All odds against Bangalore (Preview)

With a net run rate of –0.684 and two losses in as many games played, Bangalore Royal Challengers are almost out of it. One of the pre-tournament favourites, the IPL runner-ups are stationed at the bottom of group B points table. The star studded side can still make it to the top four but with slimmest of the chances. Even if they  win  both their remaining games with resounding margins, their chances of booking a place in the semis will depend on the results of other matches in the group.

They will be against the side that is yet to lose a game in the tournament. After maintaining a clean sheet in the qualifying stage, Somerset started the main draw with an impressive victory against Kolkata. Abandonment of their second fixture against South Australia due to rain at Bangalore forced them to share points that has resulted in English county stuck in the middle of traffic in the group standings.

For Somerset brief is very clear. A good win in one of the two games will find English side in the knockout stages.

Going through Bangalore’s squad, it is hard to believe they are rooted to the bottom of the points table. They just haven’t performed well as a unit. Their gun batters Chris Gayle, Saurabh Tiwary and T Dilshan have entertained only briefly but failed to put up sizeable knocks. In Zaheer Khan’s absence, bowling department has been a letdown. In both the games, huge targets haven’t been defended. Save for skipper Daniel Vettori, others haven’t been upto mark contributing to the team’s loss big time.

For Bangalore to give themselves a chance of sorts, they have to translate their big boys of the tournament image into performance. The team would be desperate to get off the mark and give something for fans-who have come in numbers to watch their stars in action-to cheer about.

Runner-ups in twenty-20 cup back home, Somerset have impressed one and all with their fighting spirit. The return of Jos Butler and Craig Kieswetter after finishing their international duties only strengthens the batting lineup.

Peter Trego and Rolf van Der Merwe have been star contributors  at the top and skipper Alfonso Thomas and Murali Kartik have performed with the ball.  VD Merwe has backed his attacking batting with tight fours overs of left arm spin.

With Bangalore offering best batting surfaces of all the CL venues, the bowlers will have a huge role to decide the fate of the game. As it gets hard to defend in the evening, toss becomes an important activity.

There is lot to play for both the teams. The importance of the fixture could well turn out to be a precursor for an action packed contest.

Bangalore Squad: Daniel Vettori (c), Chris Gayle, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, Mohammad Kaif, Saurabh Tiwary, Sreenath Aravind, J Syed Mohammad, Arun Karthik, Asad Pathan, Abhimanyu Mithun, Dirk Nannes, Raju Bhatkal.

Somerset Squad: Adam Dibble, Alex Barrow, Alfonso Thomas (c), Arul Suppiah, Chris Jones, Craig Kieswetter (wk), Gemaal Hussain, George Dockrell, James Hildreth, Jos Buttler, Lewis Gregory, Max Waller, Murali Kartik, Nick Compton, Peter Trego, Roelof van der Merwe, Steve Kirby, Steve Snell (wk)