Kolkata V CSK Match Preview

This is going to be a big game for both teams. While the winner won't necessarily be a certainty (esp. if it is Kolkata) for the semifinals, and the loser won't necessarily be out of contention (esp, if it is Chennai), the fact is that the balance will shift by a big margin depending on the outcome.

The biggest thing that Kolkata have going for them is the Eden Gardens factor. I think along with Shoaib it was the single most important reason for their win the other night against Delhi. The weakest link for them is their pathetic batting lineup and Chennai need to exploit this like Mumbai did yesterday.

Teams
For Kolkata Ganguly is the only hope as far as batting is concerned, maybe the odd innings by Hussey. I think it will be prudent to include a technically sound player like Taibu and bench the completely unimpressive Hafeez. The bowling however looks very good - maybe Agarkar will miss out again, and the spinner will get a chance given the nature of the Kolkata wicket.

So what can Chennai do ? Fleming's form continues to remain a worry. Should he be persisted with now that there are only 4 more games in the league to go ? Should he be allowed to come in at 3 or 4 ? Should Kapugedara be pushed up to open ? Will Raina finally play a defining knock ? Will Badri and Dhoni be able to continue their good run. The so-called strong batting is the main worry, though the bowling, as widely known, is thin. Is it worth it to bring back Ntini and sacrifise a batsman like Kapugedara ? All very interesting questions.

Revenge Battles
Ganguly v Joginder - Joginder dismissed Ganguly last time for a low score
Saha v Gony - Gony was hit but got Saha in the end
Saha v Amarnath - (if Amarnath plays), Saha got stuck into him last time
Hussey v Amarnath - Amarnath got him first ball last time
Hafeez v Amarnath - Another player that Amarnath got the better of
Shukla v Joginder

Mumbai Vs Deccan Chargers .Match Preview

It must be difficult getting up to play after 8 defeats, but that is exactly what the Chargers will have to attempt to do tomorrow. Mumbai are on a roll and are massive favorites, plus they take on an opponent that won't necessarily be up for it but that by no means allows them to be complacent thanks to their slow start. Delhi's loss today might have given Mumbai breathing space but there is still a close battle between Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai for two semifinal slots.

Teams

While the Deccan Chargers famed batting lineup has failed miserably (Gibbs, Styris, Afridi have been failures of a titanic nature) it is their bowling and fielding that leaves a lot to be desired. With the exception of RP Singh, there is no quality in their bowling and one has to question how they can leave the likes of Vaas and Zoysa on the bench. With the Indian stars like Rohit and Venugopal doing fairly well with the batting it is probably time to pack up the bowling with foreigners and shed out liabilities like Gibbs, Styris and Afridi.

Bravo's loss will be a blow for the Mumbai Indians, but so long as Pollock and Jayasuriya are firing I don't think they have much to worry about. I also hear that Andre Nel is joining the team and that can be another massive plus. With Tendulkar bound to fire at some stage, it is all looking very rosy for the "Men in Blue". What will be interesting is who replaces Bravo for tomorrow's game.

Revenge Battles
Jayasuriya v Afridi - Afridi got him on his first ball last time
Uthappa v Afridi - Afridi dismissed him cheaply, too
Pollock v Bangar - Polly laid into Bangar before getting out to him
Nayyar v Afridi - Nayyar was one man who got the measure of Afridi
Nayyar v Zoysa - Zoysa got him with the bouncer
Gilchrist v Nehra, Pollock, Jayasuriya and Nayyar, all of whom he shred to pieces !!

You are Suspended.

They are falling like nine pins. Players are getting banned, suspended and fined. They're blaming each other for using delaying tactics (in a 20 over game). Sachin Tendulkar meanwhile is still injured (and is being spared all this nonsense).

It emerged in the midst of SlapGate, that even though the IPL had all the trimmings - on field umpires, third umpires, fourth umpires and match referees, they didn't actually have a code for the referees to enforce. The garrulous Farrokh Engineer eventually used the ICC Code of Conduct in his ruling on SlapGate. It now appears that the IPL has appropriated the ICC's Code of Conduct for Players and Officials and further extended it beyond the ICC's wildest dreams. What we have, is the first ever instance of a referee suspending an umpire in a game of cricket! Farrokh Engineer has suspended the on-field umpire Pratap Kumar for heeding Sourav Ganguly's request to refer a disputed catch to the third umpire.

It began with this incident involving Shane Warne and Sourav Ganguly. Warne's side claimed a catch against Ganguly. Ganguly wasn't sure if it was clean, and didn't leave the wicket. The fielding side was convinced that it was clean, as was the square leg umpire (Rudi Koertzen, no less!). It all rested with the umpire at the bowler's end who needed to be convinced that the watch was clean. Now, if the umpire at the bowlers end was convinced that it was clean, he should have given the batsman Out. Usually, if the umpire at the bowler's end has been unsighted, he will take the word of the umpire at square leg. In any event, Ganguly requested that a referral be made (which he ought not to have done), and a referral was made.

So far so good. Farrokh Engineer has effectively ruled that Pratap Kumar went against his own better judgement and was influenced by Sourav Ganguly's request in making the referral. Is it really possible to prove that sort of thing? Also, if it is infact proved, is a suspension enough? Shouldn't Pratap Kumar get kicked out?

In any event, the most breathtaking thing here is that the Umpire has been dragged by the match referee into the fray, along with the players. This is unprecedented ground - where a referee sits in judgement of an umpire. Given Engineer's decision, why should he not suspend an umpire if a couple of LBW's are given wrongly, especially if in both cases, you have the batsman showing his bat to the umpire as the appeal was in progress (indicating an inside edge)? The whole premise of the Umpire, is that they are above the fray. They are not in competition with the players, and hence cannot be judged alongside the players. Referee Engineer has done just that.

Shane Warne's suggestion that Ganguly asked the Indian umpire to make the referral (as reported by Cricinfo), is dragging the whole matter down further into a charge of favoritism. Since the catch was taken by Graeme Smith, and the square leg umpire was Rudi Koertzen, why would a similar charge of favoritism not apply when considering the case of the square leg umpire immediately ruling that the catch was clean? This is especially interesting given that the third umpire, Asad Rauf eventually ruled in favor of the batsman, against Rudi Koertzen. With Farrokh Engineer enforcing his adopted British voice in the matter, what we seem to have is a perfect commonwealth brouhaha.

Of course, all these charges of parochialism are absurd, but that is what this seems to have descended into. The whole thing seems to closely resemble World Wrestling Entertainment, which resides deep in the bowels of Cable TV, with its make believe umpires and contests. The convenient application of the ICC's Code of Conduct to grant an element of seriousness to proceedings, coupled with the complete moral and logical relativism which marks Farrokh Engineer's treatment of the umpire, is just one more signal that the IPL is not serious about Cricket.

Kolkata Knight RIders Lose Again!!

My favorite team being Kolkata Knight Riders could not get past Rajasthan Royals today and it is no less than frustating when i saw the match at my Tuition center..There has been many netizens rather Orkuttans commenting on Sourav Ganguly's poor form.However Today Sourav Ganguly took some time to read the wicket and played a T20 innings and scored his maiden Fifty ..With Ganguly playing well,KKR lost wickets in a hurry after he departed and The crucial stage could possibly be Laxmi Ratan Shukla's run out ..

Jaipur earlier put up a daunting target of 196-7 in their alloted 20 overs with one youngster probably taking away the match from the KKR team .Swapnil Asnodkar (60),Yousuf Pathan (55) and Ravindra Jadeja(33) rocked for the Jaipur Team and made life hard for the Kolkata Team..


Ganguly then opening with Salman Butt could not get off to a start as desired by the KKR team and the fans ..Salman Butt getting an inside edge and dragging the ball into the wicket courtesy Sohail Tanvir.

Ganguly however played some crisp shots and his timing as usual is world class and his innings had 2 sixes showing that the Best of Sourav Ganguly is yet to come.But their move to send Ajit Agarkar as a pinch-hitter worked to an extent as the pacer gave the visitors the much-needed flying start. Agarkar smashed two sixes in his 13-ball effort before Watson got him caught behind. And when new recruit Brad Hodge was unfortunately run out, Kolkata’s hopes were depended on Ganguly and Hussey.

Earlier, the Kolkata bowling, which looked formidable on paper with the inclusion of Umar Gul, took some heavy punishment as Jaipur's men with willows continued their super show in the IPL tourney. It were not the big names in the Jaipur camp that fired on Thursday with Graeme Smith and Shane Watson, the men in form, managing only two and zero, respectively.


After Smith and Watson played the protagonists in Jaipur's previous wins, it was time for the youngsters to come good.


Kolkata started off on a bright note after Jaipur elected to bat. Smith, who had two half-centuries in as many games in the competition, failed to get going this time around. Ishant Sharma cleaned up the South African skipper in the second over of the match.


But Kolkata failed to capitalise on the early jolt as Asnodkar took charge, flaying the famed Kolkata bowling.


Asnodkar reached his 50 off just 29 balls and helped Jaipur build the perfect launching pad for the home side. Manufacturing some lusty blows, the 24-year old opener put on 42 with Mohammad Kaif and 53 with Pathan, smashing 10 boundaries and one six.


The visitors struck back for a brief period in the middle with Umar Gul sending back Asnodkar and Watson, who fell victim to a horrendous leg-before decision.


But Pathan and Jadeja won back the momentum through some power hits. Though after a 57-run stand, Jadeja was sent back by Laxmi Shukla, Pathan did not relent. Pathan, like Asnodkar, brought up his fifty in 29 balls. It was not until the last over that Kolkata managed to get rid of Pathan, who fell for 55 off 33 with two towering sixes and six fours.

However all is not lost for the KKR team as if Luck favours the KKR team ,KKR could come up with amazing wins..And dont forget Sourav is a world class captain.

Delhi Daredevils Win

Delhi Daredevils 191/5 in 20 ov beat Bangalore Royal Challengers 181/5 in 20 ov by 10 runs


It was A cracker of a match Yesterday although Dravid would be happier if he came off with a much needed win.Rahul Dravid played a good innings and along with Jaques Kallis took the Bangalore Royal challengers within shouting distance of a win..However The Pigeon was at his lethal best by picking up Four Wickets in Four Overs..Well Pigeon could still be playing International Cricket and be a headache for the Top Batsmen Today.Rahul Dravid must be thinking as to how to win a match as things are really getting out of hands.Vijay Mallya is second to none and hates losing and this could be Testing time for Vijay Mallya ..

However With Virender Sehwag right up there in terms of captaincy should be smiling as with every match a winning combination is being worked out which could spell trouble for the Other Teams..


The Bangalore Royal Challengers lost their fourth match of the IPL to the Delhi Daredevils by ten runs after a blistering innings from Gautam Gambhir and a four-wicket spell from Glenn McGrath. McGrath became the first man to pick up four wickets in the IPL while Gambhir continued his fine form for Delhi.

The match started with the toss and Bangalore captain Rahul Dravid called correctly and decided to field first. Dale Steyn started proceedings with the new ball with a tight opening over. But as is the trend with most T20 matches, the odd quiet over is duly compensated with the big-run over almost immediately. It was Zaheer Khan who suffered at the hands of the impressive Gautam Gambhir, who hit him for three successive fours when the bowler strayed on the pads too often.

His partner Virender Sehwag soon joined the party, once again going after Zaheer Khan depositing a short ball way into the stands over midwicket. Sehwag also hammered the next two deliveries for boundaries and Delhi were off to a flying start at 45 for no loss in 4 overs.

A brilliant piece of fielding from Ross Taylor at point, running in and hitting the stumps direct signaled the end of captain Sehwag for a quick fire 24 in 12 balls. Shikar Dhawan was the new man at the crease and the scoring was kept in check for a while. The singles were mixed with the odd boundary and the score moved on without too many risks being taken.

Left arm spinner Sunil Joshi came into the attack to bowl what was his only over of the innings. Gambhir and Dhawan hit him for one six each and the score got a move on at 138 for 1 in 14 overs.

The big hits continued from the bats of Gambhir and Dhawan, with the latter compiling a well made fifty before falling to a brilliant catch by Dravid diving low to his right. Gambhir continued his good form and he was unlucky to reach his century finally falling for 86. The Delhi Daredevils finished at 191 for 5, a tough ask for the Bangalore outfit.

The Royal Challengers needed a flying start to give them the confidence to chase a big total. But this was not to be as Praveen Kumar, a surprise pick for the openers slot, fell to McGrath in the very first over. The Uttar Pradesh all-rounder tried to flick the ball over midwicket but spooned a simple catch to Dhawan in the circle.

Much depended on Kiwi Ross Taylor, who was the best batsman on view in the Bangalore team so far in the IPL. He started with a flat six over long leg off the bowling off McGrath. Taylor made his liking for the midwicket area known to the opposition, aiming at that area off almost every delivery. McGrath got his man in the next over when Taylor slogged a slower ball into the safe hands of Dhawan at the square leg boundary. Jaffer followed suit soon, falling in the same over to McGrath.

Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid came to the crease and the two played themselves in without going for the big hits. With the asking rate climbing to over 10 runs an over, the risks were bound to be taken. Dravid and Kallis both tried to go after the bowling but they only managed to find the fielders. The frustration grew as the asking rate grew further, with only one over of significance bowled by Rajat Bhatia going for 14 runs.

Spinner Daniel Vettori was very economical, strangling the batsmen and not giving them any room to play their shots. The pressure created by him showed with Dravid being dismissed by McGrath in the 16th over off a leading edge to cover. At the time of DravidÂ's dismissal, the Royal Challengers needed 52 runs form 24 balls and this was a bit too much to ask from Kallis and the other batsmen to follow.

Kallis fell after being tied down by Daniel Vettori and a last over of 19 runs reduced the margin of defeat for Bangalore, but they will have to come up with miraculous performances to lift themselves from the bottom of the league.