MI vs RCB final

Chennai: In cricket, captains are known by their moves. And it was Harbhajan Singh’s masterstroke on Saturday which earned Mumbai Indians their maiden entry into the final of the Champions League T20. They will play Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final on Sunday. Defending a modest total of 160, Harbhajan marshalled his resources to perfection to steal a 10-run victory against the impressive Somerset, in the second semi-final. The English team had done well till the 18th over as they were comfortably placed at 139 for three. With 22 more required off 12 balls for a place in final, Somerset knew that they were in with a bright chance. It was at this juncture that Harbhajan, the captain, made the most inspiring move of the tournament. When common sense would have told that either Harbhajan himself or Kieron Pollard should shoulder the responsibility of the crucial 19th over, the Mumbai Indians captain entrusted James Franklin with the duty. And what a over it turned out to be for the Mumbai side. Franklin absorbed all the pressure and bowled a disciplined spell, giving away just seven runs and picking up two crucial wickets — of the dangerous Craig Kieswetter (62) and Jos Butler (19). That setback hit Somerset hard and they were left with a difficult task of scoring 15 runs for victory in the final over. Harbhajan, expectedly, employed the fiery Lasith Malinga for the 20th over and the Sri Lankan didn’t disappoint his captain, giving away just four runs and taking two wickets. Somerset could manage 150 for seven in their quota of overs. Also, the presence of Sachin Tendulkar, who had specially flown in to Chennai for the match, must have inspired Harbhajan and Co. to go that extra yard. And Sachin was a happy man at the end of the match. Earlier, the Mumbai Indians managed to put up 160 for five in their 20 overs. Aiden Blizzard top-scored with 54 while Kieron Pollard, Suryakumar Yadav and Rajagopal Satish all chipped in with handy contributions on a difficult Chepauk pitch. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Harbhajan said he gave Franklin the ball in the 19th over because he was the man who was bowling a better length on the Chepauk track. The following are excerpts Harbhajan Singh: After I won the toss, I knew that it was definitely a bat-first wicket… We have seen that the games in Chennai, so far, have been low scoring affairs… But definitely this was a better wicket than the earlier ones. I think we batted quite well, just that we lost the momentum in the middle… But then R. Satish and the new guy Surya (Yadav), batted very well and took us to a total which we could defend. Then the way we came out with our bowling, I think we were right at the top. Malinga and Franklin bowled fantastically. We knew that in the Twenty20 format, it just a matter of one or two wickets to turn a game. I think, Keiswetter and (James) Hildreth, were going good… At that point of time, we needed one wicket and I got Hildreth… We kept the next few overs tight. The most important over for us today was the 19th over and Franklin bowled his heart out… That won the match for us. With Malinga bowling the last over, you will have to do exceedingly well to hit him for 15 runs. I gave the ball to Franklin in the penultimate over because he was the only one bowling the right sort of lengths on this wicket. He adjusted his pace well… It was a right choice. Though I still had another over left, but the wicket, by then, was playing pretty easy and the batsmen were set too… Moreover, the boundaries were not that big. So we thought that Franklin would be the right man for the job and it paid off. I’m very happy that we got the result which we were looking for… We are looking forward to the final. Alfonso Tomas: It has been a fantastic effort… We pushed hard, but got beaten by a top team… Things like this happens… Obviously gutted, but we provided some good entertainment to the people of India. We were close today… But then, that guy Malinga… He is just a quality performer… What can I say… I mean, that’s why you pay so much to get him in the team, isn’t it? It has been a fantastic experience for us… I think, in our team, some of the guys came in as boys and are leaving the tournament as men. We are going to take back very fond memories… Lasith Malinga (MoM): I am playing for the Mumbai Indians as a bowler and it is my job to take wickets… The first few overs today were very important… I managed to take a couple of wickets early. Then again, with the old ball, my variations worked and I got a couple more. So, at the end of the day, I’m very happy that we won the match. I know how to use the yorkers, bouncers and slowers… The only thing important is to use them against the right batsmen at the right time. I try my level best to do that. The 19th over was very crucial for us as Franklin gave away very few runs and got wickets too… With 15 runs required of the last over, I knew I had a chance. For the final, it doesn’t matter whom we are playing… I have faith in my abilities. James Franklin: I think it was a last-minute decision to give me the ball in the penultimate over. Bhajji had faith in me… It was Bhajji’s decision. It was nerve-wrecking, but it’s good to come out on the right side of it. Sometimes, this last-minute decisions pay-off, like it did today.

Doug BOLLINGERs awesome catch

David Hussey's awesome catch IPL 2010

One of the best catches of all time

Bhajji Blasts DCs

Harbhajan Singh for once stole the show from Sachin Tendulkar in a Mumbai Indians win as the Deccan Chargers lost by 41 runs on Sunday. The off-spinner blasted an unbeaten 49 off just 18 balls and then took three wickets including that of the dangerous Adam Gilchrist in the first over of the Deccan innings.

The Deccan Chargers were bowled out for 131 runs in just 17.1 overs. Rohit Sharma fought a lone battle with a 28-ball 45 but the rest of the Deccan batsmen failed to get going. Rohit smashed three fours and two sixes but it was never going to be enough.

Chasing 173, Gilchrist fell to Harabhajan in the first over, thanks to a terrific reflex catch by Tendulkar at first slip. And after Herschelle Gibbs (27) and Andrew Symonds (one) perished, Mumbai had taken complete control of the game.

Earlier, Harbhajan turned it on with the bat in the last three overs of the innings to take Mumbai to 172-7. When Tendulkar perished in the 17th over for 55, Mumbai were struggling at 119-7 but Harbhajan's eight fours and two sixes helped Mumbai smash 52 runs in the last three overs at the DY Patil stadium.

After Gilchrist elected to field, Mumbai were unable to get any momentum going in their innings as regular wickets kept pegging them back. The in-form Tendulkar held one end up but had to play a sedate innings with the Mumbai middle order crumbling. Mumbai lost five wickets for just 29 runs.

However, the game changed when Tendulkar fell after hitting nine boundaries and Harbhajan came to bat.

RP Singh was the most successful bowler with the left-armer picking three wickets for 31 runs.

Pathan Power derails Deccan express

Apart from one dropped catch by Adam Vogues, Rajasthan Royals did no wrong as Shane Warne's pumped-up troops thumped defending champions Deccan Chargers by eight wickets on Friday. Chasing 149, Rajasthan cruised home with more than four overs to spare. And it was Royals' main man Yusuf Pathan who sizzled again with a sensational 73 not out that came off just 34 balls.

The meager 149-run target was never going to be enough for Deccan after Royals got off to a flier in their chase. Naman Ojha (14) and Michael Lumb (45) added 55 runs off in 6.3 overs and then Pathan came to finish the game with his typical brutal innings.

Pathan smashed two fours and eight sixes as the Royals romped home in emphatic fashion and registered their third consecutive win that has now taken them to the third place in the points table. Only the Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore are above the Royals.

Earlier, Shaun Tait's triple strike restricted the Chargers to their lowest score in the third edition of the IPL.

Adam Gilchrist's decision to bat at Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium immediately backfired as he holed out to youngster Sumit Narwal, who replaced Munaf Patel in the line-up, in the first over the game. VVS Laxman made little in his comeback match as he fell for 10.

Herschelle Gibbs looked he would lead the fight back before a moment a magic by the wily Warne sent back the South African for 25 that came off only 14 balls.

And when Andrew Symonds was run out for 22, Royals took complete control. The home side never let go of the Chargers through regular wickets.

But the total could have been a lot less had Vogues held on to a simple catch offered by Rohit Sharma.

Rohit with some sensible batting took the Chargers to a respectable total before Tait snared him one run short of a well-deserved half-century.

Tait ended with figures of three for 22 while Warne picked one for only 15 runs in his four overs.

AB Devilliers Awesome catch againts RCB

Dont Miss the Awesome Catch by AB De Villiers.

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The master at his best

A batting masterclass from Sachin Tendulkar saw Mumbai Indians rise to the top of the IPL standings with a five-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at the Brabourne Stadium on Friday.

Tendulkar's 72 was the cornerstone of Mumbai's stiff target of 181 which the hosts overhauled with an over to spare. The master batsman continued with his rich vein of form that saw him post his highest score in T20 cricket as well.

Tendulkar was a calming influence on fellow opener Shikhar Dhawan, who creamed 56 from just 34 balls to power Mumbai's initial burst. Dhawan cracked five fours and three sixes in frenetic pace while Tendulkar expressed himself with splendid control for his 52-ball effort.

By the time Mumbai lost Dhawan and Saurabh Tiwary in quick succession, they were cruising to their total. Chennai bowlers pulled them back in the middle overs, but Tendulkar ensured smooth sailing for the hosts. Dwayne Bravo finished it off with the winning runs as Mumbai recorded their fourth victory, while Chennai were forced to their fourth defeat.

Earlier, half-centuries from Suresh Raina and S Badrinath powered Chennai Super Kings to a healthy 180-2. Raina hammered an unbeaten 83 off 52 balls while Badrinath was 55 not out as the pair added an unbroken 142 runs for the third wicket, the highest third wicket partnership in the IPL, after Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and asked them to bat.

The visitors were given a typically quick start by Matthew Hayden, but Tendulkar's move to bring on Harbhajan Singh in the fourth over paid off immediately as the off-spinner removed the opener after he had raced to 20. Hayden's decision to change to the Mongoose bat in the middle of his innings didn't work again.

Mumbai struck again next over when Ryan McLaren bowled Parthiv Patel, but the the hosts' bowlers had no luck for the rest of their innings as Raina and Badrinath cashed in. Raina's rapid knock was studded with seven fours and three sixes while Badrinath scored a sedate yet fluent 45-ball 55 that had six fours.

Chennai received a timely boost with the return of captain MS Dhoni, but he hard-hitting batsman didn't get a chance to bat with the visitors losing just two wickets.