IPL 4 : CSK qualifies beating Kochi Tuskers in a drab match - new looks of MA Chidambaram Stadium

CSK continued their winning streak at home and qualified for the next round in IPL 4.  Both the wicket keepers selected for the West Indies were on view, though it was Dhoni who kept for CSK than Saha, who had a satisfactory outing with the bat.  Parthiv Patel captained the Kochi Tuskers and had a forgettable match – opened, struggled with the bat and displayed shoddy work behind the stumps – missed a catch, a couple of stumping chances and failed to collect the ball cleanly.  Perhaps we should think of having Ambati Rayudu or Uthappa for the Onedayers, especially for their batting prowess.  When Patel departed in over no.3, in walked little known G Rao and played a net innings of 19 off 17.  One loses counts of new faces in IPL and this was  Yalaka Gnaneswara Rao who has played for Andhra and is the brother of Y Venugopal Rao.

The façade of Chepauk has changed as also the crowds that throng the stadium.  It is extraordinarily lush green in the middle and all around the arena with sponsor logos displayed prominently.  There are advertisement banners everywhere and they keep changing.  The stadium once boasted of a big score board, which had big wheels representing scores – for a double digit score, two wheels would be rotated manually and inside that huge workhouse, there would be scores of men doing the scoring – all that is gone with new look electronic score boards.  There is too much of security cordon with much of hype.  Water bottles [the branded pet bottles] were also not allowed stating that they are available inside. 

How illogical ! People not allowed to carry their water bottles – if it is apprehended that some might throw them in, they are anyway sold inside the roof.  Only answer is ‘everyone trying to make quick bucks as corn that costs Rs.10 outside gets sold for Rs.40 inside – no body complains – anyway the prices of tickets have already touched the roof.    The Stadium was earlier known for its concrete roofs and strong round pillars which would hinder your vision in some angle – not any longer..  the stadium now sports canopies at a great height connected by steel wire ropes – cannot be a protection against sun as they are too high.  Around the stadium vehicles parked haphazardly – no concern for the other road user.. crowds and vehicles everywhere.. 

Somehow I felt it was not a great match  and Brad Hodge did a Misbah – attempting to hit too late and after the match was lost….  After the win yesterday, CSK now tops the table

Teams	Mat	Won	Pts	Net RR
Chennai Super Kings	13	9	18	0.544
Royal Challengers Bangalore	13	8	17	0.283
Mumbai Indians	12	8	16	0.245
Kolkata Knight Riders	12	7	14	0.403
Kings XI Punjab	13	7	14	0.271

It was a dull match for it showcased ordinary performance.   Prasanna Wriddhiman Saha was the unlikely hero – his 46 no of 33  had a solitary boundary and 3 over the ropes.  He exhibited limited strokes and steely resolve.  The big hitting Morkel played just 10 balls and did not get a chance to bowl !.   The ageing Muralidharan showed he is still agile on field with his attacking fielding and flat throw ins from the deep.

When it started Mike Hussey was bottled but Vijay smashed RP Singh for 3 fours in one over but was cleaned up soon.  Raina hit two sixers but got out to the same Sreesanth.  CSK did not exhibit any sense of urgency  and finished at 152/5 denying Dwayne Bravo a chance to free his arms, which was not good strategy. 

When Kochi chased, it was a repeat story.   Ashwin opened the bowling and throttled the bastmen.  The fielding was by and large good but not many challenges.  In the 15^th over, Hodge lifted Raina and Murali Vijay did not have to move an inch as the ball came descending down.  There was enough time and as crowd watched him, he contrived to put it down much to the chagrin of the Chennai crowd that was behind him.  Next time when it went high up, Hussey, Vijay and Bravo seemed getting under but none of them were near to catch the miscued hit.  Mccullum, Hodge, Gnaneswara Rao none showed any urgency and when the surge came in the penultimate over, it was too late.   In the closing stages, Raina kept his eyes on the ball as he ran backwards from backward square leg and took a good tumbling catch to send Ravindra Jadeja back.   At the 19^th – 38 off 12 balls – Bravo was hit for two sixers (2^nd & 3^rd balls – 6^th a four 19] – still 19^th from the last over was not to be on.

The match in progress 

Look at the canopies

The wire mesh bottom

The canopy and connecting wires 

Regards – S. Sampathkumar