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Showing posts with label CLT20 - 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CLT20 - 2013. Show all posts
Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Tuesday, 8 October 2013
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Dwayne Smith - (223 runs, strike-rate 143)
Smith was Mumbai Indians' rock atop the batting order, fashioning brisk starts from power and touch in equal measure, and rarely failing to punish the poor deliveries - particularly if there was an error in length. Four times in five innings he crossed 40, and often had to contend with an ambling Sachin Tendulkar at the other end. His 48 off 25 against Perth Scorchers set the tone for the frenetic chase that put Mumbai into the semi-finals, while his 59 against Trinidad and Tobago made a challenging chase seem like a cakewalk.
Smith was Mumbai Indians' rock atop the batting order, fashioning brisk starts from power and touch in equal measure, and rarely failing to punish the poor deliveries - particularly if there was an error in length. Four times in five innings he crossed 40, and often had to contend with an ambling Sachin Tendulkar at the other end. His 48 off 25 against Perth Scorchers set the tone for the frenetic chase that put Mumbai into the semi-finals, while his 59 against Trinidad and Tobago made a challenging chase seem like a cakewalk.
Ajinkya Rahane - (288 runs, strike-rate 119)
Having made four half-centuries on the trot - a Champions League record - Ajinkya Rahane finished with the most runs in the tournament this year. Less explosive than Smith, he was perhaps even more important to his team, whose dashers thrived because of the stability Rahane provided. He set up the win against Chennai Super Kings in the semi-finalwith his 70 off 56, during which he also smote the prettiest six of the tournament - a caress off a R Ashwin legbreak over deep cover.
Having made four half-centuries on the trot - a Champions League record - Ajinkya Rahane finished with the most runs in the tournament this year. Less explosive than Smith, he was perhaps even more important to his team, whose dashers thrived because of the stability Rahane provided. He set up the win against Chennai Super Kings in the semi-finalwith his 70 off 56, during which he also smote the prettiest six of the tournament - a caress off a R Ashwin legbreak over deep cover.
Sanju Samson (wk) - (192 runs, strike-rate 127, five catches and a stumping)
Samson began his tournament with a match-winninghalf century against Mumbai Indians, but it was his valiant 60 off 33 in pursuit of a tall target in the final that puts him in this list. Only 18, but nerveless in the biggest match of his life so far, he played authoritatively through the leg side to elevate his side to a winning position. Has the tendency to get out playing one big shot too many, but has the raw material to become a future star. He kept tidily during the group matches, before being relieved of the gloves - perhaps to ease the burden on his batting.
Samson began his tournament with a match-winninghalf century against Mumbai Indians, but it was his valiant 60 off 33 in pursuit of a tall target in the final that puts him in this list. Only 18, but nerveless in the biggest match of his life so far, he played authoritatively through the leg side to elevate his side to a winning position. Has the tendency to get out playing one big shot too many, but has the raw material to become a future star. He kept tidily during the group matches, before being relieved of the gloves - perhaps to ease the burden on his batting.
Rohit Sharma (capt) - (173 runs, strike-rate 152)
Has his ability invoked so often that his name may as well be listed as a synonym for 'talent' in the thesaurus, Rohit had another good Twenty20 tournament with the bat, and was a steady, if not always an inspirational, captain. Didn't make any gargantuan scores, but he was impactful when it counted. His 51 not out off 24 balls against Perth Scorchers rescued the side from the brink, after their indifferent group stage performances, and his 33 from 14 in the final began the frenzied sequence that propelled Mumbai to their giant score. Although Mumbai were without their pace spearhead in this tournament, they barely missed Lasith Malinga, thanks to Rohit's intelligent use of Nathan Coulter-Nile.
Suresh Raina - (221 runs, strike-rate 145.39, 3 wickets)
Has been one of the most consistent Twenty20 batsmen since the IPL began, and he found a way to contribute in some way in each of his Champions League matches. A 47 against Titans began his tournament, before he struck 84 from 57 balls to set the scene for MS Dhoni's ballistics against Sunrisers Hyderabad. That blazing start with the bat was followed by three middling scores, but his tight spin bowling was also an asset to Super Kings.
Has been one of the most consistent Twenty20 batsmen since the IPL began, and he found a way to contribute in some way in each of his Champions League matches. A 47 against Titans began his tournament, before he struck 84 from 57 balls to set the scene for MS Dhoni's ballistics against Sunrisers Hyderabad. That blazing start with the bat was followed by three middling scores, but his tight spin bowling was also an asset to Super Kings.
Brad Hodge - (109 runs, strike-rate of 198)
Only batted thrice in the tournament, but played a game-changing hand in two of those innings. His 46 off 23 against Lions transformed what would have been a middling Twenty20 total into a commanding one, and his52 from 23 six days later overcame Royals' middle-order stagnation and sent them to the top of their group. Royals' run chase in the final was crying out for a Hodge finish, but he was instead forced to watch from the sidelines, with a knee injury.
Only batted thrice in the tournament, but played a game-changing hand in two of those innings. His 46 off 23 against Lions transformed what would have been a middling Twenty20 total into a commanding one, and his52 from 23 six days later overcame Royals' middle-order stagnation and sent them to the top of their group. Royals' run chase in the final was crying out for a Hodge finish, but he was instead forced to watch from the sidelines, with a knee injury.
James Neesham - (145 runs, strike-rate 169, 6 wickets, economy rate 7.31)
Twenty-three year old Neesham was perhaps the find of the tournament, as he impressed with nerveless hitting and steady medium pace, as Otago breezed through the early stages of the competition. His unbeaten 32 against Kandurata Maroons ensured Otago finished their innings strongly, but his finest moment came against Lions, when he bludgeoned 52 from 25 to revive an ailing chase, to tie the match. Otago were knocked out of the tournament when they lost a must-win match against Royals, but that was no fault of Neesham's, who took 3 for 22.
Twenty-three year old Neesham was perhaps the find of the tournament, as he impressed with nerveless hitting and steady medium pace, as Otago breezed through the early stages of the competition. His unbeaten 32 against Kandurata Maroons ensured Otago finished their innings strongly, but his finest moment came against Lions, when he bludgeoned 52 from 25 to revive an ailing chase, to tie the match. Otago were knocked out of the tournament when they lost a must-win match against Royals, but that was no fault of Neesham's, who took 3 for 22.
Nathan Coulter-Nile - (6 wickets, economy rate 6.37)
Coulter-Nile only played in the tournament because Malinga was unavailable, but he quickly became the most reliable bowler in Mumbai's attack. Delivering tight lines at a sharp pace early in the innings, then returning with a bag of death-over tricks and the smarts to go with it, an expensive Coulter-Nile over was a rarity. He took three wickets when Mumbai were desperate to keep Perth Scorchers to a low total, but was even better in the semi-final against Trinidad and Tobago, whose explosive batsmen he kept in check throughout the innings.
Coulter-Nile only played in the tournament because Malinga was unavailable, but he quickly became the most reliable bowler in Mumbai's attack. Delivering tight lines at a sharp pace early in the innings, then returning with a bag of death-over tricks and the smarts to go with it, an expensive Coulter-Nile over was a rarity. He took three wickets when Mumbai were desperate to keep Perth Scorchers to a low total, but was even better in the semi-final against Trinidad and Tobago, whose explosive batsmen he kept in check throughout the innings.
Dwayne Bravo - (7 wickets, economy rate 8.04)
Gets here almost solely for his bowling, which was effective in tandem with Super Kings' spin bowlers, particularly in the middle overs. His 2 for 34 against Sunrisers helped scuttle a promising chase, but his best bowling came in the semi-final, when he took 3 for 26 to keep Royals to a par score.
Gets here almost solely for his bowling, which was effective in tandem with Super Kings' spin bowlers, particularly in the middle overs. His 2 for 34 against Sunrisers helped scuttle a promising chase, but his best bowling came in the semi-final, when he took 3 for 26 to keep Royals to a par score.
Pravin Tambe - (12 wickets, economy rate 4.10)
Tambe's is without a doubt the most uplifting story in the Champions League, though he was denied a perfect 42nd birthday present in the final, through no fault of his own. Having played only three IPL matches, Tambe was added to the XI in Royals' second match of the tournament, and he immediately shone, taking 4 for 15. His flat, fast legbreaks proved difficult to put away, and his effective use of the googly claimed him plenty of wickets. In a final where his team conceded more than 10 an over, Tambe bowled four overs, took two wickets, and gave away only 19. He also finished the top wicket-taker in the league, edging past Sunil Narine by a wicket.
Sunil Narine - (11 wickets, economy rate 4.30)
Often difficult, sometimes unplayable, Narine's mystery has not waned in Twenty20 cricket, where batsmen have begun to play the man, rather than the ball. Twice the team suffered because Denesh Ramdin kept him out of the attack for too long. He took four wickets for nine runs against Sunrisers, but T&T still lost the match. Against Mumbai in the semi-final, he was again brought in only after the openers had put on 90 together. Still, he was the cornerstone of his team's campaign, and his knuckle ball was as destructive as it has ever been.
Monday, 7 October 2013
Monday, 7 October 2013
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Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals Cricket Highlights Final Champions League 2013. Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals final mi vs rr Cricket Highlights CLT20 – 2013 6th october. Final Champions league 2013 Cricket Highlights.
External Link: Highlights: WATCH NOW
Harbhajan Singh is the Man of the Match: "Great feeling winning two cups in one year. It was a little easier to score with the new ball. The ball was getting a bit wet. That over I took three wickets was probably the best I've bowled the last three months. I didn't practice much before this series, I was traveling to the US."
Dwayne Smith is the Man of the Series: "Would like to thank my batting coach Robin Singh. It was good to see we could move to 200 if you saw where we were at after ten overs."
Ajinkya Rahane wins the Golden Bat for his 288 runs.
The Golden Wicket goes to the 41-year-young Pravin Tambe for his 12 wickets.
Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals, final, CLT20, Delhi: Harbhajan gives Mumbai the double
Mumbai Indians 202 for 6 ( Smith 44, Maxwell 37, Tambe 2-19) beat Rajasthan Royals 169 (Rahane 65, Samson 60, Harbhajan 4-32) by 33 runs
A furious finish from Mumbai Indians' middle order propelled them to a monumental total before a chase-breaking over from Harbhajan Singh snuffed out the last of Rajasthan Royals' spirit, driving Mumbai to their second major title of the year, as they won the Champions League final by 33 runs.
The Royals bowlers had been disciplined in their first 12 overs, which only cost them less than seven an over, but a Rohit Sharma onslaught unseamed their resolve and the remaining batsmen took maximum toll on a waning attack. Glenn Maxwell provided the most frenzied death-over innings, mauling 37 from 14, but Sharma, Dinesh Karthik and even Harbhajan struck at over 200 to help plunder 120 runs from the last eight overs of the innings.
Eighteen-year old Sanju Samson was imperious in Royals' response, and he led Ajinkya Rahane in a 109-run second-wicket stand that provided a fine base for the chase. But even as Rahane completed his fourth fifty on the trot, the Royals' scoring slowed, and Harbhajan eventually sunk the opposition in a 17th over that claimed three wickets and cost only four.
Dravid: "How good was Rahane and Samson? We gave them too muchy to do. Mumbai were the better side. Terrific effort from the team, and Tambe as well. It was a close game till the end, otherwise a great final. I've loved working with Rajasthan."
Rohit Sharma: "It was a nerve-biting game. I would like to thank Sachin and Dravid for what they've done for Indian cricket. We thought the dew would come in. Maxy finished off really well. We held our nerve in the end. Winning this was like the icing on the cake."
Rohit collects the rather small Champions League trophy.
Sunday, 6 October 2013
Sunday, 6 October 2013
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Rajasthan Royals batsman Brad Hodge will not be fit for the Champions League T20 final on Sunday, the Royals coach Paddy says. Hodge had injured his knee during the semi-final against Chennai Super Kings last evening in Jaipur. He has had scans on his knee, the results of which are awaited.
Hodge had collided with Shane Watson, whose head hit Hodge's knee, at point during the final over of Chennai Super Kings' chase and had to go off the field. Shaun Tait, the Australian fast bowler, is the only overseas player available on the Royals bench.
Losing Hodge is a blow to Royals' chances of winning their maiden Champions League title. Batting at No. 6 in the role of a finisher, Hodge has scored 109 runs in three innings - two not-outs - at a strike rate of 198. His unbeaten 52 off 23 balls against Otago was instrumental in Royals securing a home semi-final, which they won by 14 runs.
Mumbai Indians vs Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Highlights 2nd semi final Champions League 2013. Mumbai Indians vs Trinidad & Tobago semi final mi vs t&t Cricket Highlights CLT20 – 2013 5th october. 2nd semi final Champions league 2013 Cricket Highlights.
External Link: Highlights: WATCH NOW
Mumbai Indians 157 for 4 (Smith 59, Narine 3-17) beat Trinidad & Tobago 153 for 5 (Lewis 62, Ottley 41*) by six wickets
Dwayne Smith and Sachin Tendulkar provided the searing start that set Mumbai Indians on course for a second Champions League T20 final in three years, a final which will now be an all-IPL affair. Smith bludgeoned 59 from 38 as the pair made 90 together in 11 overs, in pursuit of T&T's middling 153 for 5. Though the openers' demise in the space of an over comprised a stutter, they had done enough to ensure the middle order could see out the dangerous Sunil Narine, and complete a straightforward victory, made easier by the injury to Rayad Emrit, who hurt his shoulder in the first over.
Nathan Coulter-Nile had earlier been instrumental in subduing T&T, who had their own blazing start courtesy Evin Lewis' 46-ball 62. Coulter-Nile conceded only 20 in his four overs, in which he also took one wicket, while both Kieron Pollard and Pragyan Ojha also took one apiece and gave away less than a run a ball in their three-over spells.
"We should have got 15 more run," says Ramdin. "170 was on par for it, but we kept losing the wickets. There was a bit of dew out there and we bowled full to them earlier, allowing them to get away to a good start."
"I wasn't aware that i was close to 50000, I only saw it on the big screen," saysTendulkar. "But it was a good performance by us after Smithy gave us a good start. It's fun to watch him hit those balls hard. I told him I am not backing up too far as I might get hit by his shots. I am a little superstitious, so I don't like speaking about my own team (on his team's chances in the final). T&T are a dangerous side and they play the format very well. I was glad that Pollard and Smithy were on our side."Dwayne Smith is the Man of the Match.
Mumbai Indians make it to their second CLT20 final in three years. The chase was set up by yet another power-packed start from Dwayne Smith and Tendulkar played some of his vintage shots in his best innings this tournament, but in the end, despite a masterclass from Sunil Narine, the target was not enough for the strong batting line up. T&T lost Emrit in the first over after he hurt his shoulder, but no one other than Narine provided any sort of fight and once Mumbai had negotiated Narine, everything else was easily manageable. It means it will be a Mumbai v Rajasthan Royals final tomorrow, a chance to see two old legends play the limited-overs game for the last time.
Saturday, 5 October 2013
Saturday, 5 October 2013
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Mumbai Indians v T&T, 2nd semi-final, CLT20, Delhi: T&T look to gatecrash IPL teams' party
After making the inaugural Champions League T20 final against New South Wales in 2009, Trinidad & Tobago have not reached the tournament's knockouts again. In this edition, the group stage got better and better for them.
After a four-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in their second match, they held on - helped by a late shower - in a must-win game against Titans, before shocking tournament favourites Chennai Super Kings in their final game. Their eight-wicket win against Super Kings was so comprehensive, they catapulted them into top place in Group B.
T&T's strength remains their bowling, specifically mystery spinner Sunil Narine who was the highest wicket-taker at the end of the group stage with eight scalps. While they've had the occasional sparkle from their batsmen - like Evin Lewis' quickfire 70 against Titans - it is primarily Narine, with some help from seamers Ravi Rampaul and Rayad Emrit, who has brought the team so far.
Still, T&T, the only non-IPL team left in the tournament, are the underdogs in their semi-final encounter, as they face a star-laden Mumbai Indians line-up.
Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Cricket Highlights Semi-Final Champions League 2013. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vs Rajasthan Royals (RR) 1st Semi Final Cricket Highlights CLT20 – 2013 4th October. Champions league 2013 Cricket Highlights.
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Royals v Super Kings, 1st semi-final, CLT20, Jaipur: Tambe, Rahane take Royals to final
Rajasthan Royals 159 for 8 (Rahane 70, Bravo 3-26) beat Chennai Super Kings 145 for 8 (Ashwin 46, Tambe 3-10) by 14 runs
Pravin Tambe scripted the most remarkable chapter in his brief Twenty20 career, as he scuttled the Chennai Super Kings chase with a canny spell of legspin bowling that reaped 3 wickets for 10 in four overs. Super Kings began poorly in pursuit of 160, failing to eclipse the required rate in the Powerplay, as both openers were run out, but Tambe ensured the dangerous men below would not prosper, as he and the seamers gleaned a wicket per over between the 9th and 13th overs of the innings.
At the innings break, Royals may perhaps have felt their 159 for 8 was at least ten runs light at a traditionally high-scoring venue, but despite a desperate R Ashwin salvo towards the finish, the hosts extended their winning streak at home to 13 victories. A fluid Ajinkya Rahane scored 70 from 56 balls, which helped set up the 14-run win, with the Royals finishing the year unbeaten in Jaipur.
MS Dhoni complimented his bowlers who he thought did a fantasitic job to restrict them to 160. There were looking for a much bigger score. The batting did not stack up. And there were a couple of run-outs that added to things. But the lower order reacted to the situation well. A couple of guys strayed away from their designated roles. Ashwin did very well and Morris supported him. The first few overs, the batsman batted well, and the other team knew the conditions better and I knew their bowlers were going to keep things tight. Its not just enough to just bowl fast, they kept a good line, We did well at the start but we have to think on our batting orderRahul Dravid says there is one more game to go and expressed pride in the way his side fought back. He adds that they were 15-20 short but their bowling and fielding was just fantastic. What we have here is something special, we’ve got a great unit together. Its Tambe’s experience, he’s been bowling in club cricket for decades and he’s very willing to learn. He always talks with Hodge and Watson about what pace to bowl, how to counter when a batsman is going after him. There were a few raised eyebrows when we selected him, but he has the mental strength to come true. I love playing here at Jaipur and its probably my last game here and its been such a fun time and I’ve got so much support from the crowd here. I haven’t talked to Hodge yet, but touch on wood he comes through because we only have four foreign players in the squadPravi Tambe is the Man of the Match. I’m very happy when the team does well and we are in the final of the Champions League. I want to thank Rahul bhai and my coaches for believing in me. I dont know why they are not picking me. I just stick to my basics and bowl as well as I can
Friday, 4 October 2013
Friday, 4 October 2013
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Till Wednesday evening, it was almost assumed that Chennai Super Kings would stay back in Delhi for their semi-final clash against Mumbai Indians, who had just qualified for the knockouts in blistering fashion earlier in the day. Super Kings were on top of Group B, undefeated, but as the night wore on, they slipped one notch below after a crushing defeat to Trinidad and Tobago.
T&T not only won, but stormed home in just over 15 overs to top the group. It meant that the West Indian side would end up staying back in Delhi, while Super Kings would have to travel to Jaipur to take on Rajasthan Royals. With the Royals sitting on a 12-match winning-streak at home, stretching back to the IPL, you wouldn't expect many teams relishing the prospect of playing them there. It shows that in this format, one bad day can make a difference.
Super Kings suffered a rare batting meltdown against T&T with only three of their batsmen going into double-figures. Their famed finishers failed in unison and the side lost its last five wickets for 16 runs. Super Kings still played their best team, but as they learned even during the IPL final, even the best sides can defy expectations. They arrived in Jaipur late on Thursday and decided not to practice.
Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings: Teams squad
| Rajasthan Royals squad | |
| R Dravid*, STR Binny, K Cooper, JP Faulkner, BJ Hodge, VS Malik, AL Menaria, AM Rahane, SV Samson,R Shukla, SW Tait, PV Tambe, SR Watson, DH Yagnik† | |
| Chennai Super Kings squad | |
| MS Dhoni*†, R Ashwin, S Badrinath, DJ Bravo, F du Plessis, JO Holder, MEK Hussey, Imtiaz Ahmed, RA Jadeja,JA Morkel, CH Morris, SK Raina, WP Saha†, MM Sharma, M Vijay | |
Thursday, 3 October 2013
Thursday, 3 October 2013
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Tendulkar has scored 15, 5 and 0 in the three Champions League Twenty20 games he has played so far, a poor performance by the 40-year-old.
"I am not concerned about his form as he is hitting the ball well. Unfortunately, he got out without scoring today. I don't think we need to worry about him. A batsman of his experience can come good anytime he wants to. Hopefully, he will play a big knock in the semifinals," Sharma said of Tendulkar, who will probably play his last T20 game Saturday.
Watch the video of Interview by Rohit Sharma via ESPNCRICINFO or Click Here!
The Two teams from Indian Premier League has to be fight in semi-final match of CLT20 2013 tomorrow. The two team players
Rajasthan Royals team: RS Dravid, AM Rahane, SV Samson, SR Watson, STR Binny, BJ Hodge, James Faulkner, Kevon Cooper, Ashok Menaria, SK Trivedi, V Malik, Rahul Shukla, Pravin Tambe
Chennai Super Kings team: MEK Hussey, MS Dhoni, SK Raina, S Badrinath, JA Morkel, M Vijay, RA Jadeja,DJ Bravo, R Ashwin, JO Holder, CH Morris, MM Sharma
Match to be start: @ 8 p.m. local timings
Chennai Super Kings vs Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Highlights Champions League 2013. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vs Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Highlights CLT20 – 2013 2nd October. Match 20 Champions league 2013 Cricket Highlights.
External Link: Highlights: WATCH NOW
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
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Match 19: Mumbai Indians vs Perth Scorchers Cricket Highlights Champions League 2013
Mumbai Indians vs Perth Scorchers Cricket Highlights Champions League 2013. Mumbai Indians vs Perth Scorchers Cricket Highlights CLT20 – 2013 2nd october. Match 19 Champions league 2013 Cricket Highlights.
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Chennai Super Kings v Trinidad & Tobago, CLT20, Delhi: T&T top table after thumping victory
Trinidad & Tobago are the only team from outside the three countries that own a stake in the Champions League to be given direct entry to the tournament, a special status they justified by topping the league table after hammering one of the CLT20 favourites, Chennai Super Kings.
The already-qualified Super Kings' famed batting had a rare off day, and the team were bowled out for only the seventh time in 117 matches. Having been rolled over for 118, Super Kings couldn't prevent T&T from completing the chase within 17.4 overs, which meant they surrendered the top spot in the group. It left them facing the challenge of breaking Rajasthan Royals' 12-game winning streak at home in the semi-finals.
It was a day when almost everything went right for T&T, epitomised by the game Man-of-the-Match Lendl Simmons had. Simmons came into this match on the back of two ducks but contributed with bat, ball and in the field in T&T's dominant performance.
MS Dhoni says the batting was not good enough. After the eighth over, the pitch began to slow down and CSK lost momentum and wickets. It was going to be a tough ask for the bowlers to defend such a low score. If they'd made 135, then the opposition would have to worry about what might happen if they lose some early wickets. He continues saying the match at Jaipur would be an interesting one, seeing that Royals have never lost there this year and with CSK's seamers getting a little out of the pitch at Ranchi
Denesh Ramdin says winning the toss was important and then Hussey's wicket added weight. Rampaul bowled very well and Simmons also chipped in. All the guys are keen that we're into the semi-final and we'll plan well. This pitch is going to suit our bowlers. It was almost the perfect game, but we are still searching for it. There was some good catches, high catches. Mumbai are a great team, we'll be coming up against Kieran Pollard and Dwayne Smith and it's going to be great.
Lendl Simmons is the man of the match. It was important that we set the foundation. It was a small total, so we needed to get ourselves set and not play too many shots. Yes, I had a couple of unfortunate dismissals but I'm confident I can change things around. The pitch was a little low and slow. The ball didn't come onto the bat as much and it was supposed to turn, but there wasn't too much there. Evin Lewis always gets off to a quick start and that always helps
Mumbai Indians 152 for 4 (Rohit 51*, Smith 48) beat Perth Scorchers 149 for 6 (Whiteman 51*, Coulter-Nile 3-19) by six wickets
Mumbai Indians boast of some of the biggest hitters in T20 cricket in their line-up and they fired in unison to storm into the semi-final of the Champions League, achieving their target in just 13.2 overs. The target was 150, but in order to topple Otago on net run rate, they needed to achieve it within 14.2 overs. The strategy was clear and Dwayne Smith and Rohit Sharma made it look ridiculously simple against a Perth Scorchers attack that failed to contain a determined top order. It meant that the semi-final line-up had three IPL teams in it.
The scenarios were clearly spelt out for Mumbai ahead of the game as to what they required to keep Otago out of the semi-final race. It's common for captains to prefer to chase in such situations and Rohit decided to do just that. The required rate for qualification was over ten an over and Mumbai approached it as a 14-over game.
Simon Katich: I thought we put up a great score thanks to three young players, but they came hard at us with the bat. Some of our young players have been great during this tournament and they've showed they've got great careers ahead of him. Everyone knew it was a full house because Sachin was playing and it's always special to play here. Disappointed to go out the way we did, but there were some positives.
Rohit Sharma is man of the match: It was a good game, and there was a lot of pressure to get over the lines, but we had the mindset that any target was possible. Our ploy to bat second paid off because we knew what we had to get. We are peaking at the right time and everyone is contributing. We respond well to pressure. I've played here so much now, and I know what to expect from this wicket. It wasn't easy to hit square so I tried to hit as straight as possible.
Rajasthan Royals vs Otago Volts Cricket Highlights Champions League 2013. Rajasthan Royals vs Otago Volts Cricket Highlights CLT20 – 2013 1st October. Champions league 2013 Cricket Highlights.
External Link: Highlights: WATCH NOW
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
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.jpg "Rajasthan Royals beats Otago by 4 wickets (with 5 balls remaining)")
Rajasthan Royals v Otago, CLT20, Jaipur: Unbeaten Royals get home semi-final
Rajasthan Royals 142 for 6 (Hodge 52*, Rahane 52) beat Otago 139 for 7 (Neesham 32, Shukla 3-23) by four wickets
Brendon McCullum, Otago Volts captain: Yeah from the position we were in early on (21 for 4), I thought we did a really good job to get to 140, and especially with the ball, we showed some good fighting abilities. The way Hodge played at the end was brilliant. It didn't take me by surprise, I thought he (Shukla) bowled a couple of good deliveries, he had some nice pace about him. Three wickets in one over, and between him and Hodgy, it proved a match winning performance. yeah we will be looking at the Mumbai-Perth game (closely). We didn't grab it (the opportunity) so whatever happens tomorrow will happens. But if we do find ourselves out, we will be grateful for what we have done in this tournament.
Rahul Dravid, Rajasthan Royals captain: In the end, you know, it got pretty nerve-wracking in those last five overs. Incredible innings from Hodgy there to get us over the line. I think there is a lot of belief in our group and a good environment among the group and I think the young guys who come in know they are backed and that they are in the team for specific reasons. Not a surprise as he has specific skills so its about building confidence and creating a good environment around them so they can contribute and play. When he bats like that, why should Hodge bat up the order? There are not many people who can do what he does, and I haven't seen many people who can bat at the end of the innings under pressure like he does. I think we are a well organised unit. The unbeaten record is not that important. I just hope we can keep it for one more game. In the end we want to keep the momentum going and we knew in the back of our mind that even if we did qualify for the semi finals, then we would get an extra day off before the final. So its nice to get the home game (semi-final), and then have a day off before the final. It's nice to get over the line
Rahul Shukla (RR), Man of the Match: His plan was to bowl as well as he could, and he was pretty relaxed. Captain backs me a lot and I bowl well because of it, (Rahul interjects) so he is going to get a lot more bowling. Very happy to be in the side.
Perth Scorchers coach Justin Langer hopes one of his spinners will do an Eric Hollies on Sachin Tendulkar when they play Mumbai Indians in the last Group A fixture on Wednesday. Hollies, a legspinner from England, is best remembered as the man who bowled Don Bradman for a duck in his final Test innings, leaving him four runs short of an average of 100 in Tests.
"I hope we have a Hollies in our team tomorrow when we bowl to Sachin. Hollies - wasn't that the name?" Langer told journalists on the eve of their last match. "Well, I love watching Sachin bat and wish he never gets out. But tomorrow, I wouldn't like him to score too many runs. Even at this age of 40, he batted in the nets for two hours the other day. That was incredible."
"I would like my boys to take up the challenge of playing against superstars. This is an inexperienced side and they will learn a lot from this trip. Look at Otago Volts. They have come here three times and now it's showing results."
Tendulkar is now 26 runs short of completing 50,000 runs in first-class, List A and Twenty20 matches.
19th Match, Group A: Mum Indians v Scorchers at Delhi - Oct 2, 2013 (4:00 p.m.)
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