The Hindu : Sport : Gilchrist sets up Chargers’ second win

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Gilchrist sets up Chargers’ second win

Nandita Sridhar

Chennai Super Kings top order fails to fire again

— Photo: V. Ganesan

LEADING THE CHARGE: Captaining in place of V.V.S. Laxman, Deccan Chargers’ Adam Gilchrist was in command throughout the match against Chennai Super Kings, first while marshalling his bowlers and then while wading into the rival attack.

Chennai: A series of self-inflicted dismissals saw the Chennai Super Kings manage just 144 for seven, in the IPL match against the Deccan Chargers at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. Adam Gilchrist’s savagery took the Chargers to a comfortable seven-wicket win, on Tuesday.

Gilchrist, never inclined at buying time, was severe on Makhaya Ntini. Twenty20 and Chennai’s score agreed well with the left-hander. The license to attack was used to maximum effect. Nitini was censured for his length, when the left-hander struck two sixes, one over mid-wicket and the other over mid-on.

The front-foot moved just enough for the execution to materialise. The 36-ball 54 had seven fours and two sixes, and ended when S. Badrinath at point took an excellent catch off Albie Morkel.

With Gilchrist having set it up for the Chargers, Scott Styris ensured the win for the visiting side. It was the Chargers’ second win in seven matches.

Hand injury

Gilchrist captained the Deccan Chargers after V.V.S. Laxman missed out due to a hand injury. Upfront, his decision to bowl was rewarded in quick time. Chennai opener Parthiv Patel managed a Hayden-like cut off opening bowler D.P. Vijaykumar for four in the innings’ first over. Parthiv failed to replicate the explosive opener in an attempted hook that found R.P. Singh in the same over.

Vijaykumar, who dropped Patel off his bowling, saw Sanjay Bangar miss a chance offered by Stephen Fleming. Fleming and S. Anirudha’s period of discomfort had to end, either way. Anirudha freed himself from misery, going for a poorly executed pull that found Shahid Afridi.

Fleming’s boundaries were burdened with compulsion. He regularly played and missed, each miss adding to the pressure to connect.

Styris began with a dangerous lack of pace. The left-hander gave himself room and hit through off, but found Rohit Sharma in an inspiring bit of fielding at the covers.

Against Shahid Afridi in the latter’s first over, Suresh Raina swept and thereafter steered fine for boundaries. Badrinath rewarded Afridi for a poor wide delivery, with a half-hearted cut that allowed Herschelle Gibbs a fling at backward point to complete an outstanding catch.

Desperate running

Captain M.S. Dhoni and Raina began a partnership that punctuated labour with the odd pressure-relieving boundary. The running was desperate, but the situation called for athleticism.

The partnership didn’t last long for Chennai. Cover-point was kept busy yet again, when Raina offered Rohit a chance. Dhoni followed soon with a sweep that deceived him, and instead managed a bottom edge that found the pad, the back of his bat, and Afridi at point off left-arm spinner P. Ojha.

The innings’ first six came when Morkel’s massive hit over mid-wicket travelled 124 metres off Ojha. Manpreet Gony managed two huge sixes in the final over to take Chennai to its score.

The scores: Chennai Super Kings: Parthiv c R.P. Singh b Vijaykumar 4, S. Fleming c Rohit b Styris 14, S. Anirudha c Afridi b R.P. Singh 1, S. Raina c Rohit b S. Bangar 32, S. Badrinath c Gibbs b Afridi 0, M.S. Dhoni c Afridi b Ojha 23, A. Morkel (not out) 29, Joginder b R.P. Singh 16, M.S. Gony (not out) 15; Extras: (lb-6, wd-4) 10; Total: (20 overs, seven wickets) 144.

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-15, 3-33, 4-43, 5-82, 6-86, 7-124.

Deccan Chargers bowling: Vijaykumar 3-0-17-1, R.P. Singh 3-0-12-2, Styris 3-0-24-1, Afridi 3-0-27-1, Bangar 4-0-36-1, Ojha 4-0-22-1.

Deccan Chargers: A. Gilchrist c Badrinath b A. Morkel 54, H. Gibbs c & b Gony 10, S. Styris (not out) 36, Rohit c Badrinath b Muralitharan 23, S. Afridi (not out) 20; Extras: (lb-1, wd-2, nb-2) 5; Total: (three wickets, 18 overs) 148.

Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-78, 3-125.

Chennai Super Kings bowling: Nitini 4-0-37-0, Gony 3-0-15-1, Morkel 4-0-26-1, Joginder 3-0-45-0, Muralitharan 4-0-24-1.

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