Chennai Super Kings beat Delhi Daredevils storms in to the Final IPL5

By Francis Saldanha
Bellevision Media Network

Chennai,26 May 2012: Though I am a fan of Rajasthan Royals, I have no qualms in admitting that Chennai Super Kings entering play-offs by dislodging RCB by virtue of better run-rate, and taking CSK to greater heights. I am so happy that CSK has launched at the right time and is sure to lift the cup!! The difference between CSK and any other team in the IPL is the captaincy! That is where MSD is a unique star! The super cool captain marvelous & the captain with a Midas touch.  Congrats CSK in reaching the final for one more time & to play against KKR on Sunday.

 

CSK appear to have a home ground advantage in the final despite only coming 4th, strange!!!! So CSK earned the advantage.  I don’t think that even if Morne Morkel had played the result wouldn’t have been much different when CSK plays so well.

 

 

 

Sehwag’s captaincy is not something where you take decisions in a jiffy like the irresponsible strokes which he plays some time during the matches. The DD team selectors, who took the decision to bench Morne, should be pulled up by the DD owners. But can anyone explain the inclusion of Sunny Gupta for the first time in the team in such a crucial match and keeping Morne Morkel out of Delhi Daredevils? The casual approach of Sehwag cost DD to lose the all important match by a huge margin is an indication that it was not one of the tight matches spectators enjoyed watching at this stage of the IPL 2012.

 

Murali Vijay played a very good innings and his aggressive batting set the tone for a superb innings by hitting Gupta’s first two balls for four, and by the time he was done, having hit 15 fours and four sixes in a 58-ball 113.  The CSK opener became the first Indian to hammer two centuries in the IPL history so far, as Chennai Super Kings had reached 222 for 5. Stifled by an excellent fielding effort, Delhi Daredevils was crushed by 86 runs.

 

CSK fielded brilliantly, took difficult catches, direct hit run outs and excellent bowling especially spinner R.Ashwin. While batting first on a good pitch, they apparently scored 11 runs in an over is an indication for the things to follow.  Murali Vijay played a very good innings.

 

Mahela Jayewardene and Ross Taylor rallied with 52-run stand in 4.4 overs before the latter fell for 24 off 14 balls to Bravo’s off cutter. Though Jayewardene kept the score ticking, Delhi was behind the asking rate at 89 by the halfway mark. Spin accounted for Andre Russell and Naman Ojha, and though Jayewardene thumped himself past fifty his dismissal, bowled by Ashwin attempting a reverse pull, killed all hopes. That left Delhi with 96 to win from 32 balls and it proved way too much. Gupta’s forgettable debut was capped with a first-ball duck, exemplifying Delhi’s overall aptitude in the playoffs.