Champ Chargers charge from bottom to top

What a tournament it was. After all the drama of 59 matches in 37 matches which included 3 hat-tricks, 2 centuries, plenty of controversies, Fake IPL player it was the bottom placed team of last year the Deccan Chargers that triumphed as the champions this year.

Gilchrist: It could have gone either way. Would like to acknowledge RCB on an outstanding series and to turn it around after the disappointments of last season is a real credit to them and their whole franchise. Pragyan Ojha did a wonderful job and two wickets in two balls that really starts to eat away at a team when they are chasing. In a final it is always a good position to have runs on the board. Harmeet took an amazing catch, amazingly he played in 7 games and we did not lose one of them. Maybe we should have played him in all 15 or 16. Would like to thank SA, and the sponsors. Also thank the owners, it was a tough year last year, but thanks for having faith on us. Also would like to say HI to everyone in Hyderabad, I know it is almost like a Diwali over there.

Anil Kumble: Congrats to Deccan Chargers, the way both teams finished last year and I would like to thank all my team members for their support. I think chasing 144 on this wicket was not a big task, but the wickets of Rahul, Rossco and Virat probably put the brakes on and then the run-rate shot up. Whenever the situation was tough I had to put my hand up and it worked well. I would like to thank everyone who has prayed and wished us back home. Also would like to thank Mallya and team for their support.

Rohit Sharma: Always South Africa has been lucky as we won the World cup so I was happy it was staged here. For the first few games the it was not easy to bat on, but as it progressed I really enjoyed my batting as it suits my style. I just kept it simple and backed myself.

Adam Gilchrist is named the Golden Player of the League.
RP Singh wins the Purple Cap for being the leading wicket taker in this season of the IPL. He picked up 23 wickets.
Orange Cap stays firmly on Matthew Hayden's head.
Rohit Sharma bags the Under-23 Success of the Tournament award.
Anil Kumble is the Man of the Match

Kumble heroics not enough as Deccan win IPL

Runs on the board proved the key, Deccan Chargers captain Adam Gilchrist said after his team beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by six runs in the Indian Premier League final at Wanderers Stadium Sunday.

Even though Deccan were restricted to 143 for six - mainly due to a superb bowling performance by Bangalore captain Anil Kumble - it was just enough as a slow pitch, a lack of substantial partnerships and the pressure of a final combined against Challengers, who could manage only 137 for nine.

"It could have gone either way," admitted Gilchrist, who was named player of the tournament.

Deccan finished last in the first IPL in India in 2008, with Bangalore second from the bottom.

"Bangalore felt the same disappointments last year as we felt," said Gilchrist. "To see them turn it around and to put up such a great final is a credit to their franchise."

Gilchrist said left-arm spinner Praghan Ojha, who took three for 28, did a "wonderful job" for Deccan.

"As they say, in finals to have runs on the board is always a good position to be in."

Kumble, named man of the match for taking four for 18, said he was proud of his team for winning five games in a row to reach the final.

"On this wicket, chasing 144 was not a big task."

He said the loss of Ross Taylor and Virat Kohli off succcessive balls from Andrew Symonds, soon after the departure of batting mainstay Rahul Dravid, put the brakes on his team's challenge.

"In spite of that we were one hit away from victory."

Leg-spinner Kumble opened the bowling after sending Deccan in and dismissed danger man Gilchrist with his third ball.

Fresh from his match-winning innings of 85 off 35 balls against Delhi Daredevils in the semi-final on Friday, Gilchrist showed impatience after failing to score off the first two deliveries from Kumble.

He charged down the pitch to the third ball but failed to read a googly which went past his bat into the stumps.

Mission accomplished, Kumble took himself off, but came back into the attack in the ninth over and ended a promising innings by Symonds, who hit 33 off 21 balls.

Once again Kumble took himself off, with figures of two for five from two overs.

He returned to dismiss Rohit Sharma, who was named Indian under-23 player of the tournament, and Venugopal Rao.

But Herschelle Gibbs batted through the innings to make an unbeaten 53. Gibbs was unable to dominate the bowling and did not get enough of the strike, facing only 48 of the 120 balls of the innings. But his innings proved crucial. At the mid-innings break he had scored only 13 off 22 balls.

Bangalore made a cautious start but Roelof van der Merwe, sent in as a pinch hitter at number three, gave the innings impetus with a typical mixture of wild swings and solid hits.

He hit two sixes off Ryan Harris and another off Symonds before he was stumped off Ojha for 32 off 21 balls.

Despite the loss of Dravid, bowled by Harmeet Singh when he tried to flick the ball to leg, Bangalore looked to be cruising to victory until Taylor and Kohli fell off successive balls.

Taylor top-edged a pull to long leg and Kohli was superbly stumped down the leg side by Gilchrist.

Mark Boucher cut Harmeet Singh to South African team-mate Gibbs at backward point and suddenly Bangalore needed 37 off 25 balls with only three wickets left.

It proved too many.

Gilchrist: Inspiring Generations

by Goutham Chakravarthi

Bang! Four! Bang! Bang! Bang! Six! Six! Six! Delhi hardly knew what hit them; Gilchrist had swept them off their feet. It was like watching a golfer practise. Gilchrist just teed off and hit six after six, each longer and higher than the previous. We have seen him do it for well over a decade, but still each time he demolishes an opposition, and once more in a big game, you wonder how he does it.

Boycott once said that he played himself in on his walk to the middle from the pavilion. I don't think he bothers about gauging the opposition and the wicket, he just goes for it. Such belief in himself! He destroyed Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka in the '99, '03 and '07 world cup finals respectively. He has got to be among the greatest big-match players of his time.

He plays the Aussie way in the effect he goes after the opposition. If anything, he really targets the opposition's best bowler. Yet he became a walker in the latter part of his career. The Aussies believe in letting the umpires do their job and they never contemplate walking. The standing joke was that the Aussies never walked unless they were perhaps bowled. And that too, only if it was not a windy day!

Read More

The blooming of Pandey

Manish Pandey’s unbeaten 114 at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday night, might seem to be the story of an ‘unknown Indian’ enjoying his sudden success. However for those who know him well, the innings has vindicated his enormous talent.

At the National Cricket Academy, there is joy amidst the coaching staff. Pandey often spends his entire day at the academy. “Before leaving for South Africa, we had dinner at a Chinese restaurant and he had said that he will make a mark. Right from our director Dav Whatmore, all are happy,” said an academy official.
Talented lad

Until now Pandey was a talented lad who played for India under-19 and Karnataka. On his Ranji Trophy debut against Railways last November, Pandey scored a 64 before getting a blob in the second innings. The up-and-down ride continued through the season in which he scored 193 runs.

The 19-year old in an earlier interview with The Hindu summed up his batting style. “I am an orthodox batsman who prefers to settle down initially. I like to get those singles and then play my shots. But if the situation demands I can play big shots as well,” he had then said. The shots were evident on Thursday night.
Natural cricketer

Pandey’s uncluttered mind is the key to his success, said Vijay Bharadwaj, who coached Karnataka, last season. “Pandey is a natural cricketer and he is so focused on his own game that other factors don’t affect him. He is talented and needs to be consistent. Having Anil Kumble as the Royal Challengers’ skipper has also helped Pandey,” said Bharadwaj.

Pandey’s story has been that of travel all over India thanks to a father, who is an army officer juggling with transfers. However Pandey’s love for cricket, forced him to strike roots in Bangalore though his father has moved to Rajasthan.

His exploits in the local league helped him secure a berth in the State under-19 team and eventually he was part of the India under-19 squads that toured Sri Lanka, South Africa and eventually won the junior World Cup at Malaysia in 2008.

The spotlight is now on Pandey and Bharadwaj added a note of caution: “There will be expectations but people should give him space. He is not yet a finished product and he needs guidance.”

The final no one expected

Chennai committed the same mistake as Delhi Daredevils on Saturday, slowing down after the strategy break. No wonder then that they met with the same fate. Bangalore Royals Challengers knocked last year's runners-up out with a six-wicket win to set up the unlikeliest of title clashes against the Deccan Chargers on Sunday.

Chasing 147 after the bowlers had done superb job, Rahul Dravid and Manish Pandey anchored the innings with 72-run stand for the third wicket before Ross Taylor and Virat Kohli completed the rout with seven balls to spare.

Manish Pandey, who hit a century in the last game, started the chase off in style, hitting Albie Morkel past cover and then square-driving him with great finesse. At the other end, Jacques Kallis smashed two consecutive fours past point off Manpreet Gony to get them underway.

Kallis and Roelof van der Merwe fell early, leaving Bangalore at a precarious 22-2, but Chennai's new-ball bowlers couldn't keep Pandey quiet.
With the pacers disappointing, Dhoni turned to Shadab Jakati's left-arm spin in the fifth over, but Dravid proved up to the challenge as they maintained a run-rate just under 10-an-over. As a last throw of the dice, Dhoni introduced Murali in the 10th over, but while there were two big appeals, nothing went Chennai's way as Bangalore got to the break at 82/2.

Earlier in the evening, Mathew Hayden and Parthiv Patel gave Chennai an enterprising start after being put into bat. Parthiv often outscored Hayden as the duo added 61 runs for the first wicket before Vinay Kumar got rid of the Aussie.

Bangalore realised the need to take the pace off the ball as Dhoni, who walked in at number 3, and Raina, one of their leading run-scorers, couldn't keep the momentum going.

Kumble kept the pressure on the Chennai batting, rotating his bowlers smartly, and Chennai kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Only a few big hits from Morkel took them to a respectable total.

Anyone's game: Bangalore, Deccan eye IPL gold

After brushing aside two of the strongest teams in the IPL, Deccan Chargers and Bangalore Royal Challengers have reversed the fortunes they endured last year.

After finising last and second last respectively last season, the two sides have come roaring back in the IPL, which makes the clash even more unpredictable. Who would bring its best game to the table?

Deccan Chargers: Winners of the wooden spoon in 2008, Deccan Chargers contest the top spot this time. They changed their captain to Adam Gilchrist, and so did their fortunes. They won their first four games in a row, before slumping to a string of defeats during the middle of the competition. But their form players came to the fore to ensure a spot in the last four.

One more win will be nice: Anil Kumble

Bangalore Royal Challengers' skipper Anil Kumble was not willing to celebrate after the team's six-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at the New Wanderers here on Saturday propelled it into Sunday's final of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Former India captain Kumble, who took over the reins from an unimpressive Kevin Pietersen midway through the league, said the party will start with one more win - the final, that is.

"One more win will be nice," said Kumble after Saturday's second semi-final that set up Challengers' date with Deccan Chargers in the final.

Kumble lauded both his batsmen and bowlers for the confidence boosting win over last year's runners-up Super Kings.

The bowlers restricted Super Kings to 146 for five in 20 overs and then 19-year-old Man of the Match Manish Pandey (48) and the veteran Rahul Dravid (44) played some solid knocks as Royal Challengers achieved the target with seven balls to spare.

"Their score was not even a par score. Our batsmen backed themselves to clear the boundary. I thought Praveen and Vinay bowled very well at the end," Kumble said.

Pandey thanked Kumble for allowing him to go after Super Kings bowling.

"Today, I got the license from Anil bhai to hit. I didn't want to get out to Murali and wanted to give Rahul the strike," he said.

Super Kings' skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni felt his team was 15 runs short of a winning total.

"The wicket was a bit slow but they (Royal Challengers) played better cricket. We were looking for a 160 score but we lost wickets at the wrong time. They outplayed us. Our bowling was a bit fragile, but we could have made it tougher for them," he said.

Pandey has left his coach shell-shocked

Royal Challengers’ Manish Pandey has taken the cricketing world by storm and his coach at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket and Jawans Club Irfan Sait is shell-shocked at the way the youngster tore the Deccan Chargers’ attack to become the only Indian to score a century in the on-going IPL and then played sensible to guide his team to victory over Chennai Super Kings in the semi-finals on Saturday.

"Manish has left everyone speechless with his attacking and match-winning knocks. And all of us are proud of him. I have known him to be a very stub-born customer while batting and rarely throws away a chance to score big runs.

"But what has surprised me is his maturity to tackle bowlers like Muttiah Muralitharan, Rudra Pratap Singh and Abiel Morkel. He just went after them as if he has been playing them since his schooldays," Irfan Sait told Cricketnext.com on Sunday.

Dravid and Pandey carry Bangalore to finals

Dhoni probably missed a trick by not bringing on Muralitharan earlier on. The body language of the CSK was not upto the mark as RCB raced away to the finish. It is the 5th win on the trot for RCB and they have all the momentum going into the final tomorrow.

It was a stunning performance from the RCB side as they outplayed the CSK. Manish Pandey carried on from his previous innings as he played a blinder to set it up for RCB. Dravid brought all his experience to the fore as he complemented Pandey stroke for stroke. Then Ross Taylor and Virat Kohli finished it off magnificently.

Which Indian cricketer said this - "I never thought that being fat was a negative point, I dont want to lose weight for the sake of it, to look like a model"?
And in a rather surprising turnaround, the two bottom-placed teams from IPL 2008, Bangalore and Hyderabad are the finalists this year. Who would have thought?
Mallya is ecstatic, the RCB squad members run out onto the field as a dejected MS Dhoni walks away!

Manish Pandey: This is my second game I am performing and really happy for that. The pitch was stopping a little bit, but Anil Bhai gave me the license to go out there and play my natural game.The game plan against Murali was to work it around and give Rahul Bhai the strike. Waiting for the final tomorrow and hopefully we will win.

Anil Kumble: One more win will be nice tomorrow. We regrouped after the strategy break when they were 75/1. 146 on this wicket was not even a par score, we really bowled well. Manish batted brilliantly, that is the way the current youngsters bat, they back themselves to go out there and clear the boundary. To give away only 3 boundaries in the last 7 overs against such a batting line-up is brilliant.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni: They played better cricket than us. We were looking for a score around 160, but me and Raina got out at the wrong time. We were short by 15 runs. Overall disappointed, but they outplayed us. Our bowling department was a bit fragile right through the tournament.

Manish Pandey is the Man of the Match for the second consecutive time for his blinder at the top.