Wed, 27 Apr 2011 - IP Pune vs IP Chennai, IPL 2011, 31st Match - Bulletin

Badrinath, Bollinger star in Chennai victory

Middle order batsmen S Badrinath played yet another classy knock for Chennai to help his side to a comfortable eight wicket over Pune at DY Patel Stadium, Mumbai. The win, their second over home side in three days, takes defending champions to second place of the points table.

It was an all-round display from Chennai that handed over a defeat to Yuvraj Singh’s Pune with batsmen, Badrinath in particular, without doing anything fancy to chase down the target after Doug Bollinger led attack had restricted Pune to 141. Badrinath’s job was made easier by useful knocks from opener Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina.

Badrinath, promoted number three, came to the crease after Michael Hussy departed in a slow star and right handed batsman wasted no time in making sure bowlers didn’t settle into a particular line and length.

He alongwith Murali Vijay, who took some to get used to the slow nature of the pitch, instilled impetus to the Chennai run chase and made sure required run rate was kept under control. He used his feet to the spinners and playing some proper cricket shots none better than a couple of inside out lofted drives off left arm spinner Murali Karthik.

Vijay, on the other hand, was a bit subdued during his run a ball 31 which included a six and four to partner Badrinath for 61 runs before holed out to Jesse Ryder.

Badrinath kept going unfurling some copybook cricket strokes as Raina entered the arena a man who wanted to finish the chase quickly. Left hander hit two sixes both off Jerome Taylor and a four in 25-ball stay for his undefeated 34. His partner took 44 balls to score 63 including half a dozen fours and two six as Chennai finished the chase in the last over.

After opting to bat first Pune skipper Yuvraj Singh made up for his indifferent approach with the bat during the last game against Chennai by hitting an inspiring 62 to boost his side to 141. With top order falling to contribute and Chennai bowlers giving nothing away, Yuvraj played a well paced innings to give some respectability to the total. Robin Uthappa was another significant scorer hitting an aggressive 31 coming off only 22 balls.

Home team was reeling at 44 for four inside eight overs with left arm fast bowler Doug Bollinger removing both the openers but rebuilding came from a 42-run partnership between Yuvraj and Uthappa with latter contributing 31 of those. It needed explosiveness of Yuvraj in the end overs that surged Pune past to 140-mark with skipper’s undefeated innings coming off 43 balls punctuated with three fours and four sixes including two of Tim Southee in the last over.

Pune batsmen were found wanting against short balls with four out of total six dismissals came off deliveries that were short in length. Bollinger’s pace and short pitch stuff posed problems for Pune batsmen as all of three wickets came off short balls and proved to be main weapon for MS Dhoni to restrict Pune. Nuwan Kulasekra, Tim Southee and offie R Ashwin shared other three wickets to make sure Pune batsmen were kept under check and didn’t run away with the game.

Bollinger whose bowling figures read 3 for 21 in four overs removed openers having Jesse Ryder and Monish Mishra caught off short balls with duo failing to keep their pull shots on the ground. He had a another wicket in his last spell as well when his countryman Mitchell Marsh also failed to keep his pull shot down only to be caught in the inner circle.

Kulasekra backed up the good work from Bollinger as Sri Lankan fast bowler’s big in-swinger disturbed the leg bail of Mithun Manhas and Southee added to Pune miseries by getting the wicket of Manish Pandey off a short ball again.

Yuvraj and Uthappa did give some stability in the middle but latter’s inability to pick Ashwin’s carrom ball led to his undoing when batsmen tried to heave off-spinner over led side resulting in a leading edge taken at short thirdman.

Pune skipper was left with no option but to attack as crowd were treated to some typical Yuvraj lofted drives over mid-off with three of them landing outside boundaries. What was impressive during Yuvraj’s stay at the crease was his keenness to perform and put up a big score. Chennai though had done enough in early overs and even Yuvraj’s brilliance with the bat in the latter half of the innings wasn’t enough to give home team a defendable score.