Rains gods block Kanwar's & Pollard's heroics !

Pollard scored a brilliant 58 and took MI to a great 178/5, when the rain gods decided to finish the game.

Sarul Kanwar impressed with his 45. Six fours and three sixes flowed off the bat of Pollard, as CC bolwers were at the receiving end.

Kanwar smashed five sixes and and three fours in an incredible display of batting, in his 45 off 21.

When Kemp put the opposition into bat, Kanwar lofted Langveld to kickstart the blazing Mumbai innings. Even Steyn could not stop the rampaging Kanwar, who was severe on him, hitting him for a four and a six in the third over. Duminy was lofted out of the ground, as Kanwar blasted 17 runs of him ( two fours and a six ). Kanwar lofted Petersen for a mighty six, but the cunning spinner got his revenge, as the dangerous batsman holed out to Shah !

Kolkotta win at last !

Bangalore were 92/6 and then Vettori took the attack to the bowlers end, hammering 46. Bhatkal gave him good support. 169 was not a bad score, but it was not enough to contain the in form Kolkotta batsmen.

Brad Haddin played a gem of an innings, but then he perished when the score was 62 off 8 overs. Then the clinical 'callous" Kallis ( 64 not out ) and Gambhir ( 55 not out)took the Knight Riders home !

Bangalore never deserved to win, after being 92/6. All top order batsmen failed and Vettori and Bhatkal (25) had to do the rescue act.

Bravo lofts Chennai to victory

On advice from Dhoni to play on Indian turfs, Dwayne Bravo played a splendid innings of 46 runs off 26 balls, to pave the way for a magnificent Chennai victory.


Dwayne was the cynosure of all eyes, as with captain Dhoni, he added 43 runs off 39 balls for the sixth wicket to set the platform for the grest onslaught in the death overs.

"You must give credit to MS (Dhoni) because he really showed the way as how to go about in this wicket, placing the ball in the gaps, and running a lot of singles and twos. It was unfortunate he got out but by that time we knew we had a realistic chance of winning the match," Bravo said after CSK's six-wicket win over Cobras last night."

Bravo felt thatCape Cobras would have been better off with a spinner rather than a fast bower in the death overs.

"Taking the pace off the ball is a good idea, but when you have the world's best bowler in your team, you expect him to take wickets. Today, unfortunately, the balls didn't come off well for Steyn, and as a batsman I capitalised," said the Calypso wonder.

The wicket, he said, is tough.

"It's a good wicket as it tests your abilities. If you get your eyes in and play proper shots, you will be able to get runs. The pitch is relaid and we are only getting used to it, but as the tournament progresses teams will get accustomed to it," said the formidable all rounder.

"Callous" Ferguson devastates !

Callum Ferguson played a callous innings, 70 off 40 balls to guide the South Australian Redbacks to victory. Involved in a 84 run partnership with Christian, the callous Ferguson's innings helped the Redbacks to blast 94 runs off the last six hapless overs. The match winning score of 188 was too much for the Knight Riders !

Kolkotta failed by 19 runs and their fate was sealed when big hitting Yousuf Pathan was out. The score was just 102/5 when the master blaster fell.

It was lacklustre performance on the part of the Redbacks initially, as they plodded along for 94/3 off 15 overs. Then Ferguson accelerated and in just 7.2 overs, he put on 84 with Daniel Christian ! Off 31 balls, Christian scored 42.

Fireworks by Doeschate ( 32 off 19 ) and Rajat Bhatia saved Kolkotta from a heavy defeat.

Mumbai rides on luck !

Chahal hit the last ball for two runs and Mumbai had won a thriller. The bungling Trinidad and Tobago could not pull off a win, despite being in the driver's seat, when MI were 33/5......

Malinga and Bajji were responsible for skittling out T & T for a paltry 98. Bajji took three and Malinga two. Then when MI started, they had to face the fiery Rampaul, who succeeded in toppling their top order and MI were in the doldrums at 33/5. Then Ambati Rayudu took over, scoring a patient 36 and becoming the sheet anchor of the versatile Mumbai Indians !

In a low scoring match, in which neither team scored more than 100, in a match of fluctuating fortunes, MI emerged winner due to keeping their nerves. This is a second display of keeping nerves for MI. Rayudu and Malinga led the fightback. Malinga scored 15 and is now making his mark as a batsman in T20 !

Eleven runs were required in the final over, when Malinga swung Ganga for a six. Pressure got on to both Malinga and Rayudu and both were run out. Then Yuvzendra Chahal came to the rescue and hit two runs off the last ball and MI had done the impossible !

The last ball scenario was great. Darren Ganga pushed the field back and Sherwin Ganga sent down a full toss on Chahal's pads. Chahal nudged it to midwicket. He charged back for the second, the throw from the fielder was not accurate enough and Ramadin underarmed the ball, only to miss the stumps to the delight of the crowd, who obviously were pro MI !

T & T chose to give the single and tie the match, unaware of the fact that they have to face the formidable Slinga Malinga in the Super Over, if they had tied the match.

Warriors win easily

Jon Jon Smuts smashed a magnificent 88, Ingram 30 and Boucher 34 and Warriors posted 171/5 in their allotted 20 overs. South Australian Redbacks could only muster 121/6 and Warriors won with ease.

It was a great display of batting from Smuts, as he thrashed the Redback bowlers to all parts of the field. In restricting the Redbacks, the bowlers involved were Tsotsobe ( 2 wickets ) Theron ( 1 wicket ), Botha (1) and Parnell(1).

Smuts was involved in a 80 run partnership with Boucher ( 34 off 26).

Redbacks could not give a fitting reply, with only Klinger (34) offering some resistance. SA lost wickets quite regularly and this prevented their surge. They can hope for better luck next time.

Somerset register emphatic win

Despite the heroics of Pathan and the technical brilliance of Kallis, Kolkotta could not register a win. The slow and low track was mastered by an unknown batsman, Roelof van der Merwe, who smashed 73 off 40 balls to set a great Somerset victory.

78 runs were plundered in the last 6 overs by Pathan & Co and KKR finished at 161/3.

Chasing a competitive 162 runs to win, Somerset lost their first wicket for just 15 runs, but Roelof took the attack to the bowlers by a blistering 73, studded with two sixes and nine fours. Off just 25 balls he reached his fifty, which proved to be the third fastest fifty in the Championship League. He was supported by Trego ( 28 off 35 ) and the two were involved in a century partnership.

But their run chase hit a big block, as Somerset lost both van der Merwe and Trego. Hildreth and Suppiah followed in quick succession. Shakib al Hasan ran out Trego and then took a catch to send off van der Merwe. But Nick Compton and Steve Snell held their nerves to register a great victory.

Earlier Jacques Kallis was on the rampage, with a devastating 74 off 61 balls, pulverising the Somerset attack. Adding fuel to the fire was Yousuf Pathan, who scored a brilliant 39 not out. Kallis hit four sixes and four fours and Pathan followed suit with 4 sixes. 161/3 was not at all a bad score, but Somerset proved to be too smart for that.

Cobras prevail

New South Wales could only put up a modest performace. The 130 odd which they posted were overrun by a ravaging Gibbs and Levi. These openers put on 88 for the first wicket and Cape Cobras won easily.

The issue was never in doubt, as NSW folded up for 130 odd. Watson( 34 off 29 ) and Warner ( 20 off 30 ) were crusing merrily when Langveld dimissed both of them. Daniel Smith ( 24 off 16 ) kept the scoreboard moving but Phlander removed him. Great expectations were on Simon Katich but he failed to deliver, falling a prey to Kemp. Steven Smith ( 16 ) and Henriques ( 18) then took NSW to a respectable score.

Gibbs started slowly, scoring just 1 run off 11 deliveries. Then he accelerated, blasting five fours and two sixes in a brilliant display of batting. His 55 off 47 balls was his 19th T20 fifty. He fell when just 24 runs were needed for victory. Levi scored 43 off 27 balls, before holing out to Warner. When Owais Shah ( 3) left, Cobras were 112/3, but then Duminy ( 14 not out ) and Ontong ( 11 not out ) knocked off the remaining runs with ease.

Earlier Warner and Watson got off to a blistering start, putting on 41 in just 30 balls. But then NSW lost their way, as they lost their top three batsmen quickly.

Malinga's new Avatar

Malinga played the best innings of his career, as he lambasted the Chennai bowlers to all parts of the field. With Bajji, he was involved in an unconquered 53 run partnership, which brought home the bacon for Mumbai Indians.

Eleven runs were needed in the ultimate over and Malinga hit the second delivery for four. Off the next ball he took a single and Bajji swung for another four. Bajji then hit the winning run by nudging a single on the leg side.

Off 18 balls, Malinga blasted 37 runs and Bajji 19 off 20 balls. For Chennai Bravo, Ashwin & Raina took two wickets each.

Chasing a modest 159 run target, Mumbai were in the doldrums at one stage at 106/7, before this partnership turned defeat into victory !

Bizzard (28) and Jacobs (18) gave MI a good start, but then MI had lost half the side in the first ten overs for 63!. Earlier Mike Hussey was at his best, as he cracked a belligerent 81 off 57 balls to help Chennai post a competitive 158/4. Three sixes and eight fours flowed off his bat but he could not get support from other players. Raina ( 18 off 17) and Badrinath ( 16 off 21) fell cheaply at the other end.

Lasith "formdiable" Malinga had done the impossible. He had proved Napolean's dictum " The word impossible occurs only in the dictionary of fools".

Warriors win off last ball !

When the 19th over started, the Warriors needed 19 off 12 balls. But they lost Prince, who miscued to Nannes. Thyssen followed, after cracking a boundary off the last ball. The last ball was hit by Boje for six and W needed just seven off six. Aravind managed to get two dot balls and Botha could not combat pressure and perished. With seven needed from 3 balls, Boje picked up a single off the fourth ball. The fifth was hit for a cracking four and two off the last ball by Wayne Parnell brought home the bacon for the Warriors !

This was a real humdinger ! Earlier Bangalore could only muster 172, thanks to Kohli ( 34). Warriors were in dire straits at 82/4, but Prince ( 74) and Botha ( 42 ) steered them home.

It was a day of fluctuating fortunes, as RCB fought back with the prize wickets of Botha and Prince.

Theron bowled superbly taking four wickets and thereby restricting Bangalore to 172/8. Warriors had won the toss and elected to bat and Gayle exploded with two sixes and two fours, in a typical Gaylian manner. Left armer Parnell accounted for Gayle. Villiers ( 31) and Kohli ( 34) were involved in a fiery 52 off 41 balls, before Theron had Kohli caught at deep midwicket.

Botha had his SA colleague Villiers caught, but Saurabh Tiwari blasted 28 off 15 balls to keep the momentum going. But Theron proved to be economical in the death overs, ensuring the Warriors victory. Theron picked up three wickets in the penultimate over, of Kaif ( 26 ), Mithun (4) and Vettori ( 8). And Parnell only conceded 8 runs in the final over ! Good bowling by Warriors.

Championship League kicks off today !

The IPL Champions League will start on Sep 23, to find out which is the best T20 Club team.

It will be a struggle for supremacy as 12 teams from different countries fight it out

The 12 teams are

Chennai Super Kings
Kolkata Knight Riders
Leicestershire Foxes
Mumbai Indians
New South Wales Blues
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Ruhunu Eleven

Auckland Aces
Cape Cobras
Somerset
South Australian Redbacks
Trinidad & Tobago
Warriors


Let us see who is the best Club side in T20 cricket !

“Stars will emerge from CLT20″, says J Sutherland, ceo, Cricket Australia.Fixtures & Results

Main Round

Date & Time (IST) Match Venue Result

Sep 23 (20:00) Royal Challengers Bangalore vsWarriors M.Chinnaswamy
Stadium, Bengaluru

Sep 24 (16:00) Cape Cobras vs New South Wales Blues MA Chidambaram
Stadium, Chennai

Sep 24 (20:00) Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians MA Chidambaram
Stadium, Chennai

Sep 25 (16:00) Warriors vs South Australian Redbacks Rajiv Gandhi
International Stadium, Hyderabad

Sep 25 (20:00) Kolkata Knight Riders vsSomerset Rajiv Gandhi
International Stadium, Hyderabad

Sep 26 (20:00) Mumbai Indians vs Trinidad and Tobago M.Chinnaswamy
Stadium, Bengaluru

Sep 27 (20:00) Kolkata Knight Riders vs South Australian Redbacks
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad

Sep 28 (16:00) New South Wales Blues vsTrinidad and Tobago MA
Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Sep 28 (20:00) Chennai Super Kings vs Cape Cobras MA Chidambaram
Stadium, Chennai

Sep 29 (20:00) Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Sep 30 (20:00) Mumbai Indians vs Cape Cobras M.Chinnaswamy Stadium,
Bengaluru

Oct 1 (16:00) South Australian Redbacks vsSomerset M.Chinnaswamy
Stadium, Bengaluru

Oct 1 (20:00) Kolkata Knight Riders vsWarriors M.Chinnaswamy Stadium,
Bengaluru

Oct 2 (16:00) Mumbai Indians vs New South Wales Blues MA Chidambaram
Stadium, Chennai

Oct 2 (20:00) Chennai Super Kings vs Trinidad and Tobago MA
Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Oct 3 (20:00) Royal Challengers Bangalore vsSomerset M.Chinnaswamy
Stadium, Bengaluru

Oct 4 (16:00) Cape Cobras vs Trinidad and Tobago MA Chidambaram
Stadium, Chennai

Oct 4 (20:00) Chennai Super Kings vs New South Wales Blues MA
Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Oct 5 (16:00) Warriors vs Somerset M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Oct 5 (20:00) Royal Challengers Bangalore vsSouth Australian Redbacks
M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Semi Final

Oct 7 (20:00) B1 vs A2 M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Oct 8 (20:00) A1 vs B2 MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Final

Oct 9 (20:00) SF1 vs SF2 MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai


Jointly sponsored by Cricket Australia, Cricket RSA and BCCI, CLT20 will be more popular than IPL. IPL is only Indian, CLT20 is international !