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From Challengers to contenders
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Bengal eyeing to end title drought
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From Challengers to contenders
Another semifinal; another upset, if track record in the tournament was any benchmark. Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Chennai Super Kings by six wickets with seven balls to spare to throw down the gauntlet to Deccan Chargers in Sunday’s final in the second edition of the Twenty20 Indian Premier League.
In a match of twists and turns, a 3rd wicket stand of 72 in 58 balls between Manish Pandey (48 runs in 35 deliveries) and Rahul Dravid (44 off 39) laid the foundation. Virat Kohli and Ross Taylor finished the assignment with two sixes apiece. In contrast, Super Kings’ best contribution was no better than 36 from Parthiv Patel. Pandey seemed unperturbed by a crisis of 22 for two. He emphasised his hundred in his previous outing was no flash in the pan. The 19-year-old’s cover drive and square drove Albie Morkel for two fours in the opening over. Then, he smacked Manpreet Gony thrice to the fence in an over. Dravid looked on approvingly from the other end, before himself rattling the perimeter boards with trademark drives past the bowler and through midwicket. Pandey eventually missed a slog to extend to an otherwise expensive Shadab Jakati a wicket in the 13th over. In the 15th, Dravid gloriously cover drove Laxmi Balaji for four. But he, too, couldn’t finish the job, as Muttiah Muralitharan trapped him lbw from around the wicket. At 110 for four in 15.1 overs, the match was in the balance. But in the 17th, Ross Taylor and Virat Kohli carted Suresh Raina for sixes to long on. In the following over, Murali was also meted the same treatment as young Kohli danced down the track to lift him like a rocket to long on. Wanderers, the home of South African cricket, was substantially full. But if the crowd expected Mathew Hayden tee-off in his inimitable style - after Anil Kumble invited Super Kings to bat - they were probably taken aback by Patel outscoring his more renowned partner. The dapper left-hander was largely instrumental in Super Kings posting 52 in only six overs. He greeted Kallis with three fours in an over, before inflating this tally to seven in his knock off 27 balls. The last of the power play overs bowled by Kumble was a fascinating duel between this most economical bowler and the highest run-getter of the competition. Hayden restlessly lashed out, but only succeeded in procuring a solitary four, that, too, in the air and perilously close to short extra cover. In the following over, though, he effortlessly flicked Vinay Kumar for six to midwicket; but perished in attempting to drive him over long on. Two overs later, Patel joined him in the dugout, leg before wicket to Kallis. On a sluggish pitch, timing the ball wasn’t easy. But Raina pulled Vinay for six to square leg, sensibly choosing the shorter boundary. But in Vinay’s next over, Raina injudiciously rushed out of his crease to top edge to the keeper. Dhoni waited until the 18th over to accelerate; but the first ambitious stroke he unfolded had more elevation than distance and only travelled as far as the fieldsman long on. Roelof van der Merwe was the beneficiary. Not a single boundary in his leisurely 28 off 30 balls was testimony to an inability to pierce the gaps. Scoreboard Chennai Super Kings Royal Challengers Player of the Match: Pandey
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IPL II: Chargers, RCB in final showdown
Johannesburg, May 23 The two teams will lock horns for one final time in IPL’s second season here tommorow in what would be a keenly fought match as both Adam Gilchrist, and Anil Kumble, having come so far, would not like to finish second. As there is not much to choose between the two sides, a cracker of a final is on the cards. A closely fought battle will be an ideal finish to this sports extravegenza. Though this season has already seen enough close finishes, nobody will be dissappointed with yet another one tomorrow. — Agencies
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Time to play on clay
Paris, May 23 The 22-year-old world number one, whose incredible Roland Garros record stands at 28 wins from 28 matches, has already written off losing his 33-match claycourt streak to old rival Roger Federer in Madrid last week. He believes a combination of a draining four-hour semi-final victory over Novak Djokovic and the high altitude of the Spanish capital conspired against him. "I am very happy with my claycourt season. I won in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome and made the final in Madrid. It's almost perfect," said Nadal, the top seed. "Madrid was a different tournament. The court was fast, the balls were flying and I didn't play that well." Adding to his confidence is the knowledge that he has beaten Federer in the last three finals at Roland Garros. Federer, who is one title short of matching Pete Sampras's all-time mark of 14 majors, needs a French Open to become only the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam. But he's travelled this road before. Two years ago, Federer ended Nadal's 81-match winning streak on clay at Hamburg to instill fresh confidence of finally cracking the French code, but he was to be denied once the duo resumed hostilities in Paris. On the evidence of the 2008 tournament, where Nadal didn't drop a set in seven matches and Federer won just four games in a brutally one-sided final, the Swiss star again looks doomed. But Federer refuses to concede defeat, believing that his win in Madrid, which was his 58th title, but first of 2009, could represent another launchpad. "He has never lost in Paris so obviously his confidence is very high, but I think we have seen that if you play Rafa the right way there are chances," said the 27-year-old, world number two. "In Madrid it was important that I played well when I had to which I wasn't doing before because there was something lacking in my game, just a lack of practice maybe." Sunday's meeting in Madrid was the pair's 20th career clash with Nadal holding the upper hand 13-7 overall, and 9-2 on clay. Their rivalry is one of sports' most compelling with Nadal having dethroned Federer as Wimbledon champion in an epic final in 2008 before the Spaniard reduced the Swiss to a tearful wreck after victory in Australia this year in another five-set thriller. In the unlikely event of the June 7 final not being a repeat of the last three, Djokovic, who had three match points against Nadal in his Madrid semi-final, would be the most likely beneficiary. But the big-hearted Serbian, who turned 22 on Friday, has lost all nine claycourt meetings with Nadal, including four in 2009 - in Davis Cup, Monte-Carlo, Rome and then in Spain. Djokovic has reached the semi-finals in Paris for the last two years, losing to Nadal on each occasion without claiming a set. "It's not that easy. I probably played one of the best matches of my life against him (in Madrid), but he made some unbelievable shots to win those points which he did - again," sighed the Serbian. Britain's Andy Murray has lost both his claycourt meetings with Nadal and despite holding a 6-2 advantage over Federer, the two have never met on clay. In two visits to the French Open, Murray has yet to get beyond the third round. — AFP
Open really open for women
An air of uncertainty surrounds the women's event at next week's French Open, with many of the would-be favourites going into the tournament struggling for form and fitness.
World number two and perennial Grand Slam contender Serena Williams has won the last two majors but hasn't tasted victory on clay in a year and pulled out of her first round match at last week's Madrid Masters with a knee injury. Serena, who holds the US and Australian Open titles, and her sister Venus, the reigning Wimbledon champion, are bidding to complete a clean sweep of the four Grand Slams, but Serena insists her only goal in Paris is to improve on her third-round exit from last year. "I'm just glad to be here," she said. "I don't think I am the favourite. It is what it is. Now I feel I want to make all my memories this year." Reigning champion Ana Ivanovic picked up her first major title at Roland Garros last summer but it precipitated an alarming loss of form that saw her slide from number one to number eight in the world rankings. "It's true, just after Roland Garros I really lost my way," she said. "But it's in the past now and its all a good experience." Maria Sharapova is another former world number one to have lost ground on her rivals, having been sidelined with a shoulder injury for almost 10 months before returning to action at this week's Warsaw Open.
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Bengal eyeing to end title drought
Chennai, May 23 Bengal, who have won the coveted national crown on 29 occasions including six times on the trot, will be eyeing for their first title since 1999 when they start their campaign in quarterfinal stage on June 2. On the other hand, Punjab who bagged the title by beating Services last year, is gearing up to relive the glory this time as well. A total of 27 teams, including six former winners, are pitted under eight clusters in the preliminary league which lasts till May 31. The toppers from each cluster will join four direct qualifiers - Punjab, Services, Bengal and Karnataka - in the quarterfinal stage to be held from June 2-7. The matches will be held in four venues - Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Thiruvallore and Chennai. Semifinals are fixed for June 10 and 11 while the final is scheduled for June 14 here. With the leading players of the country losing interest in the event and giving preference to their club commitments over the states, the prestigious tournament has lost its sheen and the encounters are often staged before empty stands. However, number of youngsters like Services’ striker Sochungmi Raleng have used this tournament to showcase their talent in the absence of high profile footballers. Tamil Nadu will take on Rajasthan in the inaugural match here, while Kerala play Nagaland in Coimbatore. — PTI
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PCB crying over spilt milk: Akram
Chandigarh, May 23 He was reacting to the PCB’s stance to not attend the World Cup organising committee meeting even if Pakistan was invited. However, in a turn of events, the PCB had recently accepted the ICC invitation saying that they would propose a neutral venue for the matches in a bid to find a solution. Speaking to The Tribune the charismatic paceman said, “It’s too late now. The PCB should have done something when the matches were moved out Pakistan citing security fears.” “I think the board should have sent their personnel at that time who could have made them understand that the scheduled matches are far away and by that time the security here would improve. Now it is a case of crying over spilt milk,” he added. On being asked, if he will be ready to play any role, he said, “I haven’t received any offer as yet. But in case something comes up, I would go for it.” Akram who played 104 Tests and 356 one-day internationals is currently engaged in a cricket show called ‘Stumped’. He is the guest for the first season of the interactive quiz program . “In the starting I didn’t enjoy watching matches on television and commenting on them but now I love it,” he laughed. On the ruling out of the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar from the ICC World Twenty 20 on disciplinary grounds, Akram said, “The team wants him to play, the PCB wants him to play but seeing Shoaib’s attitude it seems that he himself doesn’t want to play.” Akram also cited concern on Shoaib’s future in cricket. “What can I say, you see his age and the number of matches he has played for Pakistan in the last few years. Though he bowled well in the recent Dubai T-20 tournament against Australia but he being ruled out of the World T-20 will affect his career adversely.” The King of Sultan is enjoying the Indian Premier League extravaganza but feels some changes in this season’s leg of the IPL could have made it more exciting. “I think the duration of the tournament should have been shortened as people don’t have much time” he said. On the recent turn of events in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), the candid Akram, said, “I already knew the ICL will face this kind of time. The ICL lacks the young blood and this is the one of the main reasons that it couldn’t generate and sustain people’s interest.”
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Paris, May 23
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