| COMMENTARY |
|
Mumbai Indians win by nine runs Over 20 Nayar 1-1-W-4-1-1 : 139-6 - With all of Mumbai's best bowlers bowled out, Nayar is tasked with sending down the final over. WICKET! He bowls off a half-run to take the pace off, and after a couple of singles McCullum is caught after slashing out to deep cover. Wriddhiman Saha gets the next ball away to the cow corner boundary, but a couple of singles mean that Kolkata fall short. Over 19 Malinga 1-1-0-1-0-1+W : 130-5 - There's a brief hold-up for some reason which no-one except the two batsmen and two umpires know, and then Malinga sends down a very tight over. WICKET! The pressure builds and builds, and leads to Hodge being run out coming back for a second. McCullum will be on strike for the final over, with Kolkata needing 19 to win! Over 18 Khan 1-W-1-4-1-1 : 126-4 - WICKET! Tendulkar forgives Khan for his costly overstep in his last over and backs him to come good, and it pays off beautifully. You could say the bowler gets a bit lucky because he bowls a full toss, but it still does the damage as Shukla backs away, misses and then watches as his off-stump cartwheels back towards the keeper. Brendon McCullum comes out to bat and has the perfect opportunity to take his side to victory here, but it's Hodge who slashes a full toss over backward point for four. It's still too tight to call. Kolkata need 23 to win from 12 balls. Over 17 Malinga 1-1-0-1-1wd-1-2 : 118-3 - Apart from an off-side wide, it's a superb over from Malinga as the match continues to swing back and forth. Kolkata need 31 runs to win from 18 balls, and while you'd back them to do that it's still anyone;s game from here on in. Over 16 Khan 1-1-1nb-6-1-1-2 : 111-3 - The pressure is on here, and this is a massive over so Tendulkar brings back Zaheer Khan. It all goes very well until he oversteps and Hodge hammers the free hit over long-off for six. Napier was out on the boundary and did his best to stop it with a flying leap, but couldn't quite get there. The rest of the over is fantastic, but that one mistake means Kolkata keep up with the rate. Kolkata need 38 runs to win off 24 balls.
Over 15 Napier 4-4-0-1-W-1 : 98-3 - Napier is back into the attack, overpitches and has Hodge scream a four down the ground as straight as an arrow. Hodge then brings up his 50 - off just 34 balls - with an edge past the 'keeper for four more as Napier hangs his head in despair. Oh dear, Hodge steals a single and appears to have done his ankle in the process. It's time for a bit of a break, as support staff tends to Hodge's cranky ankle. WICKET! Napier spews out a rank full toss, van Wyk tries but fails to get under it and Duminy takes a good catch diving forward from long-on. Still no McCullum, as Shukla comes out to bat.
Over 14 Harbhajan 0-4-1-0-1-1 : 88-2 - Hodge sweeps powerfully four as Bhajj's decision to come over the wicket to the right-hander pains his team. He goes back to around the wicket and has van Wyk reverse-sweep him to no avail.
Over 13 Malinga wd-1-0-2-1-0-1 : 81-2 - The spearhead returns with a horrid leg-side wide before more errant line allows van Wyk to steer two to fine-leg and then scamper a single with a dive to make his ground in time at the non-striker's end.
Over 12 Harbhajan 0-4-2-2-0-2 : 75-2 - Hodge fails to puncture the gap on the on-side but then more makes up for it with a reverse-paddle for four, some deft timing with a guide to third man for two and then two more with a late cut. More superb placement sees Hodge lap two more through the leg-side as midwicket runs around to cut off the potential boundary. 10 runs off the over, handy stuff this for Kolkata.
Over 11 Napier 1-1-1-1-0-1 : 65-2 - Hodge and van Wyk ease back into proceedings after the slight interval, as Napier's bulky medium-pacers continue to prove relatively economical for the time being.
Over 10 Nayar 1-1-wd-0-1-1-0 : 60-2 - A host of singles and a wide too boot bring up the 50-run stand between Hodge and van Wyk as the strategic break rolls into play. Over 9 Napier 0-0-6-1-1-2 : 54-2 - Napier returns to the attack, with news filtering through that he has been included in England's World Twenty20 squad. Hodge does not care for the Englishman's new-found status, heaving him over long-on for six before lacing a single to midwicket. One to third man and two more to deep square-leg end the over, as the tactical timeout nears. Over 8 Nayar 0-0-2-2-1-0 : 44-2 - The part-time medium-pacer enters the attack and spills a relatively easy return catch as Hodge's uppish drive rides Lady Luck to its full extent. Two runs to deep cover sees old-timer Jayasuriya putting in the hard yards as the Aussie fetches two more and the required rated edges that much closer to nine to the over. Over 7 Jayasuriya 1-1-6-wd-wd-1-1-1 : 39-2 - The Sri Lankan round-arm spinner comes onto bowl and Hodge promptly sails six high over the fence behind the bowler. My oh my that's a biggie and the fourth umpire brings on a new ball as its successor is well and truly a goner. The spinner then slips up some more, spewing out a couple of wides before a string of singles end a rather expensive over for defending Mumbai. Over 6 Harbhajan 0-0-0-0-4-1- : 26-2 - Van Wyk tries to run himself out but Bhajji will have none of that, fluffing the return throw at the non-striker's end, instead knocking the stumps with his hand and not the ball. He celebrates the 'run-out' regardless, but replays soon put him in his place. Hodge, meanwhile, takes it all in his stride and screams four down the ground for good measure. That's the end of the Powerplay too. Over 5 Malinga 0-4-0-0-1-1 : 21-2 - It's another bowling change, as the Sri Lankan pace ace and currently the IPL's leading wicket-taker comes into the attack. He kicks off his spell with an errant leg-side line, which sees van Wyk's deft timing find four to the fine-leg fence. Thereafter, it's more of the steadfast same we've come to expect from Malinga, as the Kolkata twosome dig out a couple of yorkers. Over 4 Harbhajan 0-1-0-1-0-0 : 15-2 - Key moment this, as the spinner enters the attack well inside the batting Powerplay. Hodge and van Wyk are far too tentative with their strokeplay, and will have to do a lot better than this next over up. Bhajji, as usual, gets a decent amount of purchase off the track straight away. Over 3 Zaheer 4-W-0-wd-0-0-4 : 13-2 - WICKET! Gayle smear four through long-on but that's his last scoring shot of the day, as next ball up, he inside-edges a slower delivery and listens in despair as the 'death rattle' ensues. That delivery was far too full to pull. Out comes van Wyk, Kolkata's top-scorer last time out. He starts off in a shaky manner, missing a good ol' hack outside the off-stump before correcting that with a well timed punch through cover for four. Over 2 Napier 1-0-1-lb-0-0 : 4-1 - No Malinga with the new ball, then, as the Englishman opens the attack alongside Zaheer. As it is, the move proves to be an economical one for the time being, as Hodge and Gayle bide their time with a single apiece accompanied by a lovely, little leg-bye. Over 1 Zaheer 0-0-1-W-0-0 : 1-1 - Approaching from over the wicket to the left-hander, Khan squares Gayle up before the Windies stars finds the gap on the off-side for one. WICKET! So much for that promotion, then, as 'Dada' halfheartedly wafts outside the off-stump, fetches the inside edge and mopes off for a first-ball quacker as the umpire corrects his well rattle stumps. Next in is Hodge, who too may as well have opened the batting. Here we go again, as Ganguly - not McCullum, Gayle, Mumbai and the umpires head out to the middle again. Can Kolkata win today? We don't think so, but you might beg to differ. Let's hear from you here. Perhaps McCullum should be downsized from captain to benchwarmer, he ain't providing runs or results at the moment. Mumbai finish on 148 for six, with no thanks to Jayasuriya and Tendulkar but plenty Duminy. Sanath failed to contribute while Sachin got out at a key juncture, while Harbhajan's promotion up the order failed to pay off. Again the slower bowlers - Gayle, Kartik and Hodge - had the biggest say on the economy rate, while pace aces Dinda and Sharma did alright on the slow-ish track. Stick around for the pursuit, it should be a cracker. Over 20 Dinda 1-1-6-1-1-5 : 148-6 - Nike headband and all, Ashok is back for the last six balls of the innings. He cashes in as cover fields well to prevent a couple of fours, before overpitching that much more and fetching a massive six over long-on. A couple of hacks across the line for scampered singles leaves Duminy on strike for the final ball, who laces six more over the bowler's head to end the innings on a big-hitting note and bring up his half-ton in the process. Over 19 Ishant 4-2nb-b-1-1-W : 132-6 - Sharma's slower ball pans out to be a rank full toss, which feels the wrath of Duminy's great timing for four through cover. The bowler then spews out another full toss, which Duminy loops into the air for a return catch to the bowler, but it's a no-ball and Ishant is well livid, slamming the ball into the ground in frustration. WICKET! He finally pitches one, leaving Rahane's innovative but ultimately unsuccessful paddle to fall safely into the hands of Gayle stationed at short third man. Zaheer is the new man in now, and inside-edges for one to get off the mark. Over 18 Shukla 6-1-1-6-1-1 : 122-5 - The bloke beyond the fence at midwicket is left to grass a catch too as Duminy goes flat and hard for six at the return of Shukla's poor length. A couple of mandatory singles later, Duminy is back on the pull but this one's a lot more square and even further over the ropes. Shukla then rolls in the corrective measures, jamming in a couple of toe-tapping yorkers, which are duly kept out by the Mumbai duo. Over 17 M Kartik 1-1-4-lb-1-1 : 106-5 - Duminy brings up Mumbai's collective ton, timing superbly through extra four four as short midwicket McCullum misses out. The South African star must assume command now, as the Mumbai lower-order offers little in the way of batting expertise. Over 16 Gayle 1-0-1-2wd-4-W-1 : 97-5 - Gayle's allotment comes to an expensive but wicket-taking end as his quicker ball screams past the wicketkeeper for two wides, after which Napier smears four through midwicket. WICKET! Gayle tries the quicker ball again, this time it's on target and has the beating of the Englishman, who spoons a miscued pull to mid-on. Off he goes, and in comes Rahane, who watches from the non-striker's end s Duminy laces a single to deep extra cover. Over 15 Ishant 0-1-1-1-1-1 : 88-4 - Duminy and Napier are all too content to take the five singles on offer at the re-introduction of the pace spearhead. The field is a rather defensive affair, naturally, so their are gaps all over the place. Still, that run-rate sits below the six-run mark. Bore. Ouch. Over 14 Gayle 1-1-1-2-0-2 : 83-4 - Napier nails two through midwicket before repeating the stroke, this time via the aerial path. McCullum looks a gifthorse in the mouth and spills the catch, as Napier smiles wide and drives a celebratory two through cover. That dropped catch was the last thing Kolkata needed, as they look to lift themselves from the bottom of the IPL log. Over 13 M Kartik 1-0-2-0-0-0 : 76-4 - Napier is off the mark in a flash with two to sweeper-cover. He and Duminy would do well to play the spinner off the front foot a lot more than they are doing, instead they poke around on the back foot rooted in their crease. Over 12 Hodge 4-1-1-W-1-1 : 73-4 - WICKET! Nayar romps down the track and hammers four straight past bowler for four before doing trying something similar, missing and having his leg-stump rattled by the jubilant Hodge. The Aussie is extremely elated and Nayar's attempt to work the ball through midwicket only succeeded in yorking himself. Englishman Napier enters the arenan hoping to make a better go of his IPL than countryman Pietersen, Flintoff, Shah and Collingwood. Over 11 Gayle 1-1-0-0-1-lb : 65-3 - Gayle's little offies continue to do the shackling trick for Kolkata as he restricts the Mumbai Indians to just four runs this over as play gets underway after that blatant break for money-spinning advertising. Over 10 Hodge 0-1-1-1-1-1 : 61-3 - The Aussie part-time spinner, who surprisingly took a three-for the last time he turned his arm over in the IPL, comes into the attack. He should have another victim first ball up but umpire Erasmus turns down the lbw shout. That pitched in line, was going on to hit and Duminy is lucky to survive. Erasmus probably thought the sweeping South African had put in a big enough stride. He and Nayar tickle singles left, right and centre, as the strategic break rolls into play. You are on your own for the next seven minutes and 30 seconds. Over 9 Gayle 0-0-0-1-0-1 : 56-3 - Duminy and Nayar bide their time at the introduction of the second spinner, as the lanky West Indian whizzes through his opening over. The tactictal timeout nears and Mumbai may want to use it to contemplate the merits of sending in big-hitter Napier next to up their platry run-rate. Over 8 Agarkar 1-0-6-4-wd-W-0 : 54-3 - Tendulkar must've faced Agarkar a million times in the nets before, so he can almost predict the bowler's line and length. He does exactly this, dacing down the track twice on the trot, heaving six and then four down the ground. Agarkar then fancies he'll bounce the legend, but it's horribly pedestrian and loops over the right-hander's back. WICKET! Lo and behold, Sachin gets a rank full toss and smear it straight to McCullum to cover. The Kolkata captain and New Zealand wicketkeeper doesn't have the gloves today, van Wyk does, but pouches the catch with the utmost of ease. Next in is South African star Duminy, who believes he is playing a Test match and lets a delivery outside the off-stump float past without harm. Over 7 Shukla 0-2-0-0-0-0 : 42-2 - Tendulkar's punch down the ground for two is the sum total of Shukla's latest over, as the right-armer gets away with some overpitched fodder and a full toss. Sachin would be better off playing the ball on merit, his pre-meditation is leaving a lot to be desired at the moment. Abject deliveries are not to be wasted in Twenty20 cricket. Over 6 M Kartik 6-1-2-0-W-0 : 40-2 - Spin comes into play inside the Powerplay, as the left-armer gets an early over or two. Tendulkar isn't about to let his countryman settle in early on, dancing down the track and smashing a bigge over long-off four the first six of the day. Harbhajan's paddle to the leg-side brings a horrid top edge, which spills into no-man's land and two lucky runs accrue. WICKET! Harbhjan's pinch-hit comes to a quick end, as he laces through the on-side but watches in despair as midwicket Dinda takes a comfortable catch in the deep. Next in is Nayar, the bloke who took Andrew Flintoff for three sixes in one over earlier in the tourney. Over 5 Shukla 0-1-1-4-0-1 : 31-1 - Tendulkar reckons his bat is to blame for his sturreting knock thus far, so he calls for a new willow as Kolkata bring into being their first bowling change of the day. One to third man for Sachin and one to deep square-leg for Bhajji follow as Shukla can't find a consistent line. Tendulkar knows fine-leg is up in the circle, and duly glances fine for four before almost running himself out as the direct-hit from cover arrives a split-second too late. Another one of those uppish drives to mid-off concludes the over, as the Indian legend hogs the strike somewhat. Over 4 Dinda lb-W-wd-0-2-1-1 : 24-1 - WICKET! Jayasuriya looks to hit the cover off the ball over long-off but his massive swing through the line only manages a fat edge through to wicketkeeper van Wyk. Off he mopes for his second single-figure knock (the previous a duck, in fact) and in comes pinch-hitter Harbhajan, who pulls off a Dhoni-esque wield through the on-side for two to get off the mark and then miscues one to fine-leg. Tendulkar's timing and placement continues to falter, as he fails to pounce on a rank half-volley, merely driving it to mid-off for one. Over 3 Ishant 0-0-1-2b-0-0 : 18-0 - Sharma's lengthy run-up contiunes, as does Tendulkar's unwelcome penchant for the edge - this time offthe outside of the bat as third man fields well to keep it to one. Ishant then digs in a bouncer, Jayasuriya misses the pull, the wicketkeeper misses the regulation stop and the Mumbai duo trot through for two byes. An overpitched slower ball ends the over, but Jayasuriya's clip off the pads fails to beat midwicket so no runs. Just three off the over, a handy one for bottom-of-the-log Kolkata. Over 2 Dinda 4-0-1-0-0-1 : 15-0 - Ashok (and his trademark Nike headband) shares the new ball with Sharma from the Bunkers Hill end as Jayasuriya greets the zippy paceman with a slap over mid-off for four. A quick single to cover leaves the legendary Indian with the strike, who fails to find the gap on the off-side despite a host of solid drives before fetching a single behind square on the leg-side thanks to a hefty inside edge. Over 1 Ishant wd-1-wd-0-2-0-0-4 : 9-0 - India's pace as bowls the the Sri Lankan master blaster first up and slides a leg down the leg-side to begin on an errant note. Jayasuriya then prods forward and calls for a quick single to mid-off, almost running himself out at the non-striker's end but the fielder's throw is marginally off the mark. Tendulkar gets off the mark with a punch off the back foot for two, as point misfields and the man on the point fence has to clean up. Sachin then misses a wild slash outside the off-stump before failing to beat point off the back foot again, and by all accounts, McCullum's field is well set. No amount of astute placement can stop Tendulkar's inside edge though, which races past the wicketkeeper and two the fine-leg fence for four. We are good to go, as Jayasuriya, Tendulkar, the umpires and the Kolkata unit head out to the middle. Crowd: It's a public holiday in South Africa today - Worker's Day - so the droves are growing and we should be in for a cracking attendance this fine Friday. Pitch: Robin Jackman reckons sees past the lack of grass across the surface and predicts a slow track. Around 170 should be a good score today, Tendulkar, Jayasuirya and company, of course, will be aiming much higher than that. Weather: Mother Nature smiles wild across East London today, with Her glow particularly evident over Buffalo Park. Sunshine aplenty, oh yes.
Teams: Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Ajinkya Rahane, JP Duminy, Graham Napier, Abhishek Nayar, Saurabh Tiwary, Harbhajan Singh, Pinal Shah, Zaheer Khan, Lasith Malinga. Changes: Mumbai bring in Englishman Graham Napier as Dwayne Bravo gets a breather and Shikhar Dhawan makes way for Ajinkya Rahane. Kolkata, bottom of the stadings I might remind you, bravely name an unchanged team. Toss: Mumbai skipper Tendulkar has won it, and unsurprisingly, opted to wield the willow first up. First (of many) mails of the day: "Mumbai should ease to victory today. The Kings XI Punjab, although my favourate team, still need to improve. Ravi Bopara has been a great addition to not only the IPL but hopefully the England team. The highlight of the tournament has been the older generation - Matt Hayden, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and the mighty Adam Gilchrist - stepping to the fore." - Raaj Vilkhu. Well said, Raaj, the Mohali franchise are on show later today against Bangalore, but I'm sure you knew that anyway. East London gets its first taste of the IPL today. I lived in the lovely, little coastal town for 17 inspiring years before heading for Cape Town and I must say, the venue has come a long way since we parted ways in 1999. It's a much swankier affair these days, perfect for the glitz and glamour that proliferates this tourney. The pitch is traditionally slow-ish, but more of that in a bit. Kolkata kingpin Chris Gayle may decide to extend his IPL stay by two days and stick around for the game against the Kings XI Punjab on Sunday, according to the Times of India. Thereafter though, it's off to England for the big man, where he will lead the Windies against Andrew Strauss' posse in two Tests. First things first, I, Jonhenry Wilson, will be leading you through today's proceedings and as always I want to hear from you here. Praise for Mumbai, criticism for Kolkata or vice versa - all is welcome. Good morning/afternoon/evening to you and welcome to Cricket365's over-by-over coverage of game 23 of the 2009 Indian Premier League between the Mumbai Indians - fourth on the log - and the Kolkata Knight Riders - last on the log - at Buffalo Park in East London.
|