New generation, same result

 
England cricket shirts are a powerful thing at the moment.
So long as you're wearing one, you're likely to be doing rather well. It doesn't seem to matter who your opposition is, or who your team-mates are.
Despite sweeping changes ahead of the matches against the West Indies, the dominant result was all very familiar.
Some in the press have suggested it would be better renaming these two T20s the 'Contractual Obligation Series', given the circumstances.
The ECB had to stage these games because of a deal struck on the basis of the Stanford triangular tournament, which disappeared along with its patron.
With more shoehorning required than the time Chris Tremlett thought it might be fun to try on Ian Bell's spikes, it would be easy to write off the games as more evidence of cricket's crazy scheduling.
What England seem to have learned, however, is that there is something to be gained from every match - hence a fresh-looking side to face an equally unfamiliar West Indies.
Nkrumah Bonner? Christopher Barnwell? Danza (and Cowers promises he isn't making this up) Pacino Hyatt? Then again, how many people will have been watching the development of Alex Hales from the beaches of Barbados? Mind you, you had to credit the crowd - 19,000 fans defied cricket fatigue from a long and one-sided summer to lend some vociferous support to England.
The reality for both sides is that the T20 World Cup is less than a year away, and both sides have a handful of games left to fine-tune their campaigns - something that stand-in skipper Graeme Swann touched on in the build-up.
"I think most people in the changing room thought the same thing when these games were plonked in front of us midway through the season," said Swann," but when you actually look at it and the scheduling before the World Twenty20 they are important."
Swann has come a long way since he played in the ill-fated Twenty20 for $20m game in 2008, a desperate and hopefully never-to-be-repeated contest before which the off-spinner talked about splurging his winnings on a pink Ferrari.
Give him a choice between a luminous sports car and a captain's armband, though, and Swann would surely choose the latter.
Granted, he couldn't remember that Jonny Bairstow was in the team at the toss, but it didn't matter. He remembered Ravi Bopara was a bowling option, and was rewarded handsomely.
And meanwhile the West Indies forgot any basics they had been working on in the build-up to this series.
The ball slipped through the fielders' hands all too often, while several bowlers sent down front-foot no-balls as if they thought the free hit might be a good thing. As spinners, Bonner (twice) and Devendra Bishoo were especially culpable.
"We'll do some fielding practice," West Indies skipper Darren Sammy reportedly said afterwards, before laughing with one of the team's media men.
You can be sure England will be doing their drills, though. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler were denied an opportunity to make an impression with the bat, but both were responsible for top-class run-outs.
Taking a relaxed approach to fielding is as sure a sign as any that a team is going nowhere fast. India proved that repeatedly over four Tests and six limited-over clashes.
At least we finally discovered some value for India's visit to England's shores - their sloppy summer of cricket was the ideal preparation for taking on a ragtag Caribbean outfit.
"Men against boys," concluded Nasser Hussain at the end of the contest. But that wasn't strictly true - it was boys against boys, with Swann the only Englishman older than 26.
The future's bright, especially if England can keep up the hard work when their opponents slip up on theirs.
USER COMMENT OF THE DAY: "I heard the fat lady has left her dressing room and is standing in the wings" - Merv in Germany called it early, and called it right.
TWEET OF THE DAY:  "England 10wicket Win...Kiss Teeth!!!!!! Sighhhhh!! Not lying I Vex Baddddddd!!!!!!!" Not exactly sure of the specifics, but somewhere in amongst those words Chris Gayle is a bit vexed to be in India, watching his team get pounded (after his own Bangalore Royal Challengers suffered a heartbreaker of their own in the Champions League T20).
STAT OF THE DAY: 3.4-0-10-4 - Ravi Bopara posts the best figures by an Englishman in T20 internationals.
SNAP OF THE DAY: Is Bopara so surprised by his figures that he's re-reading them on The Oval scoreboard? Or is Swann trying to protect him from seeing a highlights reel of the 2009 Ashes before the Essex man loses his mojo?

'I never imagined I'd get so much out of cricket'

Cricketing journeyman Ryan ten Doeschate talks about his experiences in different countries, playing for various teams

South African-born Ryan ten Doeschate is one of cricket's original freelancers, having played in the domestic competitions of six Test-playing countries, in addition to his international career with Netherlands. He is currently playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Champions League Twenty20 in India. ESPNcricinfo spoke to him in Hyderabad.

You said that you are away so much from the Netherlands squad that when you go back, you find it a little awkward to gel with them. How do you make that mental adjustment, having played with so many teams?
At times it is really easy to go in to a team and gel straight away. At times it is not so easy. Most importantly, you have got to look after your own game first. It certainly helps the team culture if you go in and do well. You have to understand that players are working in a full programme for the whole year and they are moving the team forward in their own way. And then someone comes into the team, so it can be very tough mentally. I look to focus on my own game and then try to adapt to the team culture.

You have played in countries as diverse as Australia, Zimbabwe and Netherlands. What is the approach when you join, say, the Mashonaland Eagles side?
The best thing is not to think too much. You are aware that you are going to be up against different conditions. For instance, in India you see pitches that are slow and turn a lot, but if you look at the pitch in Hyderabad, you might not see a wicket that quick even in Australia. I think, from a practical point of view, to not make a big deal about these things is important.

The biggest contrast for me was when I went back to England from the IPL to play a four-day game in Gloucester. That's not even club cricket, that's first-class cricket. The difference in the atmosphere, with only 30-40 people watching, can be alarming. You have got to find a way to bring your own energy into each game, otherwise it can all drift past very quickly.

What strikes you the most about a country like India?
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of India is the passion for the game. When you go to the stadiums, people will shout when, say, a Yusuf [Pathan] or a Brett [Lee] appear on the big screen. It's just superstardom. It's an honour to play cricket in India.

It's a massive shock initially when you come to India, but in a positive sort of way, to see the sport that you are involved in get so much attention. Obviously the passion in England is much more reserved. While there are various good aspects about different countries like England and Australia, India stands out by miles as the best place to play cricket.

Travel is one of the biggest things. Has there been a day when it has all felt like a little too much?
I'm pretty lucky I don't suffer from jet lag. I enjoy the travel and feel a bit like a tourist. Lot of the guys don't enjoy getting out, but I like seeing new places.

From a cricketing point of view, I have never felt fatigued physically [with all the travel and games]. Mentally, you don't consciously feel fatigued, but what catches up with you is that you don't have a base and a home. That is the draining part. I have realised in the past 18 months that taking a break is also part of your cricket preparation. I'm looking forward to having a break after this tournament where I am just going to do a bit of travelling and go home to South Africa.

Which is the country you most love to go out in when you are touring?
I am not saying this because I am here now but I am fascinated by the history of India and its different cultures. Obviously I would not get to see such things in the western countries or in Australia. Things like the old forts, the monuments and the street life. When you walk out of your hotel, the atmosphere and the vibes here are quite different compared to walking in a city like Sydney.

How does the stomach hold up, though?
No problems there. I had a few issues in Delhi during the World Cup, when I struggled a bit, but I have been really lucky on that count. We were out for a walk at night and I bought what looked like a dessert from a street vendor. It had been fried and appeared safe. It was like eight pieces for only Rs 20 and that should have set alarm bells going. I had it, and fortunately it did not have any [ill] effect.

	"The biggest contrast for me was when I went back to England from the IPL to play a four-day game in Gloucester. The difference in the atmosphere, with only 30-40 people watching, can be alarming. You have got to find a way to bring your own energy into each game, otherwise it can all drift past very quickly"

What advice would you give a player landing in India from England for the first time?
Soak up the entire cricket atmosphere. Don't do anything that upsets the people on the other side of the fence, as you want to keep them on your side.

What about tackling different people and languages? Every team is so different.
Very, very different. There is a huge contrast between how people bring you into teams as well. For instance, I have never seen a welcoming team culture like Tasmania. They just made me settle in straight away. Every single person I was in contact with was so genuine and so friendly. They are the nicest bunch of people I have ever come across in my life.

At Kolkata Knight Riders, everyone is very respectful. It's a characteristic of the culture here; people are very respectful. The big names that I [had] never played with before, it's been quite amazing to see how humble and accommodating they are.

Jacques [Kallis] is someone I have always looked up to. This is the first time I have rubbed shoulders with him and talked to him, and he's been so normal. It doesn't sound like a compliment, but it is. You always see the Australian team putting up this big front but [Brad] Haddin and Lee are two of the nicest guys I have come across.

Having played so much cricket all over the world, what direction do you think the game is headed in?
The game is going through a phase now where Twenty20 is a craze. The only real opportunity for guys outside the big international teams is to try and play in T20 competitions. I think it's fantastic, with the kind of opportunities it presents. It definitely raises the standards by getting some of the big players from other countries to play in domestic competitions.

Do you think the sense of home advantage is slowly disappearing?
Home advantage is getting lesser, gradually. Players are playing in all conditions all the time. Given the homework and preparation that go into tours now, I don't think the conditions factor is as big as it was 15-16 years ago.

What has given you the most satisfaction - the World Cup hundreds, the Essex performances or the Twenty20 performances?
That is a difficult question to answer. [I think] any close game where I can help my team get over the line. But I have had most of my success at Essex. Most of my fond memories are from helping Essex do really well.

Have you always been so fleet-footed against spin? Watching you hit those sixes, against Somerset, it seemed as if it came naturally to you.
I sometimes get a bit tied up against spin. But I have made it a point to watch the ball closely, and it has helped. I do like to get after the spinners and I think that is the best way to play them.

How much has playing for Netherlands meant to you?
The opportunity to play international cricket for Netherlands has been fantastic. We have had some special times, especially beating England in the World Twenty20 in 2009 and running them close in the World Cup 2011. It's been a privilege to play for Netherlands.

And the experience of playing in Zimbabwe?
Given the problems that Zimbabwe have had to overcome, it was heartening to see the progress they have made. The domestic Twenty20 competition was so well run that I was surprised and impressed. They have lots of potential.

Paul Strang said that coming from Africa, the culture in New Zealand is totally different. What do you make of that?
What struck me about New Zealand was a comparative lack of resources. It is quite a tough place to play domestic professional cricket. But as a small nation, they always do really well in tournaments like the World Cup.

After all this, what will you remain at heart - a South African or a Dutchman?
I will always remain a South African at heart. I was brought up there and I still spend half my time there. I grew up following South African sport.

I am so grateful for all the experiences I have had. I could have never imagined getting so much out of cricket. I started very late and got a break for Essex and a chance to play for Netherlands. Playing for a side like Kolkata has been the pinnacle. I just hope to bring a bit of enjoyment to people who watch me play.

When you finally call it a day, where will you settle down?
Because you get to go around so much, you only see the best about places in four to six weeks. I guess my home is still Cape Town. If I were to push for a second home, I'll go for Hobart.

The Champions League is split wide open

It's hard to pick a favourite for the tournament, because for the first time in a long time bowlers have been given a fair chance to attack in the Twenty20 format

If the qualifying section is anything to go by, this might be the best Champions League Twenty20 tournament yet. There has been some good cricket and a few surprises, which all served to confirm a couple of adages about the game. Most importantly, whereas in the past a couple of sides have looked out of their depth in the tournament, this time it would appear that any of the 10 teams could win the trophy.

First, the adages. Pitches that give the bowlers a chance produce the best cricket. The ones in Hyderabad and Bangalore had bounce and a little bit of life, which meant the bowlers were always encouraged and the batsmen had to be constantly alert. Pitches with some life also encourage the braver captains to seek wickets rather than concentrate purely on containment. This is when the game is seen in its best light.

The boundaries at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi Stadium were fair; the sixes were legitimate and the mishits stayed inside the boundary rope. When the game becomes a boundary-hitting bonanza, it loses a lot of artistry, and fielding and running between wickets, two of the more exciting aspects, reduce in importance.

Then there were the surprises. Somerset were a revelation. They played aggressive cricket, their batsmen successfully attacked the spinners without constantly resorting to the sweep shot, and they have a good young legspinner in Max Waller.

You know the cricket world is in a state of flux when England is producing legspinners and Australia, the land of Shane Warne, Bill O'Reilly and Richie Benaud, can't unearth one.

Fortunes also fluctuated during a couple of games. In these matches the result seemed to be heading in one direction only to dramatically switch tack, like a good mystery novel, with a couple more surprises to follow and then a thrilling climax. This isn't the normal pattern associated with the shortest form of the game, where it's generally expected that one or two bad overs virtually put a team out of the contest.

	You know the cricket world is in a state of flux when England is producing legspinners and Australia, the land of Shane Warne, Bill O'Reilly and Richie Benaud, can't unearth one

Once again this was a reflection on the pitches provided. It reconfirmed that when the fielding captain and the bowlers feel like they have a chance, all hope is not lost.

Also, the trend of using spinners in the Powerplay overs, to both stifle scoring and take wickets, has almost become the norm. This has come about in part because of the reluctance of batsmen to use their feet to spinners. It's now up to the batsmen to answer this challenge.

If the game is to keep moving ahead, these types of challenges have to be met immediately rather than generationally. The teams able to adapt quickly to trends, and even set a few of their own, will leave the sides that are slow to react in their dust.

The teams that work hard on getting their structure right and on putting in place good systems for developing players will have a distinct advantage over any of their competitors who are tardy in this aspect of administration.

One of the areas of opportunity is in junior development. The best coaches should be in charge of the juniors - from around ages 10 to 16, where they can have the biggest effect on a young player. The teams that develop young players to be complete cricketers will take a huge step towards achieving prolonged success. These teams will not only lead their opponents in skill but will also have greater depth of talent. With the amount of cricket being played now, the injuries mount up, and the strength of the reserve players is critical. The teams with skilful reserves will have a huge advantage over those whose ranks are tissue-paper thin.

A packed itinerary and injured players are now a part of the game, and unfortunately there are some star players missing from the Champions League tournament. However, this only provides opportunities for the young and ambitious, and judging by the qualifiers, there are quite a few hungry players around.

England v West Indies, 2nd Twenty20, The Oval

England aim for perfect finish

Match Facts

September 25, The Oval
Start time: 6.30pm (1730GMT)

Big Picture

It was easy for England on Friday evening as they cantered to their first 10-wicket victory in a Twenty20 international and their momentum showed no signs of abating as the season comes to an end. The match was a contest for 10 overs, but from 97 for 2 West Indies subsided in dismal fashion against a combination of Ravi Bopara, Jade Dernbach and England's outstanding fielding.

Graeme Swann had to do some thinking as Dwayne Smith cut loose in the Powerplay but he remained calm and produced a number of clever bowling changes, including using Samit Patel early then entrusting Bopara with the death overs. No wonder he was in a chipper mood after the match. Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad won't hear the end of Swann's time as captain.

For a while West Indies suggested they would present a challenge, but the batsmen struggled against spin as inexperience shone through. However, everyone knew this was a raw side coming over, and deficiencies in batting and bowling can almost be accepted. The shocking standard of fielding, though, was really embarrassing. No matter how inexperienced a team is, they should be able to compete with commitment through diving, catching and throwing.

It was West Indies' first game after their off-season, so some rustiness was to be expected, but the squad had spent time at a camp in Barbados before this trip. Ottis Gibson, the coach, must be exasperated by what he was watching. It's hard to see much changing with one day between games, but West Indies will cling to the hope that one performance can win a Twenty20 match. In truth, though, it will take more much to stop England.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)
England WWLLW
West Indies LLWLL

Spotlight

Craig Kieswetter and Alex Hales both played superbly to knock off the target in the first match, but the 10-wicket margin meant there wasn't a chance to see England's exciting middle-order in action. Jos Buttler, the Somerset wicketkeeper-batsman, has played two Twenty20 internationals and still hasn't got to the middle. Although a keeper by trade he has shown some brilliance in the outfield and produced a direct hit to run out Devendra Bishoo on Friday. Straight after this series is finished he is heading off to join Somerset at the Champions League Twenty20.

Marlon Samuels is an experienced player amid a host of new faces for West Indies but he struggled for 4 off 7 balls before being cleaned up by Swann. He'd come in after a flying start provided by Dwayne Smith and it was disappointing that he couldn't consolidate. It's difficult to come in and fire straight away against quality bowlers, but Samuels could have given himself a little more time. West Indies need him to perform.

Team news

There was plenty of assistance for England's spinners in the opening game so there will be a temptation to play either Scott Borthwick, the Durham legspinner, or Hampshire left-arm spinner Danny Briggs, although it's hard to see how they would fit in. One option would be to leave out Steven Finn, but that would mean using Dernbach earlier in the innings.

England (possible): 1 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Ravi Bopara, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Samit Patel, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann (capt), 10 Steven Finn, 11 Jade Dernbach

It's hard to know what West Indies can do, but they can't lose anything by making a few changes. Nkruma Bonner looked out of his depth with bat and ball so Miles Bascombe may get a game, while the left-arm spin of Garey Mathurin could be used on a worn surface.

West Indies (possible): 1 Dwayne Smith, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Danza Hyatt, 5 Miles Bascombe, 6 Derwin Christian (wk), 7 Darren Sammy (capt), 8 Andre Russell, 9 Garey Mathurin, 10 Devendra Bishoo, 11 Fidel Edwards

Pitch and conditions

The same pitch will be used on Sunday so expect more assistance for the spinners. Bopara also showed the value of taking the pace off the ball and bowling straight. The weather is also set fair with the UK enjoying some belated summer weather as the season draws to a close.

Stats and trivia

• Ravi Bopara's 4 for 10 were the best figures by an England player bowling in Twenty20 internationals, beating the previous record of 4 for 22 held by Jade Dernbach and Paul Collingwood.
• England haven't lost a match since July 3 when they were beaten by Sri Lanka in the third one-day international at Lord's.

Quotes

"I'll take that, it was a dream start as captain. I asked the boys to give everything and they did that, I was delighted with the way everybody performed."
Graeme Swann enjoyed his captaincy debut

"When you get a good start you have to capitalise. The batsmen coming in have to be more responsible.
Darren Sammy wants more from his middle order

 

Cobras v NSW, CLT20, Chennai

Cobras cruise to big victory

Cape Cobras 136 for 3 (Gibbs 55, Henriques 1-20) beat New South Wales 135 for 8 (Watson 34, Philander 2-21) by seven wickets
Live Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Cape Cobras completed a clinical win over New South Wales in a contest that failed to capture the same imagination in the same way the tournament opener did on Friday. Cobras fielded poorly and were unimpressive in the field in the first 10 overs but adjusted quickly to restrict New South Wales to under 140 on a slow pitch. The surface was not as sluggish for the chase, which Cape Cobras dominated.

Neither side had played competitively for a few months, with both coming out of winter in their respective countries, but it was the South Africans who showed their rustiness. Justin Ontong should have ran David Warner out in the second over but missed the stumps and gave away four overthrows. Both openers, Warner and Shane Watson, were dropped at mid-on within four balls of each other and Warner was dropped a second time, by Robin Peterson at mid-wicket. He responded with the first six of the match, a smashing shot over long-on but his luck ran out the next ball, when Charl Langeveldt showed his variation with a slower, short ball and Warner pulled to deep mid-wicket. Ontong held on to the chance to give the Cobras their first wicket.

Watson continued capitalising on his lifeline with some masterful strokes. His six off Vernon Philander over mid-off and powerful four down the ground where the highlights of his innings. Peterson's love affair with the Chennai pitch continued - he took three wickets here for South Africa against England at the World Cup in February - and he bowled Watson with a well-flighted ball that had the Australian playing the sweep shot too early. The brakes had bee applied and Cape Cobras pushed them down firmly in the second half of the innings.

Justin Kemp removed his opposite number, Simon Katich, with a gentle delivery that Katich tried to hit over the cover boundary but JP Duminy took a fine catch to send him on his way. Kemp's slower deliveries at one end and Philander's wicket to wicket line at the other ensured that only 20 runs were scored in the next four over and 53 in the last ten.

Although Cape Cobras did not bowl extraordinarily well, they were able to prevent New South Wales from scoring on a surface that slowed down. Kemp and Langeveldt's arsenal consisted of good variations, particularly of the slower ball and even Steyn was forced to bowl with far less gas than usual.

Cape Cobras bossed the chase from ball one when Nathan Hauritz presented Richard Levi with a long hop that he pulled behind square. Gibbs was, unusually, the more watchful partner and was particularly hesitant to take on 18-year-old paceman Pat Cummins at first.

While Gibbs was debating what to do with Cummins, Levi manhandled Mitchell Starc, dispatching the short ball, the full one and the slower one. Cummins bowled several short balls in his first two overs and once Gibbs had decided to use his pace, he was tossed around the field. Gibbs' first six was precarious but he was soon middling the ball and hit the biggest six of the tournament so far, 90 metres, off Nathan Hauritz.

None of the New South Wales bowlers were able to make run-scoring difficult for Cape Cobras on a pitch that the Australian side made look far trickier to execute strokes on. Levi's dismissal slowed things down a touch, Gibbs recorded his half-century and was out soon after, Owais Shah came and went cheaply, but JP Duminy and Justin Ontong finished it off with almost three overs to spare.

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s Powerplay 16-20 overs NB/Wides New South Wales 39 9 3 54-1 26-3 1/6 Cape Cobras 38 13 3 58-0 10-0 2/7

 

Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians, CLT20 2011, Chennai

Malinga's cameo outdoes Hussey's hard work

Mumbai Indians 159 for 7 (Malinga 37*, Ashwin 2-23, Raina 2-6) beat Chennai Super Kings 158 for 4 (Hussey 81, Dhoni 22*) by three wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

It is not raining, it is absolutely pouring for MS Dhoni. On a night that everything was going to script for Dhoni's side - the toss was won on a slow track, Michael Hussey had scored 81 to set up a more-than-competitive total, the slower bowlers had choked the Mumbai Indians innings off, Dhoni had himself pulled off two good stumpings and a dodgy catch - he missed a fairly simple chance to stump Lasith Malinga. Malinga had come in to bat with 53 required in 4.4 overs with three wickets in hand, but with nothing to lose he swung hard. When he connected clean he hit sixes, when he edged he got fours, when he missed he got byes. With 37 off 18, he completed an improbable win with one ball to go.

It was a classical Twenty20 case of four overs outweighing the hard work done over 36 overs. It all began with the profusely sweating Hussey. He had lost four kilos over September 16 and 17 in Colombo when scoring the century that earned him the third of three Man-of-the-Match awards in the three-Test series. A week later, in similar humid conditions but a completely different format, he seemed like he had never stopped playing Indian leagues on slow and low pitches.

Seamlessly he went from playing dabs and nudges for ones and twos to pulling out the big hits, helping Chennai double their 12-over score of 79. He even got the better of Malinga, scoring 13 off the bowler's third over, but Malinga came back well to concede just eight of his last. Little did Malinga know then that he would be doing similar things with the bat at a similar stage of the next innings.

Mumbai's openers knew a majority of their scoring would have to be done against the hard ball, and came out swinging accordingly. However, the approach was not going to work against the spinners. Hussey played 22 dots in his innings of 81; Aiden Blizzard, though he hit attractive shots, failed to score off ten balls in his 28. R Ashwin came on to accentuate the dots. Almost inevitably he got Jacobs stumped down the leg side. Dhoni's no-reverse-follow-through stumping worked a treat here.

Dhoni introduced Raina before the specialist spinner, Shadab Jakati, and was rewarded with another stumping to send T Suman back. That followed a low catch to dismiss Ambati Rayudu, a piece of action that didn't meet the scrutiny it deserved. Once again it was all down to Pollard, who flattered, promised, and as has so often happened, deceived by top-edging a slower one from Albie Morkel. Then came Malinga.

He began with a pulled four off Morkel, but his innings reached a crescendo when he hit successive deliveries from Jakati for near-parallel straight sixes into both dugouts. Chennai were not panicking quite yet. Later in the over Malinga ran past a flat one from Jakati. This time Dhoni had enough time to collect it cleanly, but his instinctive no-reverse-follow-through method caused the ball to spill. He rarely misses those. He did today with 31 still required off three overs.

In the next over Malinga edged a Bollinger yorker fine for four. The curse of the batsmen with nothing to lose was working. Bollinger came back with four slower deliveries that went for just one run. Morkel tried slower balls too, but bowled two of them wide. The one quick one he bowled Malinga sent for another flat six over long-off. Still at 13 required off seven, Chennai were the favourites.

Morkel finished his night deceiving Malinga with a slower ball. The ball bounced halfway through to Dhoni, took a vicious bad bounce towards his face, and went for two byes. The second delivery of the last over Malinga absolutely slapped with no idea where he was hitting. It went flying over point for four, and Mumbai were now the favourites with six required off four. Captain Harbhajan Singh provided the finishing touches with a clipped four off a slower one and a single off the fifth ball of the over.

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s Powerplay 16-20 overs NB/Wides Chennai Super Kings 46 13 3 36-1 46-1 0/7 Mumbai Indians 52 17 5 49-1 46-0 0/5