IPL 6: CSK v/s DD- The Quick Flicks

There is something almost magical about the Chennai Super Kings. Since the inception of the IPL in 2008, the Men in Yellow have at least made it to the semi-final stage every year. Against laggards Delhi Daredevils, their batting faltered a bit in the middle before recovering to post a sufficiently defendable score by T20 standards. The luckless Daredevils were consigned to yet another defeat, thus filling their cup of woes to the brim. Here are some of the snapshots from tonight’s game at the Chepauk stadium:

Changing the squad – Not For everyone!

Most teams have tinkered with their playing XI in order to keep everyone match-fit & give them their well-deserved opportunities. Both CSK and DD did the same thing – except that the change worked for the home side, and proved ineffective for the visitors. I really would have preferred Morne Morkel to play instead of Ashish Nehra just for the sake of keeping the brother v/s brother duel alive. What Delhi needed was a revamp, not cosmetic surgery.

Winning Games – The Mahi way!

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been a rock in CSK’s middle order. He has re-discovered the art of hitting those huge sixes right when needed, and also his Midas touch of winning games. Tonight, his clever bowling changes paid off one after the other as Albie Morkel grabbed three key wickets while Dwayne Bravo & R Ashwin also chipped in with substantial contributions. Moral of the Story: If you want to win any IPL game, do things the Mahi Way!

David Warner – The lone ranger

One feels sympathetic towards the plight of stand-in skipper David Warner. The wiry Aussie dynamo has been the only success story of his side in this season. He’s batted well, fielded superbly and has shown enough hunger to win. But time and again, he has been let down by the rest of his team. For me, his wicket tonight was the turning point in the game, as Delhi were still in the hunt when he was at the crease. Tough luck, Mario!

Raina’s half century

CSK’s one-drop batsman Suresh Raina flopped miserably in the first innings, yet he managed to score a half century: 50 catches in the IPL. The 50th was a superb effort in the deep off Ravichandran Ashwin to remove the dangerous Roelof van der Merwe. Now this is a feat you can probably associate with Sir Ravindra Jadeja – get out early and yet score a 50. Today, however, it was the UP lad’s turn. A new ‘Sir’ in the making, perhaps?

CSK are tough to beat at home, and this win only reinforces that fact. Delhi, on the other hand, are almost out of the tournament – but with 2 more games to go, Sehwag & Co. will look to end things on a high note. Nothing has gone right for the Daredevils this season. They ought to play for pride now, and probably spoil the chances of a few other teams. Until then, it’s time they took some much-needed R and R (rest and recreation).