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Adam’s eve
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Sania gets easy opponent
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Adam’s eve
A knockout punch in the shape of a blistering Adam Gilchrist innings (85 off 35 balls) floored Delhi Daredevils to end their campaign in the 2009 Indian Premier League. The fragility of being favourites in Twenty20 was firmly established as Deccan Chargers, who had barely squeezed into the semi-finals, romped home by six wickets.
Gilchrist has always played his cricket with a buccaneering splendour. His half century in 21 balls was the fastest ever in IPL. With 10 fours and five thundering sixes he inflicted irreparable damage. With a platform of 102 for three in 10 overs when he exited, Chargers to reached their target of 154 with 14 balls to spare. Dirk Nannes, left-arm quick, is one of the discoveries of this competition. Yet, the faster he bowled, the harder the veteran hit him. With characteristically economical back-lift, he pummelled his young countryman for five fours in the first over, including two superlative straight drives. Ashish Nehra interrupted the mayhem by disfiguring Herschelle Gibbs’ stumps with one that swung in. But Gilchrist lofted Pradeep Sangwan in the next over for six to midwicket; and didn’t spare Nehra either, thumping a full toss from him – a free hit - for a straight half a dozen. Greater massacre followed, as he hammered Virender Sehwag for three maximums off consecutive balls. Spin, though, halted the riot. Amit Mishra arrested the flow with a couple of tight overs, before Gilchrist top-edged him to point. Notwithstanding the onslaught, the little leg-spinner returned figures of three for 19. Andrew Symonds swung him to midwicket for a six, but was consumed off the next ball at long on. It’s autumn in the southern hemisphere; and the aesthetically planted trees on the grassy banks for spectators were bare. But the ground was almost full. Indeed, bar the noise pollution, everything was perfect. The pitch, though, was pensive. Daredevils started inauspiciously, after being inserted by Gilchrist; both openers departed in the very first over. Gautam Gambhir slashed at the fifth ball from Ryan Harris only to give catching practice to thirdman. Next ball, David Warner cut fiercely, but Gibbs non-chalantly held on to a blinder. Harris eventually claimed three for 27. Zero for two; but what a riposte Sehwag and Dilshan (65) mounted. The latter set the tone by hooking R P Singh for six just wide of square leg. The captain transacted in classy and intelligent boundaries, including chipping the ball safely over the infield in the first six overs of power play. 83 runs erupted in their nine over association. But the “time out”, which disturbs a batsman’s concentration, resulted in a wicket in the over after resumption – Sehwag lbw to Symonds as he played across. But Dilshan in the company of Abraham de Villiers motored on. His 50 surfaced in the 14th over as he square drove Harmeet Singh for a boundary. de Villiers now opened his shoulders, slog sweeping Pragyan Ojha to midwicket for a maximum. In the 17th over, Rohit Sharma tossed one up to Dilshan, but Gibbs of all people spilled the chance at long on. To add insult to injury, de Villiers smashed the next ball over Gibbs’ head for six; but was caught behind attempting a cut RP in the first ball of the following over. With the overs disappearing, Dinesh Karthik wasted little time in hooking Harris to long leg for half a dozen; but was bowled in the same over – the 19th – by a yorker. Dilshan was run out off the second last ball of the innings attempting a non-existent second. Scoreboard Delhi Daredevils: Gambhir c Singh b Harris 0 (5) Warner c Gibbs b Harris 0 (1) Sehwag lbw b Symonds 39 (31) Dilshan run out 65 (51) de Villiers c Gilchrist b RP 26 (21) Karthik b Harris 9 (8) Bhatia c Venugopal Rao b RP 4 (2) Mishra run out 0 (1) Sangwan not out 0 (1) Extras (b 5, w 4, nb 1) 10 Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 153 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-0, 3-85, 4-133, 5-145, 6-151, 7-153, 8-153. Bowling: Harris 4-1-27-3, RP 4-0-33-2, Ojha 3-0-27-0, Symonds 3-0-20-1, Harmeet 3-0-15-0, Rohit 3-0-26-0. Deccan Chargers: Gilchrist c Nannes b Mishra 85 (35) Gibbs b Nehra 0 (2) Bilakhia st Karthik b Mishra 10 (20) Suman not out 24 (25) Symonds c Warner b Mishra 24 (15) Rohit not out 5 (11) Extras (w 4, nb 2) 6 Total (4 wickets; 17.4 overs) 154 Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-91, 3-102, 4-137. Bowling: Nannes 3-0-38-0, Nehra 4-0-38-1, Sangwan 2.4-0-21-0, Dilshan 3-0-13-0, Sehwag 1-0-25-0, Mishra 4-0-19-3. Player of the match: Gilchrist |
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Mahi way or the highway
Centurion, May 22 Both the teams have taken contrasting routes to reach the last-four stage as Chennai dominated in the first-half of the league stage before suffering some close defeats while Bangalore gradually picked up after the change of guard in their team. Bangalore was one of the two bottom placed teams in the first edition and have done a remarkable job this season. They have turned around things for themselves amazingly under the inspiring leadership of Anil Kumble and it will not be a surprise if they go on and crush the Chennai dream of winning the title. But for that to happen Bangalore bowlers have to produce something extraordinary as the Chennai batting troika of Matthew Hayden, Suresh Raina and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in a rampaging form. Hayden has treated the bowlers with utter disdain in the tournament and with his powerful and sensible batting he single handedly romped Chennai home in some matches. The diminutive Raina is a precious asset for the team with his all round abilities. With bat, he is in good touch right from the start of the tournament and also did a remarkable job with the ball. Dhoni, the skipper with midas touch, has also found his rhythm, shrugging off the initial lean patch. Bangalore had kept themselves in the hunt after overwhelming Chennai when the two teams contested on May 14 but to do an encore they will have to play out of their skins. — PTI
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Won’t bet on return returning next year: McGrath
“I am contracted for another year with Delhi, but that is a long way away. Right now, I would not bet on myself returning,” added McGrarth, who was signed by Delhi for $350,000 for three years. |
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Not gunning for Army after ton
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Paris, May 22 Top seed Nadal will begin his campaign against a qualifier, but then could run straight into Australian former world number one Hewitt, who showed his claycourt ability in April when he won the Houston event. Nadal, who has never lost at Roland Garros, beat Hewitt in the fourth round here in 2005 and 2006. Hewitt, battling back from hip surgery last year, and now ranked at 50 in the world, first faces 26th seed Ivo Karlovic. The giant Croatian shocked Wimbledon in 2003 when he knocked the Australian, who was the defending champion, out in the opening round. Claycourt specialist David Ferrer, twice a quarter-finalist, is a possible fourth round opponent with Verdasco, the eighth seed, a likely last eight rival. Second seed Roger Federer, still searching for an elusive Roland Garros title to add to his 13 majors, and having lost the last three finals here to Nadal, starts against Spain’s Alberto Montanes. Second seed, and 2002 champion Serena Williams, faces the Czech Republic's Klara Zakopalova in the first round while sister Venus, the third seed, meets fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands. Former world number one Maria Sharapova, who has just returned from almost 10 months on the sidelines because of a shoulder injury, is unseeded and faces Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus. Sharapova could meet fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva in the fourth round. — AFP
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Sania gets easy opponent
New Delhi: Sania Mirza, India’s first female Grand Slam winner, will open her French Open campaign against Kazakhstan's Galina Voskoboev, ranked 95 in the world. Sania, ranked 91, is expected to cross the first hurdle but the Indian can run into a really tough opponent in the second round where she could meet formidable seventh seed Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is pitted against Claire Feuerstein of the host nation in her opening round.
Sania enjoys a 1-0 lead over Voskoboev with the Indian defeating her Kazak rival in straight sets in San Diego in 2005 in their only outing. The Indian ace had skipped the last French Open, in fact the entire clay court season, due to a wrist injury. Sania has never moved beyond the second round here and it will be herculean task for her to improve her record. Sania has had a wonderful start to the season as she annexed her first Grand Slam title, winning the mixed doubles title at Australian Open with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.
— PTI |
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A knockout punch in the shape of a blistering Adam Gilchrist innings (85 off 35 balls) floored Delhi Daredevils to end their campaign in the 2009 Indian Premier League. The fragility of being favourites in Twenty20 was firmly established as Deccan Chargers, who had barely squeezed into the semi-finals, romped home by six wickets.
Paris, May 22
New Delhi: Sania Mirza, India’s first female Grand Slam winner, will open her French Open campaign against Kazakhstan's Galina Voskoboev, ranked 95 in the world. Sania, ranked 91, is expected to cross the first hurdle but the Indian can run into a really tough opponent in the second round where she could meet formidable seventh seed Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is pitted against Claire Feuerstein of the host nation in her opening round.
After restoring their pride in season-II, Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to stretch their dream run when they clash with Chennai Super Kings in their Indian Premier League semifinal match here tomorrow.
Disappointed at not being given a single opportunity in the on-going Indian Premier League, legendary Australian pacer Glenn McGrath has hinted at terminating his contract with the Delhi Daredevils and said he may not return for the next season.
Had Kolkata Knight Riders played under the leadership of former India skipper Sourav Ganguly in the Indian Premier League, they might have avoided the tag of tournament-laggards, feels teams young pacer Ashok Dinda. “Dada (Ganguly) knows us inside out. He knows what are our strengths and weaknesses. Our performance would have been better under his captaincy. 
After becoming the first Indian batsman to slam a century in the IPL, Manish Pandey is convinced that he is made to fire with bat in cricket fields than firing bullets in the battlefield. “I think the plan has changed now. I just had an option that if cricket would not work for me then I would join the Army," he told official IPL website. 
