he could focus on his primary mission of getting back to competitive cricket. “Sorry, no comments,” he muttered, flashing the smile that had sent a thousand hearts aflutter in Pakistan in 2004. Back then, Lakshmipathy Balaji had adorned the sports pages with the shutterbugs never quite satisfied capturing the “1000-watt smile” that came to be identified with the fast bowler from Chennai. In 2005, just as his cricket career was taking off to a different level, came the tragedy of a stress fracture and the consequent fading from public memory that, at best, is short (and getting shorter!). The three years since have been one of diligent toil in the gym. While most gave up on Balaji ever returning to cricket, injury-prone that he had become, he worked away at his post-surgery recovery with the single-mindedness that often characterizes the successful.

It also meant a closer scrutiny of his bowling action, from the run-up to the delivery stride to the final release of the ball. Like many of his peers, Balaji consciously worked on his action with former Test cricketer and Tamil Nadu coach WV Raman suggested a few changes. In a newspaper interview, Balaji, 26, says he is basically trying to learn more about his body and is focusing on just bowling, not unduly putting himself under pressure to take wickets. But on Saturday night at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Balaji, playing in only his second T20 game for the Chennai Super Kings, met with stunning success that saw him pick up five wickets, including a hat-trick, in four overs, and spearheaded his team to victory. When he was first picked for the Super Kings, Balaji was far from ready for action. He was kept in the team, bowling in the nets and finally inducted in the playing eleven for the team’s eighth match against Delhi Daredevils. Bowling as third change, came away with two wickets, those of Gautam Gambhir, who was flying high on 80, and Shoaib Malik just as Delhi were looking at a 200-plus total. In the next game at home, against Kings XI Punjab, Balaji was kept out of the firing line until the 11th over and was hit for 11 runs. He came back even more determined and removed Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shaun Marsh with the first and fifth delivery of his second over. The twin strikes effectively changed the course of the match. In fact, the discerning opined that the two wickets were far more valuable than the hat-trick he achieved in his final over, the 20th of the innings to hasten the Super Kings victory. Thus, it has been a fairytale return for Balaji and surely, the five wickets would have boosted his confidence to no end. Obviously, he has been assigned a role and although he is yet to share the new ball, it wouldn’t be long before he gets “up there”. Yuvraj Singh, skipper of the Punjab team, was spot-on when he said, while welcoming Balaji’s return to competitive cricket,: “It was nice to see Balaji back in action. His return is good news not just for himself but also Indian cricket. He was not the quickest of bowlers, but he can be very deceptive with the old ball. I am extremely happy for Balaji.” For sure, Yuvraj is not alone in rolling out the carpet for this quiet man with poise and bearing who not far back in time was the toast of the country. By the looks of it, he will be so, sooner than later.

[IndianRenegade]

Crucial game for Super Kings Mumbai, May 14: The presence of one man seems to have given tonight’s Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians game in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament a different perspective even as the visitors are looking to add precious points to their kitty of 12 to strengthen their chances of a semi-final berth. Currently, the Super Kings, ably led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, are placed third on the league table after nine matches, while Mumbai Indians have eight from seven in sixth position. As such, the home team would be keen to kick-start the second half of their campaign on a strong note as they have as good a chance as any team to make it to the semi-finals.

Thus far, the Mumbai Indians have not really performed to their full potential, but in their previous two games, there have been indications of a team coming together and now, with Sachin Tendulkar back in their ranks, the hosts present a strong opposition. Meanwhile, the sequence of two back-to-back victories has obviously put the Super Kings in a good frame of mind while their team portrays a very settled combination and a balance that was missing during their run of three consecutive defeats that followed four wins in a row at the start of the tournament. However, holding the centrestage is Tendulkar who is scheduled to play his first IPL game for Mumbai Indians after a longish break owing to a groin strain. The maestro has indicated that he was back to match fitness and hence would be taking over the reins from South African all-rounder Shaun Pollock, the stand-in captain. Tendulkar’s presence would certain lift the profile of the contest although it remains to be seen whether he would get cracking from the word “go”, opening the innings with Sanath Jayasuriya considering that tonight’s match would be his first competitive outing in nearly two months. The Super Kings are obviously aware of the havoc that Tendulkar is capable of and as such, their bowlers would have to work twice hard to deny Mumbai Indians a strong start. In the previous game against Kings XI Punjab, the Super Kings bowling attack performed quite magnificently and with the return of seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji has further bolstered this vital department that was once considered to be their Achilles heel. The Super Kings batting too appears strong enough to challenge the best of teams in the league and they would be hoping that opener Stephen Fleming, the former New Zealand captain, would fire along with Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan who is expected to set the early pace, be it batting first or chasing. It is quite likely that the Super Kings might opt for an unchanged eleven though the possibility of South African fast bowler Makhaya Ntini getting the nod ahead of either Palani Amarnath or Chamara Kapudegera cannot be discounted. Super Kings coach Kepler Wessels said: “We are looking forward to the game and it will be a privilege playing against one of the game’s greats.” He was obviously referring to Tendulkar who himself cannot wait to get back into action after watching the first seven games from the dugout. Mumbai’s concern would be to contain the clutch of left-handed batsmen that Super Kings boast of. Their bowling attack, at best, is adequate and as such, they would be counting more on their batsmen to provide the momentum. The first encounter between the two teams in Chennai saw the Super Kings piling up 208 for five and then restricting the Mumbai Indians to 202 for seven in a match that could have gone either way. The teams since then have undergone changes with Super Kings without Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey and Jacob Oram, while the Mumbai Indians will be missing Harbhajan Singh and Tendulkar back in the eleven.

[IndianRenegade]

Sanath on fire,CSK crash to fourth defeat Mumbai, May 14: Sanath Jayasuriya came up with a one-man demolition act with a 48-ball 114 not out as he powered Mumbai Indians to a convincing nine-wicket win against Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament, at the Wankhede stadium, here tonight. It was a veritable mayhem as Jayasuriya showcased his immense power and sense of timing that had the Super Kings bowlers scurrying for cover. The Sri Lankan opener unleashed an array of breathtaking strokes as he struck 11 sixes and nine boundaries. With Jayasuriya, later declared Man of the Match, in such a tremendous form, the Mumbai Indians, who won the toss and restricted Super Kings to 156 for six, reached the target in just 13.5 overs.

Mumbai Indians, thus, recorded their fourth win in eight matches while the Chennai Super Kings slid to their fourth defeat in 10 outings. Such was Jayasuriya’s domination that the other two Mumbai Indian batsmen, skipper Sachin Tendulkar and Robin Uthappa, contributed a mere 28 runs between them with Mr Extras the second highest scorer with 16. The Super Kings bowlers repeatedly erred in line and length and Jayasuriya took full advantage of the offering. He was severe on anything on his legs or overpitched and used the cut to great effect when given the width on the offside. Only Lakshmipathy Balaji was spot-on, with a spell of none for nine in two overs. With the kind of mood that Jayasuriya was in, it was just a matter of time before the target was reached. Jayasuriya, in fact, got to his century with two consecutive sixes to bring about a swift end to the game. Earlier, the Super Kings struggled to get going before skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (43 not out) and Subramaniam Badrinath (53) hauled them out of the woods. The Mumbai bowlers had the batsmen in shackles with accurate and disciplined bowling. As in the previous games, Dhoni and Badrinath got together for a rescue act, putting on 91 runs for the fifth wicket. The pair provided the best moments for the Super Kings with the two matching each other stroke for stroke. The partnership could not have come at a more opportune moment for the Super Kings who were reeling 46 for four in the ninth over after a double strike by Dhawal Kulkarni who removed Stephen Fleming (26) and Chamara Kapugedera (0) in his second over. Earlier, Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan (16) and Suresh Raina (1) virtually gifted their wickets after being tied down by some accurate bowling, especially by Shaun Pollock who conceded just nine runs in his quota of four overs. If Badrinath was circumspect early in his innings, Dhoni made clear his aggressive intentions, but it was a while before the tandem began to fire after settling down to the conditions. The pitch held no terrors for the batsmen as they proceeded to resurrect the Super Kings innings with a judicious mix of caution and aggression. As they grew in confidence, the runs came more freely and towards the end, Dhoni and Badrinath set up a gallop. In fact, the last five overs produced 67 runs as the Super Kings gave themselves a chance with a total of 156 off their 20 overs. Badrinath lost his wicket in the penultimate over attempting to step up the scoring and in the final over, Morkel, after slamming a welcome boundary, presented Kulkarni his third wicket of the innings. Although Kulkarni went for 33 runs in his four overs, he bowled well within himself except in the final over that he began with three wides.

[IndianRenegade]

CSK as they play should be able to reach the semis, but there on they have to be on the spot. The worry for chennai now is their opening - both in batting & bowling. Morkel, I reckon is being underused. He rarely gets an over to bat. He should better serve us up the order. Fleming doesn't seem to be in great shape, all he has is one innings to show. He should either come down the order or be dropped. Gony & Morkel don't sound like bowlers who can open the attack. We need to find a place for Nitini or can try Balaji with the new ball.

[Guest HariSampath]

CSK's top order is struggling....Fleming is a proven Dud, Vidyut slogs each match because of the pressure and Raina fails more than clicks. It is only because of Badri and Dhoni CSK has been getting between 160-180....and that Chamara Kapugedara is a kabbadi player I think, cant bat, bowl or field....CSK 's bowling is okay against normal batting but when up against an onslaught like jayasurya or Gilly, they will go to pieces. Minimum 2-3 changes for next game. CSK will change top order, bring back Ntini and maybe play with just 2 foreign players

[IndianRenegade]

CSK's top order is struggling....Fleming is a proven Dud, Vidyut slogs each match because of the pressure and Raina fails more than clicks. It is only because of Badri and Dhoni CSK has been getting between 160-180....and that Chamara Kapugedara is a kabbadi player I think, cant bat, bowl or field....CSK 's bowling is okay against normal batting but when up against an onslaught like jayasurya or Gilly, they will go to pieces. Minimum 2-3 changes for next game. CSK will change top order, bring back Ntini and maybe play with just 2 foreign players

Drop/demote Fleming, promote morkel to open with vidyut. Drop kapu - CSK is seriously wasting the 4th foreigner slot by playing extremely ordinary player like Kapu. It is time to bring in Nitini, he would have relished the wicket that was offered in todays match....

[IndianRenegade]

Jayasuriya did us in – Dhoni Mumbai, May 15: Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitted that Sanath Jayasuriya’s assault on his bowlers made all the difference in their Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament game against the Mumbai Indians, here last night. Jayasuriya struck a whirlwind 114 not out off just 48 deliveries with the help of 11 sixes and nine boundaries as Mumbai Indians overhauled a modest target of 157 for the loss of one wicket in just 13.5 overs. “I thought our bowlers did not put the ball in the right areas and with Jayasuriya in such form, he took the game away from us,” admitted Dhoni. He said the Super Kings also did not enjoy a good start and the early loss of wickets put pressure on the rest of the batsmen while also slowing down the pace of the innings.

“The pitch did help seam movement early on, but we lost wickets at regular intervals and did not get a good start that we were hoping for,” said Dhoni. In the company of S Badrinath (53), Dhoni (43 not out) added valuable 95 runs for the fifth wicket to help his team’s total past the 150-mark. Dhoni was confident that the Super Kings, who have 12 points from six wins, would bounce back and would put on a better performance in the remaining four league fixtures. The Super Kings now travel to Kolkata to take on the Knight Riders on May 18 before returning to Chennai for two home games against Bangalore Royal Challengers (May 21) and the Rajasthan Royals (May 24). They will conclude their league engagements on May 27 at Hyderabad where they meet the Deccan Chargers. On his part, Jayasuriya opined that the bounce and carry that the pitch afforded helped him as he could play his shots with much more freedom. “There was good bounce in the wicket and the ball came on to the bat nicely. So, I thought I will go for my shots. I also had Sachin (Tendulkar) at the other end and it allowed me to play my natural game. It was the best day in my life,” said Jayasuriya who in the previous game had good starts but could not build on them. Last night at the Wankhede stadium, Jayasuriya showed scant respect for any bowler and erupted like a volcano to sweep all before him in a manner that evoked a grudging admiration from even the Super Kings camp. “Nobody could have done anything to stop Jayasuriya. He was simply fantastic. His timing was just perfect and some of the shots he played were just unbelievable. Of course, we could have bowled better, but when Sanath is in such a mood and form, you can only watch,” gushed Krishnamachari Srikkanth, the Super Kings brand ambassador.

[IndianRenegade]

Openers need to provide good start: Chandrasekar Kolkata, May 16: The Chennai Super Kings have apparently taken the nine-wicket defeat to Mumbai Indians earlier this week in their stride and, if anything, are looking forward to Sunday’s game against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens here in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament. The three-day break between matches has come in handy for the Super Kings who took a pounding at the hands of Sanath Jayasuriya in Mumbai as the opener from Sri Lanka hammered an unbeaten century. “The loss has not affected our team in any way. We knew 156 was too small a total to defend. Jayasuriya then got stuck into us and when he is in such flow, there is not much one can do,” said V B Chandrasekar, the Super Kings director for cricketing operations. He said the three days of break was welcome as it gives the players a chance to recover and get into the right frame of mind for Sunday’s match.

“In Mumbai, we didn’t a do a few things right, especially bowling to Jayasuriya. A couple of our players, Albie Morkel and Joginder Sharma, were carrying some niggles. But then, they have sufficient time to recover and we are confident they will be ready by Sunday,” he said. Against Mumbai, the Super Kings suffered initially from a poor start, losing four wickets by the ninth over. “That put a lot of pressure on Badrinath and Dhoni who had to keep the wickets intact and hence could not cut loose. I think, if our top two can give us a start of say 40 runs in six overs, then I am sure we will be able to put up a good total,” he opined. Chandrasekar referred to the game against Delhi Daredevils at the Kotla when the Super Kings successfully chased a target of 188. “In that match, our openers (Stephen Fleming and Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan) gave us a solid start (62 in six overs) and that provided us a platform to chase a target of 180-plus. We have a decent middle-order with Dhoni, Raina, Badrinath and Morkel. So, if our openers provide us the start, then we will be so much more stronger,” he observed. As for the mood in the team, Chandrasekar said the morale was not affected by the loss to Mumbai Indians. “Like I said, the players are all in good mood and the morale is high. They are looking forward to the next match,” he said.

[IndianRenegade]

Super Kings hope to regain winning touch Kolkata, May 17: Battered and bruised in Mumbai, the Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders have an excellent opportunity to redeem themselves when the two clash at the Eden Gardens here tomorrow as the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament enters its homestretch. While the Super Kings went down by nine wickets, the Knight Riders too had a rough ride, losing by eight wickets. In both the games, Sanath Jayasuriya inflicted heavy damage with unbeaten knocks of 114 and 48 after Shaun Pollock and company had done the early damage with the ball. As such, the rival captains, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Super Kings) and Sourav Ganguly (Knight Riders) have their tasks cut out to lift the performances of their respective teams. It could well be an intriguing battle of wits between the two skippers. The Super Kings have had three days to reflect between matches and recover in contrast to the Knight Riders who have barely 48 hours to fly back home and regroup for Sunday’s game.

The Riders, after showing early promise, have slid to sixth position on the leaderboard with while the Super Kings are in the third spot with 12 points. Thus, the pressure is more on the hosts who will have to pick themselves up from the floor after their disastrous 67 all out yesterday. The Super Kings believe that they can yet bounce back from the Mumbai mauling and to this end, they might inject a bit more firepower in their bowling on the morrow by brining on South African quick Makhaya Ntini for possibly Joginder Sharma. “We are still to decide on the final composition, but perhaps we might like to include Ntini who has been given sufficient rest, but that apart, the team is likely to remain unchanged,†said V B Chandrasekar, director for cricketing operations. Ntini last played for Super Kings on May 6 at home when they lost to Deccan Chargers by seven wickets. The 30-year old seamer has not exactly set the ground on fire with his pace and, for that matter, has gone wicketless in the three matches he played, all of which the Super Kings lost. However, with Joginder Sharma nursing a niggle, it is quite possible that he might make way for Ntini who might be more effective in overcast conditions. “It is a reasonably big game for us and I am quite confident of a strong performance on Sunday,†said Chandrasekar. The city has been experiencing showers in the recent days and more rain is forecast over the weekend. The weather, thus, could be a factor although the playing square has been securely under covers. Overall, it has been rather up and down for Super Kings who began with four consecutive wins, followed by three defeats before registering two more wins only to lose to Mumbai earlier in the week. The same could be said of the Knight Riders who have a far more potent bowling attack now with the inclusion of Shoaib Akhtar. The Pakistani import had missed the previous game between the teams in Chennai with the Super Kings winning convincingly by nine wickets. A win on Sunday will definitely strengthen the Super Kings’ chances of clinching a semi-final berth while the Knight Riders, with eight points from 10 outings, find themselves with their backs to the wall. The game is scheduled for a 4 pm start tomorrow.

[Ram]

The top-order is Chenna's Achilles heel, along with their bowling. Murali has been bowling economical spells, but he hasnt picked up a bagful wickets like Chawla, Warne or even Mishra. Surely, they must promote Morkel for tomorrow's match.

[IndianRenegade]

I don't understand how there can be no change other than Nitini coming in for Sharma, since only 4 foreigners r allowed. Morkel, Kapu, Murali, & Fleming are already present. So one of the 4 must be dropped. I think it will either be Kapu or flemming.

[IndianRenegade]

Super Kings bounce back with seventh win Kolkata, May 18: Chennai Super Kings moved a step closer to the semi-finals of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament when they overcame Kolkata Knight Riders here tonight in a weather-interrupted game that was decided on Duckworth-Lewis method. After restricting Knight Riders to 149 for five with Man of the Match Makhaya Ntini doing the star turn with a hat-trick, the Super Kings were 55 without loss after eight overs when play was called off as several floodlights failed in one of the towers and then heavy winds with driving rain contributed to the stoppage. With no possibility of the game resuming, the Duckworth-Lewis method was applied and the Chennai Super Kings, were declared winners. They were required to score 52 for no loss as per the D/L method, and were ahead of the target by three runs. The victory, their seventh in 11 matches, took Super Kings tally to 14 while Knight Riders remain on 10 after 11 outings, six of which they lost. The Super Kings, who brought back Parthiv Patel to open the innings with Stephen Fleming, were given a solid start as the two batted sensibly to blunt the Riders new ball bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar and Ishant Sharma. Patel, in particular, was the more aggressive of the two initially before Fleming joined the party with several well-timed hits to the boundary. The Super Kings openers enjoyed a bit of luck along with way. Patel, on 18, was dropped in the deep by Ashoke Dinda off Ajit Agarkar, barely moments before the storm hit Eden Gardens. That apart, neither Fleming nor Patel looked in any discomfort. Their intention was quite obvious and that was to safeguard their wickets while putting together a partnership, just like Patel and Matthew Hayden did when the teams had met in Chennai where the Super Kings recorded a nine-wicket victory. The Knight Riders, after a poor start, would have been in dire straights but for a valuable half-century by opener Salman Butt who made 73 (54b, 1 x 6, 10 x 4) and his 86-run partnership for the third wicket with Debabrata Das (27).

Earlier, Ntini virtually put Super Kings in the driver’s seat with a four-wicket burst, including a hat-trick after skipper Sourav Ganguly won the toss and decided to bat first. Ntini dismissed Mohammed Hafeez, Debabrata Das and David Hussey off successive deliveries to register the third hat-trick of the tournament and the second by a Super Kings bowler after Lakshmipathy Balaji. The Super Kings bowlers were spot on in the afternoon with Ntini and Gony putting in solid spells to peg the Riders to less than six runs an over. With the pressure mounting on batsmen, it was a matter of time before something gave, and so it turned out to be with Ntini having Md Hafeez caught at fine leg as the opener flicked in the third over. In his next over, Ntini struck again with the final delivery with Ganguly attempting an audacious heave only to lose the middle stump. The brought together Butt and Das as the duo rebuilt the innings, struggling to break loose against some accurate bowling. However, once they settled down, both played some pleasing strokes although the runs came only at a little more than five an over. Relief for the riders came in the form of Muttaiah Muralitharan who went for 41 runs in his four overs as Butt and Das took heavy toll of the off-spinner. But then, the Riders batsmen did not enjoy as much freedom against the other Super Kings bowlers among whom Lakshmipathy Balaji and Gony were very economical. The Riders reached 100 in the 15th over and then gained momentum as Butt and Das slammed Muralitharan for 13 runs in the next to raise visions of a 150-plus total. However, Ntini was brought on for the 17th over and he struck with the first two deliveries, first uprooting Das’ off-stump and then sending Hussey’s off-stump for a walk to complete the third hat-trick of the tournament. Balaji, bowling the penultimate over, claimed Butt with a toe crusher before the Riders went on to make 149, a total that gave them some breathing room at best but leaving them short by at least another 20 runs.

[IndianRenegade]

Solid starts made the difference, says Dhoni Kolkata, May 19: Skipper of Chennai Super Kings, Mahendra Singh Dhoni attributed his team’s victory against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament, here last night to a “collective effort” and said the starts with both bat and ball provided the platform for their seventh victory. Makhaya Ntini’s hat-trick in his four-over spell during which he picked up four wickets, proved decisive as the Super Kings restricted the Riders to 149 for five. Referring to the South African fast bowler’s performance, Dhoni said: “It is good that he is back among wickets. He was not getting wickets and the batsmen were going after him. I hope tonight’s performance will help him get back into his rhythm.” Dhoni felt that Muttiah Muralitharan’s expensive spell of 4-0-41-0 did not make much of a difference at the end of the day as the other bowlers compensated for it by bowling good line and length. “We got a perfect start and did not give away too much in terms of runs. Murali did give away some runs, but that was covered up by the others,” he commented. Dhoni also praised his opening batsmen, Parthiv Patel and Stephen Fleming for providing a solid start with an unbroken partnership of 55 when the match came to an abrupt end due to inclement weather. “It was good that we had all the wickets intact. It proved well when it came to Duckworth-Lewis calculations,” he said, referring to the implementation of Duckworth-Lewis rain rule to identify the result of the match that could not be resumed. At the time the game was stopped, the Super Kings required to be at 52 without loss and on calculations, they were declared winners by three runs. Dhoni said he was looking forward to his team carrying forward the momentum and eventually make it to the semi-finals. The Super Kings next meet Bangalore Royal Challengers on Wednesday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

[IndianRenegade]

Dhoni to play, but not keep wickets: Wessels Dhoni to play, but not keep wickets: Wessels

Chennai, May 20: Allaying fears, Kepler Wessels, coach of the Chennai Super Kings said skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni would indeed take field against the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament game at the MA Chidambaram stadium here on Wednesday. Wessels, however, ruled out Dhoni keeping wickets in view of the finger injury he suffered during the game against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday. Parthiv Patel would instead don the big gloves on the morrow. “Dhoni will definitely play but he may not keep. We are keeping options open and will assess his condition tomorrow,†Wessels said. Dhoni had injured his finger during the previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders and subsequently handed over the gloves to Patel. Wessels, looking ahead to the game, asserted that there would be no room for complacency given the fact that the Super Kings are on 14 points from seven victories while the Challengers are at the bottom of the league table with just two. “They are still a dangerous side and we will not take them lightly. They have nothing to lose, so that will make them more determined. Hence we are not under estimating them,†he said. Although he did not say in so many words, Wessels was obviously referring to the previous meeting between the two teams in Bangalore when the Super Kings scrambled to a 13-run victory after the Challengers lost six wickets in 3.2 overs chasing a victory target of 179. He also reiterated that the remaining three games are important for the Super Kings. “We have three games left and they are all significant for us. We cannot complacent and obviously we would love to win at home,†he said. Replying to a query on the T20 being a “young man’s gameâ€, Wessels said: “It is all about fitness and agility and so long as you can perform, age does not come into the picture.â€

[IndianRenegade]

Super Kings crash to shock defeat Super Kings crash to shock defeat

Chennai, May 21: Chennai Super Kings snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as they blew away a solid start and went down by 14 runs to Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament, here tonight. Sitting comfortably at 60 for no loss after nine overs, the Super Kings collapsed dramatically to gift the Challengers only their third win in 12 matches while themselves suffering fifth defeat that might cost them a semi-final spot. It was a most stunning turnaround for the Super Kings who had done exceedingly well to restrict the Challengers to 126 for eight after the visitors won the toss and opted to bat first. But the Bangalore outfit came up with a determined fightback aided by some hara-kii by the Super Kings batsmen to pull off an improbable win. Spearheading the Challengers comeback was veteran leg-spinner Anil Kumble who picked up three wickets for 14 runs in is quota of four overs, including those of openers Parthiv Patel (24) and Stephen Fleming (45) besides Subramaniam Badrinath (1). Fittingly, he was declared Man of the Match for his outstanding effort. In fact, Kumble’s exploits overshadowed those of Super Kings bowlers, Manpreet Gony (2 for 11) and Albie Morkel (4 for 32) who did the bulk of damage when the Challengers batted. When Fleming and Patel were going strong, the Super Kings looked to be on velvet as both the batsmen stroked freely to reach 40 off just four overs. However, the introduction of Kumble and another veteran, Jacques Kallis, slowed down the run rate leading to frustration among the batsmen. And sure enough, Patel, after surviving a chance when on 22, fell to Kumble, offering a return catch in the 10th over, to trigger a collapse. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (4) departed in the 11th, hoisting Vinay Kumar into the hands of Kumble. Thereafter, it was a regular procession as an inspired Challengers bowled and fielded with rare verve to put the brakes on the Super Kings. After the Kumble strikes, Dale Steyn, who had conceded 25 runs in his first spell of two overs, made a fiery return, taking two wickets in one over, removing Morkel (1) and Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan (0) in three deliveries as the Super Kings fell to 96 for six after 16 overs. With mounting asking rate, the Super Kings yielded to pressure, losing two more wickets that left them a Herculean task of scoring 16 off the final over with Suresh Raina and Makhaya Ntini at the crease. The Challengers kept their nerves as Praveen Kumar conceded only two runs to leave the visitors victors by 14 runs. Earlier, the Challengers never really got going as the Super Kings bowled with great discipline and accuracy, giving little away. With the runs almost drying up, frustration crept into the Challengers batsmen who attempting big hits, lost wickets at regular intervals with Dravid (47) playing a lone hand. Towards the end of the innings, Praveen Kumar used the long handle to ensure Challengers a fighting total.

[IndianRenegade]

Give oldies a break, please! Give oldies a break, please!

There is an old saying that age is just a number and should be treated as such. Some of the 30-plus players in the ongoing Indian Premier League could well be happy if given such a consideration given the fact that they have been performing in a manner that has defied their age. Look at the two legendary Aussies, both 38-year olds – Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. Or for that matter, the inimitable Sanath Jayasuriya who is also 38, all of whom have time and again proved that if the spirit is willing, then so will the aging bodies be. Perhaps, one of the most illustrative moments of the IPL so far was the caught and bowled by Warne the other night when he had to bend, twist to catch the ball that had passed him. The reflexes, both physical and mental, would have done any youngster proud. Further, the quality of his captaincy is reflected in his team’s performance. McGrath has been at his miserly best, ball after ball, withstanding some punishment along the way, and yet, carrying on regardless. The guile and craft have more than made up for his advancing age. In fact, he is among the most feared and respected bowlers in the IPL. Down south, we have Muttiah Muralitharan (36) whose off-spinners although still to mesmerize the batsmen, still have had them guessing. He is still to harvest wickets with the regularity one expected, and yet, his very presence has given the Chennai Super Kings a lift. The boundless energy and cheer that Murali has brought to the team cannot be described in so many words as his mates would readily testify. Early in the league, we saw Matthew Hayden (36) powering the Super Kings to four victories on the trot with his brand of dominating batting. His departure home to join the Australian team on a tour of the West Indies left a huge hold in the Chennai team that immediately slid to three consecutive defeats with neither Parthiv Patel nor Stephen Fleming able to fill in the big man’s shoes in the opening slot. Then there is Jayasuriya, the affable Sri Lankan who has terrorized the bowlers in a manner rarely seen on Indian soil. So much so, he has almost put into shade his opening partner Sachin Tendulkar who himself is 35, with the kind of blitzkrieg that would give nightmares to the bowlers. Lest we forget, there are a couple of others who are in the 35-plus category or thereabouts. Shaun Pollock, South Africa’s answer to McGrath, who is pushing 35, and the peerless Adam Gilchrist, closing in on 36, have also left their imprint on the IPL, displaying enthusiasm and intensity usually found in players half their age. Thus, far from being an embarrassment, these “oldies†have shown that there is room yet for cricketing elders in this supposedly “young man’s game†that is T20. Call it professional pride or whatever, the fact is that these men have stood up to the stress and strain of a T20 tournament as well as the youngsters. More importantly, they have made themselves count. The other night, Tendulkar, referring to Jayasuriya’s whirlwind century, remarked that it is the performance and not so much the age that should be considered. “What matter is your performance and not the age,†said the little master and we could almost hear the “aye, aye†from the old guard that also had to deal with the heat, humidity and constant travel. Super Kings coach Kepler Wessels said much the same when he remarked that so long as your body is flexible and agile, you can play T20 no matter how old you were. Perhaps, where it might be hurting the veterans is in the fielding department where you require to be quick on your feet with a strong throwing arm, besides being able to throw yourself around without fear of injury, a mindset that can be associated more with youth. Yet, as the sun descends towards the inaugural IPL horizon, one gets a distinct feeling that these old cowboys are far from ready to ride out into the sunset. The odds are that they would be back next year, older but wiser, to again take us back down the memory lane and relive their salad days. -- A R Ramakrishnan

[IndianRenegade]

Bad shot selection cost us match: Dhoni Chennai, May 22: Bad shot selection and the absence of any other worthwhile partnership besides the one between openers Stephen Fleming and Parthiv Patel, contributed to the 14-run defeat of Chennai Super Kings against Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament, here last night, according to skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. “One or two stands could have got us through to a win. No one took the responsibility. Couple of bad shot selections affected us today. It was a gettable total,” he said in reference to the Super Kings dramatic collapse from 60 for no loss to the eventual 112 for nine after restricting the Challengers to 126 for eight. The Super Kings also shuffled their batting order with Dhoni promoting himself to No.3, but scoring only four runs. Thereafter, a 20-run stand between Fleming and Raina took the Super Kings to 85 for two in the 14th over before wickets fell in a hurry. “We changed the batting order according to situation. Most of them floated around. If the players had thought in the middle as much as they thought at the dressing room, we would have won,” said Dhoni who was understandably upset at the stunning defeat at a time when the Super Kings needed a victory to keep their semi-final hopes alive. Next up for the Super Kings are the Rajasthan Royals who have already qualified for the semi-finals and top the league table with 18 points. The two clash here on Saturday and then the Super Kings travel to Hyderabad for their concluding league match on May 27 against Deccan Chargers who currently occupy the last spot on the leaderboard with four points. “We do not want to wait till the last league match and are keen to make the semi-final grade by defeating Rajasthan,” Dhoni said. Super Kings are in the race along with Delhi Daredevils (12 points from 12 matches) and the Mumbai Indians (10 from 11) for the remaining two semi-final spots behind the Royals and Kings XI Punjab (16 from 11).

[IndianRenegade]

Rajasthan looking to experiment a bit: Warne Rajasthan looking to experiment a bit: Warne

Chennai, May 23: Shane Warne confirmed today that the Rajasthan Royals will be looking to experiment a bit in their game against the Chennai Super Kings on Saturday. Addressing the press at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the Rajasthan Royals Captain said, “We’ll look to experiment a bit and get in some guys who have not got much of a chance till now. We would like to give Ravindra Jadeja and Dinesh Salunkhe a go and also give Yusuf Pathan a run with the ball. It’s important to get everyone’s form and confidence up for the semis and final.” The experimentation will not overshadow the matter of keeping the momentum going tough Warne asserted. “We have to get a balance between resting a couple of key players, giving some guys a game and keeping the momentum going. Remember this is also a key game for Chennai and if we slacken up too much we may have to play them in the final!” he mused. The ace leg spinner was all praise for the Indian youngsters in the Rajasthan squad. He feels that there are quite a few of them capable and talented enough to represent India in any format of cricket. “Munaf Patel is coming out of his shell, Siddharth Trivedi has been doing great, there’s the ‘Rajasthan Express’ Pankaj Singh, Swapnil Asnodkar is a very exciting player and also Yusuf Pathan has the potential to be a very good all rounder,” he declared. In fact Warne has been spending a lot of quality time with Yusuf Pathan, working on his strengthening the mental side of his game. “Today cricket tends to get too technical. I believe that success depends on the way you think, hence I’ve been working on Yusuf’s attitude a bit,” he stated. Warne maintains that bowlers play a vital role even in this slap-bang form of the game. “In cricket everyone has to adapt to different formats and situations. Bowlers do play an important role even here. We’ve been playing five bowlers in every game because we think they can win us the game,” he said. Warne believes making it mandatory to play a specified number of Under-19 cricketers in the IPL is a good move. He explained, “The U-19 level is important for all countries and those players who have been doing well in this tournament, like Jadeja for us, just show how strong India is at the moment.” Talking on the much hyped matter of T20 being a young man’s game, Warne said, “Nothing can replace experience. Look at what Glenn McGrath and Sanath Jayasuriya have been doing so far. Yes, T20 is a young man’s game, but if you need 15 runs of the last over, that’s when experience comes into play. So a good balance between youth and experience is what is needed.”