Whistle Podu! Chennai are Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings were crowned Indian Premier League-3 champions after thumping Mumbai Indians by 22 runs in a thrilling summit clash here tonight.

Electing to bat, Chennai posted 168 for five, thanks to Suresh Raina's unbeaten 57 and then restricted Mumbai to 146 for nine to win their maiden IPL title in the grand finale at the packed D.Y. Patil Stadium.

Chennai though had to spend some anxious moments towards the close of Mumbai run chase with big-hitting Kieron Pollard threatening to almost singlehandedly win the match before he was out in the penultimate over for a 10-ball 27 which was studded with three fours and two sixes.

For Chennai, who have been playing in their second final after finishing runners-up to Rajasthan Royals in 2008, it has been a roller coaster ride having made it to the semifinal in their last league match.

Mumbai, who were playing in an IPL final for the first time, were the most consistent side in the tournament having won 10 of their 14 league matches, but they faltered at the final hurdle.

For Mumbai, captain Sachin Tendulkar, who declared himself fit for the grand finale after sustaining a right hand webbing split in first semifinal, top-scored with a 45-ball 48 which was studded with seven fours but he did not get enough support from his batting colleagues.

Tendulkar's 66-run stand from 58 balls for the second wicket with Abhishek Nayar was the only substantial partnership for Mumbai.

Left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati emerged the most successful Chennai bowler with two for 26 while Doug Bollinger, Albie Morkel, Muttiah Muralitharan and Suresh Raina took a wicket apiece.

Mumbai began their run chase of 169 on a shaky note with opener Shikhar Dhawan failing to score the opening over from Ravichandran Ashwin and was out in the second over bowled by Bollinger for an eight-ball duck.

Mumbai struggled for runs before Tendulkar and Nayar took 10 runs from the fifth over by hitting a four each off Ashwin.

Tendulkar, who celebrated his 37th birthday yesterday, then smote Albie Morkel for two fours to take Mumbai to 33 for one after the first power-play.

With off-spinner Muralitharan introduced in the seventh over, runs came in trickles and he was unlucky not to have got Nayar with Matthew Hayden dropping the batsman when on eight.

Nayar struck two sixes in as many balls off Jakati in the 10th over to take Mumbai score to 58 for one at the halfway mark.

With the asking rate over 11 by the 10th over, Mumbai looked like pressing the accelerator but they lost two wickets in the 12th over with Nayar and Harbhajan Singh returning to the hut in the space of five balls.

Nayar was run out for a 26-ball 27 after being sent back by Tendulkar and Harbhajan, who was surprisingly sent up the order, was LBW to Raina for just one.

Mumbai's hopes almost ended with the departure of Tendulkar in the 15th over and the veteran batsman, who wore the orange cap for being the tournament top scorer, was out while trying to pushed the run rate, holing out to Murali Vijay off Jakati.

Saurabh Tiwary, who have been in fine form in the tournament, followed Tendulkar three balls later as he holed out to Raina off Jakati for a duck.

Mumbai needed 68 from the last five overs and JP Duminy's (6) departure in the 17th over did not help the Mumbai cause.

But big-hitting Kieron Pollard, who was surprisingly sent in number eight, raised hopes of a stunning victory for Mumbai by singlehandedly taking 22 runs from the 18th over bowled by Bollinger.

Mumbai needed 33 runs from the last two overs but a mix up led to Ambati Rayudu's run out in the fifth ball of the penultimate over and next ball Pollard was out to end Mumbai's dreams of winning the title.

Earlier, Suresh Raina took advantage of some sloppy catching by Mumbai Indians as he struck an unbeaten 57 to pilot CSK to 168 for five.

The left-handed Raina, who came one down on team score of 44, was dropped twice - on 14 and 28 - before making a crucial 57 not out in 35 balls embellished with three sixes and as many fours.

But for Raina's knock and his 72-run partnership with his captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (22 in 15 balls) for the fourth wicket, CSK would have ended with a much lesser score.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Chennai made a decent start with openers Matthew Hayden (17) and Murali Vijay (26) putting on 44 runs.

The Mumbai Indians bowling attack then put an effective shackle on the batsmen on a wicket that offered good bounce but on which the ball stopped a bit on the batsmen.

For Mumbai, tall Sri Lanka pace bowler Dilhara Fernando emerged the most successful with 2 for 23 while Zaheer Khan and Kieron Pollard picked one wicket apiece.

Openers Hayden and Vijay started cautiously and saw off one over each from Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga before stepping on the accelerator.

It was the left-handed Hayden, who has been struggling in the tournament, who started the attack by hoisting Harbhajan over long on for the first six of the match in the third over.

Vijay then pulled Zaheer Khan into the stands beyond the mid-wicket area and then punched Malinga exquisitely to the extra cover fence for a four.

Malinga was then square cut by Hayden and the duo looked all-set for a big stand.

But Vijay fell caught just inside the boundary line off a skier by Saurabh Tiwary off Fernando. His 26 came off 19 balls and included two sixes and a four.

From 44 for one, it became 47 for two when Hayden, who survived a close leg before wicket appeal off Zaheer earlier, tried to charge out to Kieron Pollard and mistimed a pull to be caught behind by wicketkeeper Ambati Rayudu.

CSK progressed to 58 for two after 10 overs, sign that Mumbai have bounced back into the game.

Raina and S Badrinath (14) got together briefly before the latter got out, caught at fine leg for 14 off Fernando.

Then came the most fruitful stand of the innings between Raina and Dhoni. They put on 72 runs in 35 balls.

But after Dhoni fell in the 18th over, it was Raina -- who struck Pollard for two sixes in the 16th over in which the bowler conceded 29 runs -- who made sure that his team ended with a decent total.

Scorecard
Chennai Super Kings:
M Vijay c Tiwary b Fernando 26
M Hayden c Rayudu b Pollard 17
S Raina not out 57
S Badrinath c Malinga b Fernando 14
MS Dhoni c Fernando b Khan 22
A Morkel run out 15
S Anirudha not out 6
Extras: (LB-3, W-8) 11
Total: (for 5 wkts in 20 overs) 168
Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-47, 3-67, 4-139, 5-157.
Bowling: Harbhajan Singh 4-0-30-0, L Malinga 4-0-33-0, Z Khan 4-0-34-1, D Fernando 4-0-
23-2, K Pollard 4-0-45-1.

Mumbai Indians
S. Dhawan c Dhoni b Bollinger 0
S. Tendulkar c Vijay b Jakati 48
Abhishek Nayar runout (Dhoni) 27
Harbhajan Singh lbw Raina 1
A. Rayudu (wk) runout (Vijay) 21
S. Tiwary c Raina b Jakati 0
J.P. Duminy c Jakati b Muralitharan 6
K. Pollard c Hayden b Morkel 27
Zaheer Khan runout (Ashwin) 1
L. Malinga Not out 1
D. Fernando Not out 2
Extras(b:1 Lb:6 Nb:0 W:5) 12
Total (9 wickets, 20.0 Overs) 146

FoW: 1-1 (Dhawan, 1.4 ov), 2-67 (Abhishek Nayar, 11.2 ov), 3-73 (Harbhajan Singh, 11.6 ov), 4-99 (Tendulkar, 14.2 ov), 5-100 (Tiwary, 14.5 ov), 6-114 (Duminy, 16.6 ov), 7-142 (Rayudu, 18.5 ov), 8-142 (Pollard, 18.6 ov), 9-143 (Khan, 19.3 ov),

Bowling:
R Ashwin 4 1 24 0
D Bollinger 4 0 31 1
A Morkel 3 0 20 1
M Muralitharan 4 0 17 1
S Jakati 3 0 26 2
S Raina 2 0 21 1

Mumbai Indians storms into the final

Mumbai Indians stormed into the final of the DLF-IPL III defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore by 35 runs at the D.Y. Patil Stadium here on Wednesday.

Ross Taylor (31 not out, 30 balls) staged a lone battle as the visitor, chasing 185 for a place in the final, crumbled to 149 for nine in 20 overs. Kieron Pollard was adjudged the Man-of-the-Match.

Sachin Tendulkar was absent owing to injury to fingers from the fourth over onwards in RCB's innings.

Zaheer Khan stepped in to fill the breach. The skipper walked out at the finish to greet each teammate with a bear hug.

Rayudu's efficiency behind the stumps, three wickets by Kieron Pollard apart from a run-out, timely strikes by Harbhajan and J.P. Duminy's well-judged catch on the ropes were the highlights of Mumbai Indians's work on the field. A berth in the Champions League is the first reward.

RCB's batting response was entrusted to Dravid the opener, orthodox yet effective in using the pace generated by Zaheer Khan. He had the presence of mind to wait for the umpire's verdict when Tendulkar celebrated a catch at first slip. The Mumbai Indians captain walked off for treatment on injured fingers as the television umpire negated the catch.

Harbhajan's knack of making things happen, complemented by Rayudu's reflexes behind the stumps, resulted in Pietersen's exit. The off-spinner saw the batsman stepping out, bowled down the leg-side and the wicket-keeper finished the task with a flourish, diving sideways to take the bails off.

Uthappa left after a short burst, sweeping sixes off Harbhajan. Mumbai Indians appeared to have turned the tide when a fine piece of fielding by Pollard ran out Dravid (23 runs, 22 balls), collecting a throw from R. Sathish and flinging his body forward to effect a diving run-out, leaving RCB still to get a grip on the chase at the half-way mark (83 for two in 10 overs). Rayudu then latched on to an edge by Kohli.

Rayudu and Saurabh Tiwary, busy as bees earlier at the crease, put on 67 runs off 49 balls in a fifth-wicket stand when the RCB bowlers were on top.

Rayudu started with an imperious drive over the bowler's head, then scored 40 off 38 balls creating the launchpad for the big-hitters to follow. Tiwary cleared the ball with huge swings, using the bat like a sledgehammer for four sixes.

Mumbai Indians scored 184 for five thanks to a five-over blast from Tiwary and some clean-hitting by Pollard (33 not out off 13 balls). The West Indian smashed three sixes.

Mumbai Indians got a reality check about life without Tendulkar. The captain stretched outside the offstump to drive a Dale Steyn ball swinging away, scooped towards cover for Taylor to stun the home crowd into silence with a low, rolling catch. Kohli's sharp reaction cut short Shikhar Dhawan's short stint as five overs resulted in 39 runs and loss of both the openers.

Duminy's apprehensions against spin came true, startled by bounce from Kumble, angled across the left-hander. Pietersen kept plugging away at the other end, bowling flat and denying the batsmen pace off the track. Rayudu and Tiwary were patient, working the ball around for singles to rotate strike.

Tendulkar opted to bat after winning the toss, but Mumbai Indians gained momentum in the 14th over bowled by Kohli.

Tiwary cleared mid-wicket with a huge swing across for the first six as the home team crossed the 100-run milestone. He stepped out for his second six, a huge swing over long-on off Kallis in the 16th over.

The scores:

Mumbai Indians: S. Dhawan (run out) 12 (9b, 2x4), S. Tendulkar c Taylor b Steyn 9 (9b, 2x4), A. Nayar c Praveen b Pietersen 22 (18b, 2x4), A. Rayudu c Kallis b Steyn 40 (38b, 4x4), J-P. Duminy c Pietersen b Kumble 3 (4b), S. Tiwary (not out) 52 (31b, 3x4, 4x6), K. Pollard (not out) 33 (13b, 1x4, 3x6), Extras (lb-2, nb-2, w-9) 13; Total (for five wickets in 20 overs) 184.

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-29, 3-68, 4-77, 5-144.

Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling: Praveen 3-0-29-0, Steyn 4-0-43-2, Vinay 2-0-25-0, Kallis 2-0-25-0, Kumble 4-0-30-1, Pietersen 4-0-20-1, Kohli 1-0-10-0.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: J. Kallis c Rayudu b Malinga 11 (9b, 2x4), R. Dravid (run out) 23 (22b, 3x4), K. Pietersen st. Rayudu b Harbhajan 19 (14b, 2x4), R. Uthappa c Dhawan b Pollard 26 (13b, 2x4, 2x6), R. Taylor (not out) 31 (30b, 1x4, 1x6), V. Kohli c Rayudu b Pollard 9 (7b, 1x4), M. Pandey c Duminy b Pollard 5 (9b), Praveen b Harbhajan 1 (2b), Vinay b Malinga 8 (8b), D. Steyn b Fernando 5 (5b, 1x4), A. Kumble (not out) 1 (2b), Extras (nb-1, w-7, lb-2) 10; Total (for nine wickets in 20 overs) 149.

Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-47, 3-81, 4-81, 5-97, 6-108, 7-118, 8-134, 9-146.

Mumbai Indians bowling: Zaheer 4-0-34-0, Fernando 4-0-28-1, Malinga 4-0-24-2, Harbhajan 4-0-44-2, Pollard 4-0-17-3.

Mumbai up for Royal Challenge

For the second time in five days, the Royal Challengers Bangalore come up against familiar foes in table toppers, the Mumbai Indians. The last time the two teams met there was more than just cricket on their minds as the shocking blasts at the Chinnaswamy Stadium took the sheen away from the game.
Credit to the teams that they turned out like professionals and played the game under extreme pressure in a match that didn’t have any bearing on their progress. Of course, the bombings did have a victim in the fact that Bengaluru lost out on hosting the semis with Mumbai being hastily put up for the show. But then Mumbai are always geared up for it.
The Sachin Tendulkar-led team had already ensured themselves a place in the semis and though the Challengers lost that game, they didn’t lose the plot, making the last four on the strength of their previous performances.
As such when they clash on Wednesday, in the first semifinal of the IPL at the super-dapper D.Y. Patil Stadium, there will be much more than a grudge at stake.
For the Challengers, who have had a 50-50 record in the league with seven wins from 14 games, it will be a huge task against the explosive Indians. Not only do they have to play out of their skins to get past the local outfit but they also have the important matter of getting out of the rut.
Having lost four out of their last six games, Anil Kumble has a huge responsibility of lifting the team for their biggest match of this season; the Challengers have swung between the brilliant and the ordinary and the fact that they squeezed into the semis, edging out the Delhi Daredevils, on a better run rate than on the power of their wins should itself be a wake-up call.
Against the Indians it will be suicidal to even think of getting on the field without being fully prepared. Of course, the Mumbai Indians lost their last inconsequential match to the Kolkata Knight Riders but it was mainly because they rested five of their top stars and allowed their bench strength to get a feel of the league.
On paper, the sides are fairly evenly matched with explosive batsmen in both the line-ups, but where the Indians outscore the Challengers is in their ability to push themselves to greater heights.
Tendulkar has been the unstoppable force for the home team, powering away to the top of the run charts and he has been ably supported by a middle order which has the likes of Ambati Rayudu, Saurabh Tiwary and J.P. Duminy to go with the intimidating presence of the giant West Indian, Kieron Pollard.
The power of their batsmen has given their bowlers, Zaheer Khan, Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh the liberty to go full tilt at the opposition and rivals have wilted under the sustained onslaught.
For Kumble, the problem lies with his batsmen; Manish Pandey has been completely out of sorts this season while the big-hitting Ross Taylor, despite six games, hasn’t been able to get on. Also the tendency of Jacques Kallis to slow things down after the Power Play has hurt the Bangalore outfit and there could be a little rejig in the batting order. The biggest issue will be on deciding on Rahul Dravid or Kevin Pietersen at the No. 3 slot but then again, it will depend on the start by the openers.
The Challengers’ bowling looks healthy with Dale Steyn, Praveen Kumar and Vinay Kumar being supported by the increasingly promising Pankaj Singh and with Kumble himself itching to bowl, the Indians will be wary of their familiar foes.