Chennai Super Kings defeats Deccan Chargers

Splendid top order batting, combined with devastating bowling, helped Chennai Super Kings record its third win on the trot as it outclassed Deccan Chargers by 78 runs in an action-packed Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match here on Monday.

Chennai Super Kings had posted an impressive 178 for three after opting to bat.

Deccan Chargers never recovered after a catastrophic start and was bundled out for 100 in 14.4 overs.
Counterattack

Had there not been a counter-attack by Dwayne Smith (49) and Rohit Sharma (21), Deccan Chargers would have slumped to a more humiliating defeat.

Deccan Chargers had no idea that a disastrous start was waiting for it as its top three batsmen — Adam Gilchirst (0), Herschelle Gibbs (0) and V.V.S. Laxman (0) — went back without bothering the scorer.

From here, Smith and Rohit revived the innings with a dramatic 72-run stroke-filled partnership, but could not finish it off for their side.

Shadab Jakati excelled for Chennai Super Kings, picking up four wickets, but it was the pace duo of Albie Morkel (two for 24) and Sudeep Tyagi (one for 9) who set the platform for an exciting win.

[the article was originally published at http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/06/stories/2009050656371900.htm]

Laxman will play a huge role says Gilchrist

Cape Town: VVS Laxman's bat might not have done the talking so far but Deccan Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist remains unperturbed and said the Hyderabad would bounce back and play a huge role in the upcoming matches.

Laxman, who was the captain in the first edition of the Indian Premier League, scored just 10 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders and five in yesterday's match against Bangalore Challengers but Gilchrist said he was not at all concerned.

"Look I have got no concern there. His innings today showed plenty of intent. He is as keen as anyone else to make sure that he plays his role in this team. It's early days and I have got no doubt that he can play a huge part in us going forward," Gilchrist said.

The former Australian wicketkeeper also lavished praise on his deputy Rohit Sharma and pacer RP Singh, saying the two have donned the role of senior players in the team very well and are leading by example.

"Look Rohit as he did last year in the IPL what a world class player he is. He has been contributing to India in a very solid manner for a few years now. So too, RP. He has come back well from injury, RP. In the months leading up to a few tours for India he was out injured. He has come back really strongly. His work ethic at the moment is just fantastic."

"In fact, all the boys are just working really hard on extra fitness, extra training. So that's really pleasing. That's what we wanted to do, just to lift our tempo a little bit," Gilchrist said.

"So those two guys as senior players though they are young men. They have senior roles in the team. It's nice to see them leading and the other players following," he said.

Tagged as laggards last year, the Chargers have started off with a flier in the second IPL and Gilchrist said they have worked on certain areas to clear the chinks in their Armour.

"There are a number of things that we identified that we needed to fix. I won't go into great detail into them. We have worked hard in certain areas," he said after the 24-run win against Bangalore Royal Challengers yesterday. We have started with a very impressive performance in the first game. We have backed up again here probably not quite convincing. But certainly positive signs so we will just keep training to replicate those things in the next game," he added.

[the article was originally published at http://cricket.expressindia.com/news/laxman-will-play-a-huge-role-gilchrist/450424/]

Buchanan's captaincy theory absurd - Wadekar

Bangalore: Hitting out at Kolkata Knight Riders coach John Buchanan’s multiple captains’ theory as ‘another case of over-experimentation’, former India captain and coach Ajit Wadekar said that this theory will never work in cricket.

The southpaw also lambasted Buchanan for his comments on Indian senior batsmen like Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and V V S Laxman, questioning their fitness to play in the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) in South Africa.

"Buchanan is just making a mockery of Twenty20 in particular and cricket in general. I don’t think this theory will work even in football, where a captain’s role on the field is limited as all the moves are done by the coach or the manager of the team sitting in the players’ box.

"It really sounds very funny to me as a single captain takes all the decisions on the field in cricket for a full season. I can understand if the captain fails to deliver for a long time, then there is a need for the change otherwise it will only add to more confusion," Wadekar told Cricketnext.com on Sunday.

"I was shocked to read somewhere that Sri Lankan skipper Kumara Sangakkara, who is definitely one of the most intelligent cricketers of modern times, saying he welcomed this theory. My question to him is will he be able to deliver the goods as captain if there are constant interferences from others during a tour? Leave alone in cricket, this theory may not work in any sport," he added.

"if Bachanan gets his way and implements this theory in South Africa, it will be a real disaster for the team. Because the players will be so confused with four different theories from four different captains, that they will be caught in two minds while attempting even basic things and in cricket if you are in two minds nothing will work for sure," Wadekar observed.

"You can take the present England team as an example, they have a very decent team but the players are totally confused to do even simple things on the field because the captaincy has changed hands as many as five times in the past one year or so. You just can’t have too many cooks as it is bound spoil the broth," he added.

"The best thing for Kolkata team is to allow Sourav Ganguly to continue as captain for the first ten or twelve matches and if he fails to deliver, then think about a change for the rest of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

"I also don’t agree with Buchanan’s observation that Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and V V S Laxman are too old to play in the IPL as age has got nothing to do with playing any form of cricket as long as they are fit mentally and physically," Wadekar pointed out.

"Moreover, when you are playing any form of domestic cricket, the pressure is less and I don’t see any harm in the three seniors playing as they still have lot of cricket left in them and are quite fit," he added.

[credit: http://cricketnext.in.com/news/buchanans-captaincy-theory-is-absurd-wadekar/39524-13.html]