Friday, April 26, 2013

Dhoni the batting Hero, Steyn the bowling Villain


CSK vs SRH: 25/4/2013

CSK were the hot favourites before start of the match with odds of  about 1.55. And accordingly, SRH were tottering at 100/5 at the end of 16 overs. So what? They scored further 59 runs in next 4 overs through unknown batsmen against an awed bowling attack. Scripting hardly has any limitations. Teams may fold up scoring less than 10 runs in last 4 overs or may score 60 plus runs. But scripting in this IPL has been consistent so far in turning around matches after 16 overs of one or other innings.

These sudden and dramatic turn arounds must have been helping the fixers to make a killing, especially through session betting.

Even with that score, and a superb bowling performance so far in the tournament by SRH, the odds remained in f/o CSK in view of their superior batting. And contrary to the bowling potential of SRH, CSK were 58/0 after 6 overs, well on course to win comfortably. But that was not to be. After 6 overs session was done and dusted, CSK started giving in to same ordinary bowling, to be 76/2 in 10 overs and 86/2 in 12 overs.

Amit Mishra dropping Dhoni in the 11th over is worth watching. To describe shortly, it was a desperate effort by a fielder to drop a sitter. From thereon, it was Dhoni, the superhero batsman, Steyn and others the bowling villains. Bravo also helped Dhoni to be a super hero by blocking balls himself, especially in the 16th over. 

How does Steyn to be a villain help the fixers? When Steyn comes for bowling, punters would expect something favourable heappening for the fielding side and bet accordingly. And the contrary result, as Steyn being hit for two consecutive sixes in first 2 balls of the 17th over (at that crucial stage of the match), would bring deep smiles to the fixers.

The wicket was said to be a good batting wicket by the commentators, in contrast to Kolkata wicket in last match. Yet chasing proved to be relatively much easier in Kolkata than in this match.

And the batting hero for SRH, Ashish Reddy, bowled a lousy final over for his side to lose the match. Surprisingly, and not surprisingly, with spinner Mishra doing well, the other two spinners in the side, Vihari and Sarguman were not even tried. 

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