Fri, 08 Apr 2011 - IP Chennai vs IP Kolkata, IPL 2011, 1st Match - Bulletin

Chennai win thrilling IPL opener

IPL 2011 opening match between Chennai and Kolkata proved to be a thriller with former winning by two runs and result coming of the last ball of the game. Needing nine runs in last over to win which was bowled by Kiwi fast bowler Tim Southee who kept his nerves to bowl a super over under pressure conceding only five runs including single off last ball that Rajat Bhatia couldn’t do much about.

The run chase had so many twists and turns with Kolkata having upper hand on the most occasions but it was again skipper MS Dhoni’s Midas touch that swung the match into Chennai’s favour. He brought about some crucial bowling changes including one in which he asked Suresh Raina to bowl 17th over which him getting Eoin Morgan’s wicket following it with skipper Gautam Gambhir’s run-out.

With 26 runs needed in last two overs, Manoj Tiwary hit two sixes off consecutive balls but Suraj Randiv had a last laugh by having right hander stumped by Dhoni to get Chennai back into game.

Kolkata recede by fashioned by the fact that there was some shoddy piece of running between the wickets display Gambhir who opted to bat at number six only to be run-out in his pursuit of stealing a second run while dangerous Yusuf Pathan was also run-out earlier when Jacques Kallis called him for a needless run and Dhoni was quick off the blocks to hit the stumps directly.

For most part of the run chase, Kolkata were ahead with Kallis playing a fluent 42-ball 54 punctuated with seven hits to the fence and giving his team a solid start of 64 runs before Manvinder Bisla got out. Big all-rounder was at his typical best unfurling his trademark square drives and pull shots to give his side a good chance to win but things fell apart in the crucial stages to lose the game that could easily have been won.

Earlier, despite a shoddy fielding effort in which they dropped as many as three catches, Kolkata were able to restrict strong batting line-up of Chennai to a c competitive 153 after opener Anurida Srikkanth hit more than run a ball 64.

Kolkata fielders were generous enough to Anurida, son of former Indian opener K Srikkanth dropping him twice and Raina once with Yusuf Pathan being the guilty party on two occasions including one on his own bowling. However a disciplined bowling performance in last five overs or so pegged Chennai back who, at one stage, look set for a big score.

After winning the toss, Chennai overcame a scratchy start in which they lost Murali Vijay in the first over courtesy back to back solid partnerships both featuring Anurida as one of the batsmen to give team a solid platform.

Anurida looked fluent right from the word go opting to go over the top on most of the occasions to have run rate always more than seven runs per over. He combined with left hander Suresh Raina, who played a good hand with his individual score of 33 off 29 balls including four boundaries, for the second wicket to put on valuable 75 runs using only fifty seven balls. The pair had put Chennai on top with score reading 80 in 11th over before Yusuf Pathan had Raina caught in the deep where a ball earlier Anurida was dropped by Eoin Morgan.

Anurida made most of his opportunity on his way to first half-century of IPL 2011 playing some delightful lofted drives on both sides of the wicket hitting half a dozen boundaries and two huge sixes. He was at ease against both spin and fast bowlers as slow nature of the wicket didn’t affect his timing depositing bad balls non-chalantly.

MS Dhoni who came to bat after Raina’s wicket looked to give impetus to the inning as he looked aggressive in his 21-ball 29 including a four and six to partner Anurida as they put on 49 runs facing 41 balls.

Kallis broke the partnership having Dhoni caught off a short ball with team score at 129 runs and followed it with the wicket of Anurida in next over of his, last of the innings but four and a six off last two deliveries by Albie Morkel helped Chennai to cross 150-mark.

For Kolkata, young left arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla and medium fast bowler Laxmipathy Balaji who changed his pace and length without giving much away were two best bowlers on the view for Kolkata.