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Journalism of Courage
As long as Michael Hussey was at the crease,Chennai Super Kings seemed safe. They were losing wickets at regular intervals at the other end,chasing 120 runs for victory on a slow Eden Gardens pitch. Hussey usually finishes off the job in such cases,but here in the 17th over,he uncharacteristically pulled one straight to deep square-leg.
The score was 89 for six and Chennai still needed 31 off 9 balls and the match was once more in the balance. Ravindra Jadeja,however,turned it around with a 14-ball unbeaten 36 on a track where everybody else struggled. In the low scoring game,the hurricane knock proved decisive and Chennai won by four wickets with five balls to spare. Having already picked up three wickets,he expectedly walked away with the Man of the Match award.
Putting up a fight
However,on a slow track and with the likes of Sunil Narine and Sachitra Senanayake to call upon,Kolkata would always put up a fight and so it proved. The Kolkata fans got their voices back midway into Chennais chase,when Dhoni was run out by Eoin Morgan. By then Ravichandran Ashwin promoted to open the innings with Hussey,Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina were all back in the dug-out. But this Chennai side has batting depth and despite the losses,they were always the favourites. And so it proved,as Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo finished things off with five balls to spare.
After failing to chase down 158 after being 106 for two in their last match against Punjab,Kolkata had to rework their batting strategy. They didnt change their overseas combination but dropped Manvinder Bisla and brought in Laxmi Ratan Shukla. Pathan,who had earlier opened for India in the inaugural World T20 final,was provided with an opportunity to bat upfront,while Debabrata Das was given the additional responsibility to keep wickets.
With Gambhir in great touch and Pathan striking the ball well,the new combination was working in the first few overs. But the visitors changed the game with their fielding. The 38-year old Hussey took a blinder at third man off Chris Morriss bowling to dismiss Gambhir and S Badrinath effected a run out from point with just one stump to aim at. Jacques Kallis had to depart without facing a ball and Kolkata lost two big wickets inside three deliveries. When the in-form Eoin Morgan got out attempting a cross-batted heave off Dwayne Bravo and then Manoj Tiwary ran Pathan out,Kolkata lost the momentum.
Kolkata once again lost wickets in a heap between 13 th and 16 th over as Debabrata Das,Tiwary,Rajat Bhatia and Laxmi Ratan Shukla departed. Suddenly they were in danger of getting bundled out below 100. A couple of lusty blows from Sunil Narine,however,ensured that the total got some respectability.
The below-par 119,however,was never going to be enough against Chennai. Kolkatas fielding standards were good over all but they missed two crucial chances. Senanayake failed to hit the stumps from near and Hussey was reprieved. Later,Pathan dropped Jadeja in the penultimate over. The lapses proved costly.
No playoffs in Chennai?
The IPL Governing Council is likely to shift the Qualifier and Eliminator matches from Chennai in order to allow respective teams with Sri Lankan players,freedom to choose their best playing eleven,according to sources. The council will be meeting in Chennai on Monday to decide the fate of the first Qualifier at the Chepauk on May 21 and the Eliminator on the following day. PTI
