IPL - FIRST SEMIS - MUMABI INDIANS HAVE THEIR WAY

You may not like the ways of IPL – lot of news on tax evasion, too many behind the screen activities, scores of betting and even some grapevine of match fixing. In all the murky scenario, the first Semi finals between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers was a real entertainer.


As usual there was much of pre match hype. Fans of Sachin want him to succeed irrespective of the format, opponent – to them Sachin should score and it did start with Sachin in the short knock of 9 balls executing two delectable boundaries - first trademark leg glance and next in the off. We were getting charged up expecting a great knock as Dale Steyn ran in. The ball was swinging and Kumble had just removed the second slip. The little master played on the up and Ross Taylor at short cover took a good catch. It was not even two overs – Sachin gone and score read at 11-1. disaster followed with some reckless running - Shikar Dhawan played on the leg side, charged for a non existent one, Nayar sent him back, KP messed up, Nayar screamed for over throw – Kohli did some smart work running in and hitting the bowler’s end with a neat throw; 3.4 and 29-2. Nayyar scratched around and in the 9th over got out to Pieterson. Duminy also failed. KP rotating his arms and not being hit was pathetic and he ended up with 1-20 in four. With not much of batting to come, MI were not poised for any high score.


Jumbo Kumble has his share of antics on field, though gentle off the field. He had Ambati Rayudu in the 18th over, score reading 144 in 17.4. Dhoni’s clan Saurabh Tiwary may not please aesthetics but scored plenty of runs in this version and he played a masterly innings scoring 51 of 31 with 4 mighty heaves over the rope and Kieron Pollard finished so nicely with a cameo of 33 in 13 enabling MI reach respectable 184. The shot by Tiwary straight off Kumble displayed brutal power. For the major part, it appeared RC had things in control and it was around 110 – Kallis was torn apart by Tiwary in the 16th for 17. Kumble had a similar fate befalling on him and Kumble was red; falling of Rayudu and advent of Pollard speeded up things with sixes of Vinay and Steyn.


Chasing a big total was never going to be easy and Kallis though successful has slowed down things fell cheaply out to a smart combination of Rayudu – Malinga. The not so regular Ambati Rayudu displayed efficient work behind the stumps with the stumping of KP off Harbhajan standing out. Bhaji bowled round the stumps and seeing KP charging down, pushed one down the leg – a wide very smartly collected and an acrobatic dive ensured kicking off the bails with KP stranded.


Robbie who did some smart glove work and has been in great nick this IPL smashed Bhaji around with two thumping sixers but hit one too early to the throat of Dhawan off Pollard and soon RCB were struck. A smart catch by Duminy on the line showed the exit of Manish Pandey. The star studded RCB folded up at 149 handing a 35 run victory to the consistent MI. the runs made by Ross Taylor in the end were not of much meaning.


The little master has piloted the MI all along – today though he did not contribute much and had to leave the field early trying to take a catch of Dravid – he felt convinced in taking but ended up with bleeding injury requiring some stitches. His team ensured a good overall display and an entry into finals for the first time in IPL for them.


In the extra match, RCB would play the loser of the day for the third position. It was really a good match to watch.


Regards – Sampathkumar.