Half-way report card of ipl teams

Chennai Super Kings

Matthew Hayden muscles the ball, Chennai Super Kings v Deccan Chargers, IPL, 16th match, Durban, April 27, 2009
Retirement seems to have worked wonders for Matthew Hayden, who has 289 runs at 41.28 for the Chennai Super Kings © AFP

Things have begun to perk up after a slow start. Their bowlers were struggling and, by the end of the fifth game, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided it was time for experiments. The bowling line-up started to change: Sudeep Tyagi and Albie Morkel opened and Shadab Jakati, the left-arm spinner, was drafted in. L Balaji was given the task to bowl with the old ball while Joginder Sharma and Manpreet Gony were dropped. And in the batting, M Vijay was drafted in for Parthiv Patel. The changes worked and Chennai won their next three games to storm to the top of the table.

Defining moment: It came after the loss to Deccan Chargers in Durban. "We are running out of ideas, we don't know where to bowl and what to bowl," was Dhoni's frank assessment. "This is our best bowling line-up in paper. But it's not working and now it's time to change and experiment."

Best player: Matthew Hayden, with 289 runs at 41.28.

Biggest let-down: Andrew Flintoff. He struggled with the bat and the ball and Chennai's form actually started to turn around after his exit.

Ins and outs: Flintoff left for England within a week of the tournament after suffering a knee injury. He was anyway slated to leave on May 1 for the West Indies series.

Kings XI Punjab

The most disciplined team. They were badly hit by injuries but have gelled as a unit to keep turning in regular wins. Only Yuvraj Singh has scored over 200 runs but four others have scored more than 100, the most in any side. The bowling looked weak on paper but Irfan Pathan has starred with the ball, often taking early wickets to unsettle the opposition. The spinners Piyush Chawla and Ramesh Powar have done well and Yusuf Abdulla too has turned in a couple of good cameos. And Yuvraj, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, along with the coach Tom Moody, have led the side well.

Defining moment: When the team sat together after the first two losses and charted the way forward. They then won a close game against Bangalore - with Ravi Bopara and Yuvraj taking them home - which set off their revival.

Best player: Irfan Pathan with ten wickets and Yusuf Abdullah with 14. They have worked brilliantly as a pair. Irfan has often struck crucial blows with the new ball and Yusuf has kept his nerve in the end overs.

Biggest let-down: No one actually. If anything, they would like Yuvraj to be more consistent. He is their main power player but has accumulated only 208 runs at 29.71.

Ins and outs: Bopara, the only Englishman to perform in the IPL, has left but Brett Lee, James Hopes and Sreesanth will be more than handy additions.

Delhi Daredevils

They have lived up to their pre-tournament billing of being favourites and have the best win-loss ratio, winning five of their seven games. And the best news is that their stars are yet to fire. Only Tillakaratne Dilshan has accumulated more than 200 runs and only Ashish Nehra has taken ten wickets but they have kept winning.

Defining moment: No single moment but they have won all the tight games they've been involved in and each time someone has put his hand up - whether it's Nehra with the ball or Dilshan with the bat.

Best player: Dilshan. One of the more under-rated players on the international circuit has expertly steered the middle-order out of several mini-crises. Last year, Delhi suffered because of middle-order problems and this time they were really tested by the failure of the top order but Dilshan has stood up to the challenge.

Biggest let-down: The hyped opening pair of Virender Sehwag (avg of 21.75) and Gautam Gambhir (avg of 28.00)

Ins and outs: Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah have left for the home series against West Indies but that won't make much of a difference because they never got to play a game. The biggest news so far is that Glenn McGrath hasn't got a game either.

Deccan Chargers

Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs added 63 in quick time, Deccan Chargers v Mumbai Indians, IPL, 12th Match, Durban, April 25, 2009
Is the Deccan Chargers batting too dependent on Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs? © AFP

They proved to be the tournament's dark horses, winning their first four games. But they lost the next three, possibly because their batting is top-heavy, depending too much on Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs.

Defining moment: Their fifth game. It was a close finish against Delhi with Fidel Edwards, their strike bowler, going up against Dilshan. As the match hurtled towards its climax, Edwards lost his cool, argued with the umpires over wide calls, got into a sledging game with Dilshan and generally lost the plot. Dilshan plundered 17 runs in the 19th over, bowled by Edwards, to win the game. It was Deccan's first loss and they are yet to win after that.

Best player: RP Singh with 13 wickets at 13.23. He has bowled with the new ball but has really surprised with his accurate death bowling.

Biggest let-down: VVS Laxman with 19 runs at 3.80. He has been repeatedly getting out to soft dismissals and is going through a horror run.

Ins and outs: Edwards has left after a fine tournament. Andrew Symonds is expected to make an impact when he joins the team after their ninth game.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

It's been a fascinating ride for Bangalore. They upset the defending champions in the first game but returned to last year's form for the next few. Rare occurrences like five first-ball dismissals and two second-ball dismissals left the team wondering what had hit them. However, they kept working hard in practice and the coach was willing to try different combinations. The appointment of Anil Kumble as captain after Kevin Pietersen's departure seems to have changed the team's fortunes; they have won three in a row now to move to fifth in the points table.

Defining moment: Mark Boucher held his nerve to win a close game against Kolkata Knight Riders to fetch Bangalore their second win. It was a game that should have been won without much sweat but Bangalore threatened to fold under pressure. Lucikly for them, their opponents were simply worse than they were and that win provided the momentum. Kumble became captain in the next game and they have gone from strength to strength.

Best player: Kumble, with ten wickets at an economy rate of 5.82. The man refuses to fade away without a fight. And then there's his captaincy.

Big let-down: Pietersen and Jesse Ryder. Pietersen averaged around 15 and Ryder 8. The two biggest picks of the year were expected to be part of the team's revival but they have failed.

Ins and outs: A struggling Pietersen left and the in-form Rahul Dravid, who had returned to India mid-tournament for the birth of his second child, has rejoined the squad. Nathan Bracken will bolster their bowling if he joins them this week.

Mumbai Indians

Lasith Malinga gets a high-five from Zaheer Khan after dismissing Wilkin Mota, Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians, IPL, 20th match, Durban, April 29, 2009
Lasith Malinga is using the IPL brilliantly to show his skills after a long injury lay-off © Associated Press

The Tendulkar syndrome has hit the team. They are yet to get out of the shadow of Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya and have lost quite a few close games. Tendulkar has scored over 200 runs but when he has failed, so has the team.

Defining moment: It will come the day they win a game without a contribution from the two big stars. They have talent in JP Duminy, Dwayne Bravo, Abhishek Nayar and Shikhar Dhawan, who have the potential to turn things around. But will they?

Best player: Lasith Malinga with 11 wickets at a staggering economy rate of 4.83. He is back from a long injury lay-off and is using the IPL brilliantly to show his skills. The slinger has rarely been collared.

Biggest let-down: Harbhajan Singh. Just three wickets so far.

Ins and outs: No disruptions for them.

Rajasthan Royals

The top-order batting had been the chief worry but Graeme Smith's return to form and Naman Ojha's successful stint as opener would have eased concerns. Yusuf Pathan has lorded around the park and the entry of Lee Carseldine at the top has added further stability to the top order. They won three tight games, a sign that the captain Shane Warne is still weaving his magic with his band of young men.

Defining moment: The Super Over game against Kolkata. It highlighted two of their biggest strengths - Warne as captain and Pathan the batsman. Like Delhi, they have rarely lost a close game. But unlike Delhi, they have lost easily in a few games.

Best player: Yusuf Pathan with 181 runs at a strike rate of 161.60. He has played a hand in all their wins.

Biggest let-down: Graeme Smith who, till his revival against Punjab on Tuesday, had 65 runs at an average of 13.

Ins and outs: Kamran Khan has been asked to undergo rehab for his action but he was already doubtful with a knee injury. Shane Watson will bolster their batting when he joins them this week.

Kumar Sangakkara is ecstatic after latching on to an edge from Brendon McCullum, Kings XI Punjab v Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL, 6th game, Durban, April 21, 2009
Losing front: Kolkata Knight Riders captain Brendon McCullum has just 85 runs at 10.62 © AFP

Kolkata Knight Riders

A team drowned by controversies - the multiple-captaincy theory, an under-pressure coach, a struggling captain and even a fake blogger - have been hit even worse by poor on-field performances. There hasn't been a single moment that sticks in the mind, nor a passage of play that has convinced observers that they are turning the tide.

Defining moment: With two runs required from two balls against Rajasthan, Sourav Ganguly, who had guided the chase brilliantly, fell going for a big shot. Had they won that, they might have found the momentum they were desperately seeking.

Ins and outs: Chris Gayle has left for England and Sourabh Sarkar has come in for the injured Harmeet Singh. David Hussey's all-round skills will be available after Australia's Twenty20 game against Pakistan in the UAE this week.

Best player: Brad Hodge, who with 240 runs at 40 is third on the run-scorers' list. He hasn't found much support from the other batsmen, though.

Biggest let-down: Brendon McCullum has just 85 runs at 10.62. He said he'd quit if the team didn't make semi-finals. While he may have intended it positively, he could be seen as a weak, emotional captain reacting to severe pressure.

McGrath defies odds to play in IPL

Glenn McGrath is in his 40th year. He is a man raising two children and, with a little help from his friends, running a major charity organisation founded by his wife, Jane, who passed away last year after a long battle with cancer.

Clearly, McGrath is a man with much on his plate and more on his mind. And yet, in the coming weeks, he will add to his many commitments by pushing his frame through five gruelling weeks of competition with the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. It is, by any estimate, a massive ask, and even more so when it is considered McGrath has not sent down a delivery in international cricket since the 2007 World Cup final.

With his day-to-day activities largely focussed on a non-profit organisation, the opportunity to earn for his family - his auction price was $US350,000 - serves as a major motivation for McGrath as he enters his second IPL season. But this is no charity case. Last year, while contending with much heartache at home, the Australian paceman earned his pay cheque by emerging as the most economical (6.61) and durable (14 games) of Delhi's bowlers. McGrath believes more is to come this time around.

"I struggled a bit last year, but that was more about Jane and how the situation was back home," McGrath told Cricinfo. "That won't be a concern this time. Mum may bring the kids over for the middle period, depending on the schedule. My whole focus will be a lot different when I'm there, which I think will all be positive. Last time I think I did reasonably well considering I hadn't played for 12 months. I have no doubts it will be similar this time, but my mindset will be different.

"There is a lot of incentive going over there with the money they're offering. Cricket is not something that I have a great desire to get back and play at the moment. I'm very happy being retired and with everything that I achieved in my life. In saying that, as soon as I got on the field in India (in 2008), I couldn't help being competitive. My natural instincts came out and I was away. That won't be an issue.

"Last year I did a heap of fitness work leading into it, and when I bowled in the nets for half a session I felt like I hadn't ever been away from the game. When I played that Twenty20 match earlier on in the year for New South Wales, and I hadn't done any work leading into it, it felt like I had never bowled before in my life. So basically if I'm fit my bowling will come back really quickly, and if I'm not fit I'm useless."

McGrath will arrive in Delhi the coming days for the Daredevils' week-long training camp before departing with the squad for South Africa on April 7. It is, he says, a time of great excitement, as cricket taps ever deeper into the rich resource that is Twenty20 cricket.

But there is cause for concern, too. While McGrath and his metronomic action are unburdened by international commitments these days, the same cannot be said of the IPL's other major drawcards. Already, Sri Lanka have withdrawn from the spring tour of England due to their players' collective desire to compete in the IPL, while cricketers from the West Indies - called in as eleventh-hour replacements - are upset at being denied the opportunity to play the full five weeks in South Africa.

"To me, the best thing the ICC could do is make a window for it," McGrath said. "You'll stop people having to make a decision. Some guys have to make a decision between playing for their country or go over there and play for six-to-eight weeks and pocket $2 million. As much as you'd like to think they'd have their priorities right, that's a lot of money. You can set yourself up and have that security for your family.



"On the way out to the SCG one day, I got stopped at the traffic lights and someone handed $100 through the window from the car next door. They said, 'We love what you doing with the foundation, and we want to support you.' "



"[A window] would be a huge thing for cricket, and hopefully safeguard it against anything detrimental happening to the game. You're not going to stop it. When I started playing, and the way I still feel now, Test match cricket is the ultimate. But now, with Twenty20 and the potential for what you can earn, soon people will be saying Twenty20 is the ultimate. I'd hate to see it affect Test cricket too much. Hopefully, if there's that window there, you can get back and play Test cricket and focus on that."

McGrath will presumably attract much attention in India as he plies his trade for the Delhi Daredevils, but in his native Australia, it is his charitable work that has attracted most publicity of late. In January, Cricket Australia declared day three of the Sydney Test "Jane McGrath Day", and SCG patrons responded by dressing in pink attire - the colour of the McGrath Foundation - and donating generously. Indeed, McGrath's work for the foundation was recognised with his nomination for the prestigious Australian of the Year Award - more than a year after his retirement from cricket.

"I'm just Jane McGrath's husband these days," he quips. "The support for the foundation has been amazing. To be honest I don't know if it could've gone any smoother if I had a genie and three wishes.

"On the way out to the SCG one day, I got stopped at the traffic lights and someone handed $100 through the window from the car next door. They said, 'We love what you doing with the foundation, and we want to support you.' I was a bit tired and probably a little bit grumpy, and that really picked me up. I thought, 'That's what it's all about.' It's amazing how one little gesture can change your whole day. I still have to pinch myself with just how it went.

"My involvement is increasing. I still have sponsors that I work for. I have to spend time with the kids. I still have to put bread and milk on the table. It would be great to do stuff for the foundation 24-7, but someone has got to pay the bills."

South Africa emerges IPL frontrunner

In a swift turnaround, South Africa has overtaken England as the preferred venue to host the IPL next month. Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman, was flying to South Africa on Monday night to meet with senior officials of the South African government and an announcement is expected on Tuesday.

Weather turned out to be the principal factor that swayed the BCCI officials, a bulk of whom had been in favour of England until Monday morning when the realisation occurred that rain could seriously affect "as many as 70% of the matches" in the Twenty20 tournament, which runs from April 10 to May 24.

In England, concerns have been voiced by senior police officers about the practicalities of arranging sufficient security for such a high-profile event. The IPL clashes with the London Marathon and the FA Cup semi-finals and finals, among other events, while the G20 summit reaches a conclusion in the week before the tournament is due to start. " "Frankly they've been getting a bit ahead of themselves," one senior figure told The Times.

Another reason for England's chances receding is the assurance from top officials within the South African government and CSA that the IPL will receive the full red carpet treatment, well-placed sources told.

"The weather in South Africa seems to have become the deciding factor," the sources said. "Besides, South Africa is working out to be a much cheaper option. The South African government's interest in hosting the event is a major factor, too."

South Africa is also considered a better option when it comes to TV timings in comparison to England. For instance, the IPL wants to start its first match of the day at 4 pm IST, which would mean a 11.30 am start in England. In South Africa it would be a 12.30 pm start. The TV rights scenario is also less complicated in South Africa as Supersport owns the rights both for the IPL and for international cricket played in the country. Additionally, the cost of running the tournament in South Africa would be substantially less than in England. And the fact that the South African domestic season concludes a day before the IPL's scheduled start date should lead to less logistical problems than in England, where the county season will be just underway.

Modi and Gerald Majola, the CSA chief executive, are known to have a strong personal relationship, especially since the two boards became founding partners of the Twenty20 Champions League last year. It is believed that such a rapport would prove crucial in organising a tournament of this magnitude at such short notice. "This gives both the boards a lot of room for negotiations, adjustments and quick decisions, something that may not be possible with the ECB, which has to go by its board for almost every decision," the sources said.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) summoned their provinces to a teleconference on Monday afternoon, where they were updated on the latest IPL developments. "We have been told to expect a decision by Wednesday morning," said a South African provincial official with knowledge of the conference call. "We have had some early discussions about what we might need to do to prepare for this, but as far as we are aware, no final decisions have been made."

Majola spoke cautiously on Monday evening when asked to assess South Africa's chances of hosting the IPL's second season. "Until I meet with Mr Modi and BCCI officials and know exactly what they want and how they think this should proceed, then I cannot say where we stand," Majola told . "It has been strangely quiet since we were first asked by officials from the BCCI and IPL whether we can assist them, and to the best of my knowledge we remain just one of the options out there. We are interested in assisting, but we have not heard anything further."

Manoj Badale, co-owner of IPL's Rajasthan Royals, said he considered South Africa a likely venue. "Certainly based on the conversations I've had, if it [IPL] goes outside India, you'd have to suggest South Africa is the likeliest venue," Badale told BBC Sport.

Shaun Pollock, the former South African captain and current advisor to the Mumbai Indians, said he would be open to serving as a conduit between his IPL franchise and the KwaZulu-Natal board if approached. Pollock is currently in Durban with eight members of the Mumbai squad for a pre-season training camp.

"I would love the Mumbai Indians to come to Durban," Pollock told . "But, having said that, I don't know who will decide which franchise goes where, or even if (the IPL) will come here. It's hard to know at the moment. One person tells you it's 60-40 in South Africa's favour and another tells you it's 60-40 to England. But if it were to come here, I would be happy to help Mumbai if they were interested in basing themselves in my home area and conditions."

As of Sunday evening, England had emerged as the preferred venue to host the tournament after a powerful lobby within the BCCI and the Indian team management felt that such a move would help in preparing for the World Twenty20 in June.

However, that decision was almost entirely dependent on the ECB overcoming considerable obstacles related to costs and logistics and the approval of its stakeholders, including the counties, many of whom fear that their domestic schedule will be affected by the IPL.

Apparently, there is also a certain amount of concern at the ICC level about the state of venues in England for the World Twenty20 starting on June 5. The IPL will run until May 24 alongside the English domestic season starting in April and the West Indies Test series in May. "It's the beginning of the season in England and Wales and there is a lot of Twenty20 cricket being played including the ICC World Twenty20," David Morgan, the ICC president, told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I do think there will be great difficulties in relocating it."

WestIndies Vs England live

England take title after late drama

England lift World Cup after late drama

England woke up on Sunday morning to find their women crowned world champions for the third time following a final in which they had the edge throughout against New Zealand in Sydney on Sunday. As Jonny Wilkinson had kicked his rugby side to glory in 2003 in the same city, so England's Nicky Shaw sealed success for her team to see them home, having taken a career-best 4 for 34.

This match was not quite as nail-biting as the rugby final but certainly had its moments. Though at one stage England were coasting in their chase of 167, they eventually made it home by four wickets.

And while Shaw earned the player of the match - unlike Wilkinson - she wasn't even supposed to play. Although vice-captain, it was only an injury to premier allrounder Jenny Gunn that meant her last-minute inclusion. It proved a stroke of fortune for England.

The final had promised to be a much tight affair with the best two sides in the competition contesting the ultimate honours, but Shaw's wicket burst helped keep New Zealand to a modest total and then England's big batting guns had just too much firepower when it counted.

Their all-round game was a credit, the bowlers taking wickets when it mattered, the fielders the catches and then their batsmen took advantage of bowling that was both too short and too full at times. And the most important thing was that, even though they went on to lose a few wickets, they held their nerve at the crucial point.

The key passage of the game came in the New Zealand innings, kickstarted by Shaw who removed the dangerous Suzie Bates, then Amy Satterthwaite off successive balls. New Zealand went on to lose 6 for 92, Shaw dismissing form batsman Haidee Tiffen and Nicola Browne, becoming the first woman to take four wickets in a World Cup final.

The wicket of Browne was an important one - she had offered New Zealand some hope, along with Lucy Doolan in an eighth-wicket stand of 62. Together they boosted their side from 7 for 101. Partnerships were badly lacking for New Zealand, in initial contrast to England who found themselves on 1 for 74 in their reply.

The hard-working Caroline Atkins and Sarah Taylor seized the advantage quickly and entertained with some pure cricket shots. Having pleased the crowd with her typically strong shots, Taylor then perished to a soft one, such has been her wont this tournament.

No matter, it simply brought the world's No. 1 batsman to the crease. Claire Taylor had arrived in the final averaging 75.75 for the tournament. She began by sparing no mercy on the New Zealand attack before Aimee Mason bowled her on 21, giving her opposition some hope (2 for 109).

Atkins departed soon afterwards for 40, brilliantly caught by the tumbling Sophie Devine in gully off Doolan and New Zealand had a hint of a chance. Their determined bowlers continued to try their best but with Doolan again striking, with Edwards adjudged caught behind when she hadn't touched it.

Lydia Greenway then fell top-edging to midwicket, before Beth Morgan ran herself out failing to push back into her crease. With 15 runs required and four wickets in hand, Tiffen then dropped a hard chance off Holly Colvin, but Shaw stood defiant, with some classy drives that belied the pressure of the final.

Both sides had started nervously - the usually solid Tiffen consistently poking away from her body under Katherine Brunt's pace and swing, while the bowler and her fellow opener Isa Guha delivered some wides. But it was all about who held their nerve and, while England's bowlers struck golden rhythm and crucial wickets, New Zealand's batsmen were prone to losing their heads.

It could have been the same story for England at one point, but with a vast bank of experience from which to draw, they stood firm.

England played the more complete cricket and deserved the trophy. They will now enjoy the benefit of the world No. 1 ranking for the foreseeable future - perhaps even until the World Cup in 2013. And with the World Twenty20 coming up, England are already looking a fair bet. For now, though, they will enjoy their first World Cup title since 1993.