The Official Chennai Super Kings Supporters Thread!!!!

[Feed]

We let the pressure get the better of us - Fleming's column More... We let the pressure get the better of us A challenge keeps a team on its toes, writes Stephen Fleming It was disappointing to lose to Bangalore Royal Challengers, more so because we well nigh converted victory into defeat, but I suppose we let pressure get the better of us, and once again fell victim to the ‘chasing a small target’ syndrome. Let me make it clear, though, that we weren’t taking things easy because the target was small. All that happened was that we took our foot off the gas and are therefore now in a position where we have to win our remaining league games in order to give ourselves a fool-proof chance of making it to the semifinals. Good captaincy To give credit where it is due, however, Bangalore bowled well and Rahul Dravid captained excellently. Somewhat ironical, of course, that Bangalore played a perfect game when it no longer mattered, but perhaps the free-spirited way in which they performed contains a lesson for all of us. The way we put ourselves under pressure by losing wickets and setting the target beyond our reach was indicative of a negative mindset that often leads to failure. However, we still have two games to go — one against the top-ranked team and another against the bottom-ranked. And we have to win both, treating both teams as equal. On paper, that’s easy to do, but as we have seen in this tournament, or any tournament that stretches for this length of time, motivation is often an elusive thing. Chennai Super Kings began on a fantastic high, and then dipped as important players left, and then regained the heights, only to hit the depths again. Throughout the season, we never reached a stage where we could be complacent about our chances, which means we have been kept on edge. That is not necessarily a bad thing, because a challenge keeps a team on its toes, which is particularly important in the final stretch of a tournament. High expectations I joined the Indian Premier League with high expectations, but what I have experienced has exceeded my expectations. The support and enthusiasm of the fans has been fantastic, and even the anxiety of fitting into a new team and the pressure to perform have been fun in their own way. This first season has seen it all — entertainment, controversy, great cricket, and loads of glamour, so the organisers couldn’t have asked for more.

[King]

Not only is Flem employed to play in IPL he also is able to write columns. Something that he wasn't allowed to do while playing for NZ. Flem has been a good player for Chennai but just that he hasn't gone on to post big scores every game. He's provided the starts all right.

[IndianRenegade]

Super Kings have their task cut out against Royals Super Kings have their task cut out against Royals

Chennai, May 23: To say that the Chennai Super Kings have their backs to the wall in the context of reaching the semi-finals of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament might be stretching the point, but it does depict the situation they find themselves as they prepare to take on the Rajasthan Royals, here tomorrow. With 14 points from 12 games, the Super Kings, along with Delhi Daredevils (13 from 13) and Mumbai Indians (12 from 11) are involved in a three-way race for the two remaining semi-final berths behind the Royals (18 from 11) and Kings XI Punjab (16 from 11). Incidentally, the Daredevils are slated to meet Mumbai at the Kotla also on Saturday after the Super Kings vs Royals game. As such, results of both these games will provide a clearer picture on the semi-finalists. Thus, the onus is on the Super Kings to deliver the kind of results that would help them scramble through to the knockout phase. The Chennai outfit, who have been in the top four bracket throughout the tournament, complete their league engagements with a game against Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad on May 27. Interestingly, the Super Kings had lost to Royals in Jaipur and the Chargers at home, but coach Kepler Wessels pointed out that it was futile to look back, but rather understand where the team went wrong and move on. The Royals, who are on a roll with nine consecutive victories after starting their campaign with two defeats, have undoubtedly been the best side in the IPL with skipper Shane Warne playing no small role. However, Warne is only too aware of the law of averages and hinted that his team would be hoping to sustain the momentum going into the business end of the tournament. The Super Kings have been rather inconsistent after having begun their campaign on a rousing note with four consecutive victories. But the departure of Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey and Jacob Oram pulled the team down as they lost three matches in a row. Although they bounced back with two back-to-back wins, Wednesday’s stunning loss to the Challengers could yet hurt them. Under the circumstances, all the more reason why the Super Kings need to win against the Royals on the morrow rather than leave it to the last. Warne has indicated that he would be fielding some fresh faces while resting a couple of key players on the pretext of giving everyone a chance. That could well play into the hands of the Super Kings who, on their part, would be making one change as also reshuffle their batting order. However, Wessels did not elaborate on the change while saying that a final decision would be taken after assessing the pitch and weather conditions on Saturday. Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has, so far, played it cool, but his confidence and optimism, besides leadership would be put to test on the morrow besides providing an interesting study of contrast between him and the highly pro-active Warne who also doubles up as the Royals coach. Also at an individual level, the presence of world’s best spinners, Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan, in the opposite camps would make for a fascinating contest and a sight to behold.

[IndianRenegade]

My focus is on containment: Muralitharan My focus is on containment: Muralitharan

Chennai, May 23: Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan of Chennai Super Kings believes that Twenty20 is a batsman’s game and doesn’t hold anything much for the spinners. Speaking to the Media here today, Muralitharan observed that since the boundary lines have been brought in, it was difficult to contain the flow of runs and hence the side would concentrate on defending rather than attacking. “A bowler gets just four overs and it is more of a batting wicket and the pitch doesn’t hold anything much for spinners,†he said However, Muralitharan also emphasized the importance of bowlers in the game saying that wickets always belong to the bowlers and sometimes it was tough to restrict the batting side to a small total. “Bowlers can win matches as well. The wickets have to be taken by them. Containing the flow of runs is not easy in T20. Anyway people want to see more runs than wickets,†he observed. Terming the Super Kings batting performance as being ‘above IPL average’, the Sri Lankan opined that the side has seen a consistent batting performance going down (low scores) only twice in 12 games. “We are the most consistent side with just two failures out of 12. In the other matches, we have made more than 160, which is above average IPL score,†he asserted. The off-spinner also said he was not aiming to get many wickets, but is focusing on restricting himself to hit the economy rate. “I’m not bent on getting wickets but just hitting economy rate which is around 7 now. Sometimes, you have to think more about your team rather than you own success,†he pointed out. However, Muralitharan said he attacked only during Test matches. “I try to attack only during Tests. In ODIs and T20s I just aim at keeping runs down and get a wickets when a batsman takes a chance,†he said. Replying to a query about Warne and Dhoni’s captaincy, Muralitharan said that the two captains cannot be compared as Warne was more experienced. “Warne has 20 years of experience and Dhoni has just started. But both are good and the teams have done well,†he observed. Talking about the semi-finals, Muralitharan felt that once into that level, it could be anybody’s game, though at present, based on performance, Rajasthan stand a better chance at winning. “According to the performance at the moment, the Royals look stronger but anything could happen as T20 is unpredictable,†he said.

[IndianRenegade]

A key game for us: Wessels A key game for us: Wessels

Chennai, May 23: Chennai Super Kings coach, Kepler Wessels termed the game against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday evening as a chance for his team to measure themselves against the best side in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament. Addressing the media on the eve of the match, he said: “The match is very important for us as a means of measuring ourselves up against a team which has been at the top through the tournament. Also a win here could secure us a semi-final berth, so it is doubly important.†Wessels confirmed that the Super Kings would make a change in their composition, as well as the batting order for the big match. Also, Parthiv Patel will continue to don the gloves in this game he affirmed. Wessels said he was pleased with the Super Kings performance on the whole. “At the start of the tournament, we were a different team and won every game when we could field our strongest eleven. But then we lost big stars (Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey and Jacob Oram), but we have still remained competitive and are on the verge of the semis, so I am happy with the team,†he declared. He was also glad that a lot of the locals have taken the field and performed for the Super Kings. “At the start of the tournament, we had two objectives in mind – to win as many games as possible and to develop as much local talent as possible. Now, after the IPL, cricket in this area will only be benefited since quite a few local guys have got a taste of competing with the world’s best.†Commenting on Royals, Wessels said: “Their key players like Graeme Smith, Shane Watson and Shane Warne have all consistently performed. Also they found good form early in the tournament and have kept it going, so they have been hard to thwart.†He felt that Warne would have made a good Test captain for Australia. “He has a very astute cricketing brain, so he would have done well,†stated Wessels. Reflecting on the shock defeat that the Super Kings suffered at the hands of the Royal Challengers Bangalore a few nights back, Wessels said: “In cricket, you can’t win 14 games in a row, so losing is inevitable. What is important is to assess where you went wrong and then get on with the next game.†He also defended the change in the batting order that the Super Kings implemented against Bangalore. “In T20 around the world, you cannot stick to settled orders, you have to make changes according to the match situation. T20 is all about thinking on your feet and staying a step ahead of the game.†“The team has discussed that game and where we went wrong and we have moved on,†he signed off.

[Feed]

Sound strategy will be crucial against Jaipur : MS Dhoni I would not like to dwell too much on bygones, and we will have to win one more game if we are to get into the semis, writes MS Dhoni. More... Sound strategy will be crucial against Jaipur MS Dhoni speaks... Mahendra Singh Dhoni, May 23, 2008 First Published: 23:41 IST(23/5/2008) Last Updated: 02:34 IST(24/5/2008) I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed after our defeat to Bangalore. We let ourselves down with poor shot selection towards the end of our chase. I was especially disappointed with myself because I left it to the others to finish the game. It took me back to the India-England game in the 2006 Champions Trophy in Jaipur. We were chasing a modest total on that occasion, too, and I got out with the target some distance away. I had promised myself at the time that I would not get out at that juncture of a game again. Eighteen months later, the same thing happened, and we lost the game as well. We encounter table toppers Rajasthan on Saturday and it will be a tough game. They are a good side but if we stick to our plans and execute them well rather than try something new, we will do well. Bangalore have been struggling even though they have class batsmen and bowlers. Anil Kumble was in fine form and he proved that he was and will remain a class bowler. It does not matter what anybody says after just a few bad games, but guys like Kumble are always a threat to the opposition. Besides, bowling is a team effort and you cannot single out one bowler if the rest do not deliver. I would not like to dwell too much on bygones, and we will have to win one more game if we are to get into the semifinals. I know that we will automatically qualify if Mumbai beat Delhi on Sunday, but we want to be in the final four by dint of our own efforts. The best result in the forthcoming games would be in the form of proof that we have learnt something from our mistakes. It's been a long tournament with plenty of ups and downs, but if the team has learnt something from the losses, it would be a healthy sign. We encounter table toppers Rajasthan on Saturday and it will be a tough game. They are a good side but if we stick to our plans and execute them well rather than try something new, we will do well. I don't think there is anything like home advantage in Twenty20 cricket, so we will have to be on top of our game to do well I have no special plans for Shane Warne either, and if I stick to the basics I will be able to play him. Speaking of home advantage, I am very happy to see that the Chepauk crowds have been very appreciative of good cricket from the opposition as well. They cheer loudly when the visitors tonk sixes or take wickets, and have appreciated good cricket from the first game itself. It makes me very proud to represent such a city and hopefully the crowds will continue to be well behaved. The latest media 'scoop' about me buying a flat in Chennai is not true. I was quite surprised to hear about it because I have been too busy with cricket to think of anything else. As of now, my only residential address is in Ranchi.

[IndianRenegade]

Super Kings suffer sixth defeat despite Morkel’s heroics Super Kings suffer sixth defeat despite Morkel’s heroics

Chennai, May 24: Chennai Super Kings put in their best batting effort in a while, but that was not enough to save them from a 10-run defeat against Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament, here tonight. Suffering their sixth loss in 13 matches, the Super Kings slide to fourth spot on the leaderboard behind Royals (20 from 12), Kings XI Punjab (18 from 12) and the Delhi Daredevils (15 from 14), but ahead of Mumbai Indians (12 from 12). The Super Kings now travel to Hyderabad for their concluding and must-win league fixture against the Deccan Chargers next week. After Royals, batting first on winning the toss made 211 for five in their 20 overs, the Super Kings came agonizingly close to snatching a dramatic win, but eventually were restricted to 201 for seven despite solid knocks by Parthiv Patel (54), Suresh Raina (45) and Albie Morkel (71). In the end, the target proved just beyond the reach of the Super Kings who did not enjoy the kind of start that their opponents did with Stephen Fleming departing in the very second over and then the quick exits of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Subramaniam Badrinath in the middle overs further affecting their chase. Parthiv and Raina put on 70 runs for the second wicket in just 41 deliveries. In the course of their rollicking stand, the Super Kings were well on course as far as the run rate was concerned. Raina’s dismissal in the ninth over with the score on 84 brought Morkel and Parthiv together and the duo carried the total to 157 in the 15th over. However, Parthiv gave Warne the charge and was stumped easily to leave Super Kings needing 55 runs in the last five overs. Although Morkel kept up the momentum at his end with a series of huge hits, wickets fell at regular intervals at the other end. With the asking rate mounting, so did the pressure and the dismissal of Morkel in the final over virtually sealed the game in favour of Royals as Sohail Tanvir picked up two wickets to finish with three for 33. Earlier, Smith and Asnodkar batted quite beautifully even as the Super Kings bowlers wilted under the onslaught that saw the batsmen scoring freely. If Asnodkar dominated the early part of the partnership, then it was not long before Smith took charge with an array of shots that underlined his sense of timing and of course, tremendous power. Dhoni did his best to stem the flow of runs, switching his bowlers around, but on the day, there was no stopping the Royals openers as the 50 came up in the fifth over and the 100 in the 10th. Smith went on to complete his half-century off just 29 balls and looked set for a well-deserved century. He hardly played a false stroke and as the innings progressed so did his dominance. At the other end, Asnodkar preferred to play second fiddle and just as he looked to open up yet again, he was run out attempting a sharp single. By then, the pair had put on 127 runs in 11.1 overs. Smith and Akmal then proceeded merrily until the former miscued a shot and presented a simple catch to Dhoni, trying to loft Raina. At this critical juncture, Akmal took charge and raced to his half-century even as he lost Yusuf Pathan, Md Kaif and Taruwar Kohli, to ensure that the Royals cross the 200-run mark. None of the Super Kings bowlers were on target. Their new ball bowlers, Ntini and Gony went for 75 runs in seven overs between them while Lakshmipathy Balaji conceded 45 in his three overs. Albie Morkel was the pick of the lot with two for 35, but the Royals batsmen had inflicted heavy damage by the time the South African all-rounder picked up his two victims in his second spell towards the end of the innings.

[IndianRenegade]

Super Kings bowling was not up to the mark: Dhoni Chennai, May 24: Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni felt that his team could have won tonight’s game against the Rajasthan Royals had they batted better in the final overs. “We came pretty close to winning the match tonight, but we did not bat well in the last over when we lost two wickets. Of course, the pressure was always there since even if you scored 10 runs in say three balls, a couple of dot balls thereafter, it still left you behind on the asking rate,” he said after the 10-run defeat to the Royals today. Dhoni pointed out that the Super Kings bowling was not up to the mark for the better part of the Royals innings except at the end. “We did not bowl well at the start, but our bowlers did a good job towards the end. However, we need to improve in this department although I can say that our attack is quite settled. I am quite happy with our bowlers,” he opined. While showering praise on Albie Morkel (71), Parthiv Patel (54) and Suresh Raina (45), Dhoni said: “I thought we batted fabulously today and it was a close game. The target was not easy to chase, but we did pretty well to come so close.” He felt that the weather was a factor today, given the hot and humid conditions in which the Super Kings fielded after the Royals won the toss and decided to bat first. “The weather conditions were very tough, but then, we are all professionals and cannot complain,” he said. Looking ahead, Dhoni pointed out that the Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians match now on in New Delhi, was also crucial for the Super Kings in the context of the race for the semi-final berths. “Of course, the Delhi vs Mumbai game is at the back of our mind as the result of that match will have a bearing on our chances. In any case, we hope to play good cricket next week to beat Chargers and then qualify for the semi-finals,” he said.

[IndianRenegade]

Exciting match on cards: Wessels Hyderabad, May 26: With their semi-final hopes resting on tomorrow’s all-important game against Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, the Chennai Super Kings hope to deliver and advance to the knockout phase of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament. “It will be an exciting match with lots of passion and aggression. Obviously, our focus is totally on tomorrow’s game that we want to win and qualify for the semi-finals,†said coach Kepler Wessels on arrival here today. The Super Kings, with 14 points from 13 games, need to beat the Chargers to qualify. The Chargers, languishing at the bottom of the league table, have nothing to lose on the morrow, having won just two of the 13 matches they have played so far. “We are not concerned about the Chargers’ record in the IPL. We would like to focus our team rather than worry about the opposition. We had a good start to the tournament due to some exceptional players in our team. After they (Hayden, Hussey and Oram) left, we lost our way a bit, but now, we are in with a chance to qualify,†said Wessels. On Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s captaincy, Wessels heaped praise, saying: “Dhoni is the new find of Indian cricket. I thought he handled the new ball bowlers exceptionally well and led the team from the front.†He also had a good word for two domestic players, Subramaniam Badrinath and Suresh Raina whom he commended for their outstanding efforts. The Super Kings are in the hunt for the semi-finals along with Mumbai Indians who need to win both their remaining two matches to remain in contention. Thus, it is very much a pressure situation for both Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, something that Wessels admitted to. Regarding the T20 format, Wessels said it was not too taxing and for himself as a coach, the IPL has been a great experience.

[IndianRenegade]

Raina’s 54 carries Super Kings into semi-finals Raina’s 54 carries Super Kings into semi-finals

Hyderabad, May 27: Chennai Super Kings qualified for the semi-finals of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament defeating the Deccan Chargers by seven wickets, here tonight. Suresh Raina did the star turn for the visitors with a brilliant 54 that earned him Man of the Match award. It was eighth win for Super Kings who thus moved to the third slot on the leaderboard with 16 points, pushing Delhi Daredevils to fourth and complete the semi-final line-up behind Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab. Winning the toss and batting first, the Chargers struggled to score 147 for eight to leave a very gettable target for the Super Kings to chase and the visitors, thanks in the main to the 43-ball half-century by Raina, came through in the final over with seven wickets and four deliveries to spare. The only hiccup for the Super Kings was the cheap dismissal of opener Stephen Fleming for 15. Thereafter, Parthiv Patel (20) and Raina added 46 runs for the second wicket at a good clip. Parthiv departed in the ninth over holing out to Shahid Afridi off seamer Sarvesh Kumar. Off the very next delivery, Sarvesh dropped a sharp return catch to give skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni a reprieve that eventually proved a decisive moment in the game. Dhoni went on to bat confidently in the company of Raina as the pair made light of the Chargers attack. However, Dhoni lofted left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha into the hands of Gibbs at long-on after making 37 and adding 55 runs for the third wicket. Raina, however, carried on the good work and took the Super Kings closer to victory that came about when Albie Morkel slammed Vijay Kumar for a straight six. The Chargers bowlers were far too wayward to begin with and it helped the Super Kings to set the pace that they maintained to the finish. Earlier, the loss of openers Gilchrist and Gibbs by the fourth over pushed the Chargers on to the backfoot and despite the brave partnership between Rao and Teja, the hosts could not inject any sort of momentum in their innings. The Super Kings bowlers were spot on in the first 10 overs during which they conceded just 57 runs while picking up two wickets. Rao and Scott Styris batted sensibly, but were not given the width to attempt the big shots and they had to be content with nudges and pushes with an occasional boundary. As pressure built up, Styris threw away his wicket, charging Muralitharan only to see his stumps rattled. That brought Teja and Rao together as the two proceeded to rebuild the innings. But again, they were kept on a leash by some tight bowling and it was only past the 15th over did the two decided to chance their arm. They picked up 40 runs in a little over three overs when the Chargers collapsed in a heap as Teja, Rao and Arjun Yadav departed off consecutive deliveries in the 19th over bowled by Morkel. Teja was caught top-edging an attempted hit, Rao was run out going for a second run while Yadav was bowled off the first ball he faced, but new man R P Singh lofted the bowler for a straight six to end the over that saw three wickets falling and 13 runs scored. Into the final over, Chargers lost Shahid Afridi whose run of failures in the IPL continued as he was caught in the deep off Balaji while RP Singh skied a catch to Morkel off the last delivery.

[IndianRenegade]

Bowling needs to improve: Dhoni Bowling needs to improve: Dhoni

Hyderabad, May 27: As cool and collected as ever, Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, while expressing satisfaction at having reached the semi-finals of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament defeating Deccan Chargers by seven wickets here tonight, felt that his team needs to work hard on the bowling front. “I think, our batting, especially the middle-order, has been performing well. Perhaps, if we can get some good starts, it would be even better. However, it our bowling that we need to work on. But overall, it is pretty satisfying to have reached the semi-finals of such a prestigious tournament as the IPL,†Dhoni, who played a crucial knock of 37, said after the match. He admitted that his team was under pressure going into tonight’s game that they had to win to qualify for the semi-finals, but he was confident that they would pull through. “Yes, there was a bit of pressure today, but then we are a very capable team with the best middle-order in the IPL. We have chased some big scores in the earlier games. So, I was quite confident today,†he said. Looking ahead to the semi-finals to be played in Mumbai later this week, Dhoni said: “It is time for the individuals to rise to the occasion and do anything to help us win.†Meanwhile, Suresh Raina, adjudged Man of the Match for his brilliant knock of 54, was overjoyed at his performance that helped Super Kings to chase down a target of 148. “I just played my natural game and when I was batting with Dhoni, he kept telling me to bat straight even when I wanted to play big shots against Shahid Afridi or Pragyan Ojha. I am happy that I contributed to our team’s victory,†said Raina. On his performance so far, Raina said having played international cricket in Australia, he had the requisite experience and that the IPL provided him a platform to showcase his talent.

[IndianRenegade]

The news is that Stephen Fleming is not available for the semifinal match against Punjab Kings XI, as he is returning to NZ to attend to some personal matter. So who is going to replace him? Vidyut?

[Guest HariSampath]

It has to be Vidyut, he has a couple of good scores in the 3-4 games he played and will force the bowling at the top.

[IndianRenegade]

CSK seems to be the weakest of all the 4 semifinalists.

[Guest HariSampath]

CSK may appear weakest, but still out of the 6 games against the other 3 semifinalists they have won 3; and even against the Royals they chased 211 falling short by 10 runs , really pushed the Royals hard. In 2 other games, CSK were defeated by exceptional individual brilliance like Sehwag and Tanveer. So as a team they had been very competitive against all the semifinalists

[IndianRenegade]

Kapu to get his chance as Fleming departs Kapu to get his chance as Fleming departs

Mumbai, May 29: With about 48 hours left for the start of their semi-final clash with Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament here, the Chennai Super Kings suffered a setback with opening batsman Stephen Fleming leaving for home. The former New Zealand captain flew back to be with his wife for the birth of their child. Consequently, the Super Kings batting line-up is likely to witness another round of reshuffle, although it is not known who will partner Parthiv Patel. VB Chandrasekar, Director of Cricket Operations, Super Kings, said: “We have several options, but we will take a call closer to the match day. There are still a couple of days left and so, we haven’t really got down to taking a decision.†While admitting that Fleming’s sudden departure was a setback, Chandrasekar felt that the Super Kings still had enough depth to make up although it would still mean breaking a settled partnership at the top of the order. “Of course, we were aware of Fleming’s impending departure and hence we roped in Chamara Kapugedera. So, he has been given a full-time opportunity to make it really count,†said Chandrasekar. Kapugedera, a 21-year old opening batsman from Sri Lanka, has already played Tests and ODI for his country, but is still to cement his position in the team. However, he is considered to be an “exciting prospectâ€, having come through the Under-19 ranks. Kapu, as he is known to his team-mates, has played in only three IPL games so far and batting lower down the order, has not had many opportunities. He is also a handy medium pace bowler, but at best, is an additional option to support the established bowling attack of Makhaya Ntini, Manpreet Gony, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Albie Morkel and Muttiah Muralitharan. Now that Fleming has left, it will not be a surprise should Kapugedera opens the innings on Saturday along with Parthiv Patel, although Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, who twice partnered Fleming is another option for the Super Kings. Meanwhile, the Super Kings players, who arrived here yesterday from Hyderabad where they beat Deccan Challengers to qualify for the semi-finals, preferred to relax, but will regroup for a practice session later today. Chandrasekar said all the players were available for selection and that the injury list is blank. “All the boys are in good spirits and looking forward to the semis,†he said.

[IndianRenegade]

Seven days in the summer ‘08 Seven days in the summer ‘08

The pigeons flew for one last time as the dusk set in before winging to their spots high up on the roof of the stadium. As the birds settled down, silence descended, barely disturbed by the constant hum of the traffic outside. The last of the workers departed and as one looked around at the stands that not long ago rocked with thousands of fans, dancing, cheering and generally having a great time, the memories of the weeks gone by flashed across the mind’s eye. Yes, it was time to go home. The past five weeks have been one of unprecedented excitement and entertainment at the hallowed MA Chidambaram Stadium that opened its doors and arms to embrace “new age cricket†that is Twenty20. Decorated and decked up with the Chennai Super Kings colours, the stadium played host to seven Indian Premier League games, each of which was played to a full house that in turn was treated to an evening of music and dance the likes of which have never been witnessed at Chepauk. The Sivamanis and Shankar Mahadevans besides Kollywood stars graced the venue on each of the seven evenings. Music blared from giant sound boxes much to the delight of the massive crowds who never had enough of it. The cheerleaders added to the glamour and the spectators were seduced to join the evening of fun. The lush green and stylized outfield never looked more fetching to the eye. The ground staff went to considerable lengths to present a stage fit for the Kings as it were. And sure enough, the action in the middle matched the decibel levels emanating from beyond the boundary. In effect, it was high voltage stuff that would be long remembered. At the start of the tournament in April, there was understandable apprehension as to how the crowd would take to “cricketainmentâ€, a mixture of sport and entertainment, as it had never been attempted earlier. But perhaps, quite unwittingly, the organisers aroused emotions that were hitherto dormant as the paying public lapped up the fare without reservation. Every match evening, the crowds thronged the stadium in eager anticipation of entertainment, both on and off the field, that would provide relief and welcome diversion from the searing summer heat and humidity. They were not disappointed. Percussionist Sivamani, who traveled with the team for all their seven “away†matches besides being present at the home games, showed energy of a man half his age as he circumvented the stadium belting out patented beats to send the crowd into rapturous frenzy. Also, he greeted each boundary, six and a wicket that the Super Kings scored and took with thunderous roll on his drums, turning the atmosphere even more electric. It was fun while it lasted and an unqualified success in terms of both entertainment and cricket. For sure, Chepauk will never be the same again. The seven IPL matches might have opened the floodgates and we can expect some spillover in the season to follow. If it does, then not many will complain! The Summer of Zero Eight is sure to occupy the pride of place in local cricketing lore, for the city took a firm step forward into the future. - A.R. Ramakrishnan

[IndianRenegade]

The coming together of Super Kings The coming together of Super Kings

It has been a roller-coaster ride for the Chennai Super Kings to their semi-final destination in the Indian Premier League. Winning the first four games put them in the front of the eight-team pack, but dramatically, the fortunes hit a low with three consecutive defeats before they picked themselves up to eventually make it to the knock-out phase. Through the ups and downs, the Super Kings kept their composure and showed great character, not once tumbling out of the top four slot, although there were justifiable fears over their qualification to the semi-finals. Yet, when it came to crunch situation, the Super Kings rose to the occasion to beat the Hyderabad Deccan Chargers in their final league game to book their tickets to Mumbai, the venue of the last three games. At the start of the league, V B Chandrasekar, Director of Cricket Operations, kept harping on the first four games. “We have to win these games, for it will have a lot of bearing on our semi-final prospects. Four victories will also give us the momentum and thereafter, we can look to consolidate our position,†he had said about a week before the tournament commenced. Looking back, one can now appreciate the logic behind such thoughts. The Super Kings, perhaps, were at the top of their game when Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey and Jacob Oram were in the ranks. The trio made sizeable contributions to the four victories before leaving for home to join their respective National teams on international tours. The Super Kings have never looked as solid as their performance graph traced a zig-zag course after the trio left. Defeats to Chargers and the Bangalore Royal Chalengers, both of whom finished at the bottom of the league table, exposed a few chinks in the Super Kings’ armour. They touched their nadir against Rajasthan Royals, getting dismissed for 109 and then Sanath Jayasuriya’s 48-ball century blasted them out of the park in Mumbai. It was thought that their bowling attack was suspect, and there were sufficient reasons to believe it was so. “I think, our bowling has since stabilized and now has a settled look about it,†reflected Chandrasekar. “Our batting too is looking pretty solid, and so, I think, the team is as good as it can ever be under the circumstances,†he observed. It is another matter that no Super Kings player figures among the top five in batting or bowling on conclusion of the league. But conversely, the Super Kings have tallied 150-plus in nine of the 14 matches, including 200-plus in three games. As for the bowling, the fact that they are the only team in top five with a negative Net Run Rate tells it own tale. The induction of Lakshmipathy Balaji has certainly pepped up the bowling that is also in the capable hands of Manpreet Gony whom coach Kepler Wessels described as “find of the IPLâ€, and Albie Morkel, the all-rounder from South Africa. The two other frontline bowlers, Makhaya Ntini and Muttiah Muralitharan have only given glimpses of their ability that has made them World’s leading bowlers. Gony heads the bowling with 14 wickets, followed by Morkel (13) and Balaji (11) whose 5 for 24, including a hat-trick, helped Super Kings beat Kings XI a second time, at home. Balaji, having returned to competitive cricket after a long lay-off owing to injury, has been the pick of the lot. Although lacking in pace, he has more than made up with line-length bowling besides a deadly, toe-crushing yorker. Chandrasekar pointed out that should Muralitharan and Ntini also get into their flow, then the Super Kings will possess a potent attack that could well take them all the way in the IPL. “Great players have a way of playing a big role on the big stage, and let us hope that both Murali and Ntini fire in the semis,†he said. Perhaps, the same applies to the rest of the team that skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni needs to motivate to up their levels on Saturday. The occasion cannot be any bigger, nor the challenge. -- A.P.

[Guest HariSampath]

Vidyut will certainly play and one more batting slot will be between A Mukund, kapugedara and A srikkanth.

[IndianRenegade]

It is Super Kings character vs Punjab flair

Mumbai, May 31: Forget the past and the future, live in the present. This could well be the slogan for tonight’s semi-final clash between the Chennai Super Kings and the Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament at the Wankhede stadium, here tonight. The past is that the Super Kings beat the Mohali team twice in the league, but since then, a lot of water has flowed down the Cooum to not look too deeply into these results and rather, take at face value. As Kepler Wessels, coach of Super Kings, declared the other day, tomorrow is another day and although the Chennai team convincingly beat their Mohali counterparts convincingly, the format of the game is such that only the performance on the day matters. Last night, the Delhi Daredevils learnt the hard way that pre-match predictions are of little value as the Rajasthan Royals won the first semi-final comprehensively. It was said that the Daredevils boasted of the “most balanced†team in the IPL, but when it came to the crunch situation, it was Shane Warne’s team that rose to the occasion. Likewise, tonight, the Punjab team might be holding a distinct edge in terms of man-to-man resources, overall batting and bowling records, but these factors can in no way be the over-riding factors. The Super Kings, on the other hand, are perhaps happy that they are not saddled with the “favourites†tag as their Director of Cricket Operations V B Chandrasekar said. “Beware of the law of averages,†said Chandrasekar in reference to the awesome batting line-up that the Super Kings boasts with the likes of Shaun Marsh and James Hopes at the top of the order. It obviously meant that the Super Kings would be targeting the duo in a bid to deny the Kings XI a flying start, be it batting first or chasing. “We are aware that Marsh is in great form, but then, at some point, the law of averages would come into play. So, if we can get through their top order, then it would be a different story,†he said. In fact, the Super Kings did precisely that the last time the teams met in Chennai. Super Kings, asked to bat first, compiled 181 for four and then pegged the Kings XI to 163 for nine. The so-called “weak†Chennai bowling, in fact, did the trick, taking two wickets by the fifth over and then triggering a middle-order collapse. Of course, both the teams have undergone a few changes since that meeting. Kings XI now boast of two quality Sri Lankan batsmen, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, in the middle-order to follow Marsh and Hopes. Then there is skipper Yuvraj Singh himself, besides Irfan Pathan and Piyush Chawla. In contrast, the Super Kings would be without Stephen Fleming at the top of the order and as such the responsibility now shifts to the likes of Parthiv Patel, Chamara Kapugedera (replacing Fleming), skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Subramaniam Badrinath and Albie Morkel. In bowling, the Super Kings are far better placed than any time in the past with Lakshmipathy Balaji, Manpreet Gony and Albie Morkel in good form. Supporting them would be Makhaya Ntini and Muttiah Muralitharan who, Chandrasekar hoped, would find his touch tonight. At this stage of the IPL, it matters little that the Super Kings, after winning their first four games, hit some turbulence as their collective form swung to the extremes. Likewise, the Punjab team’s strong run after an unsteady start would amount to nothing tonight as the emphasis would be on holding one’s nerves on the big stage. Last night, the Daredevils were cramped by the occasion while the Royals played with far greater freedom. It would be much the same tonight when the result is likely to hinge on the ability to withstand pressure, have one’s wits about in a crisis and execute their plans well. On the eve of the game, both camps obviously are making strong statements reflecting optimism and confidence. The pressure would be on the two captains too, one of whom, Dhoni, has been through tougher situations and hence would be more relaxed. Against him, Yuvraj, still very much a raw captain, might be feeling the heat. Either way, it would be an intriguing contest between the two captains who will have to lead their respective team from the front. While the Punjab team begin as odds-on favourites, the Super Kings can be expected to show the kind of character that helped them survive some tough times in the recent weeks. If they can do so, then the Chennai team’s optimism is well-founded.