IPL CRICKET 2010 - CSK Vs DD

IPL CRICKET 2010

Chennai Super Kings Vs Delhi Daredevils

GAMBHIR DAREDEVILRY

Skipper Guides DD Home After Initial Scare To Put CSK's Semis Entry On Hold

Chennai: Who says there's no place of grafters in T20 cricket?
         Gautam Gambhir (57 no off 56 balls) showed the world how to do it on a sticky; sapping evening at Chepauk as Delhi Daredevils took a firm step towards the semifinals. To Chennai Super Kings' credit, they didn't allow Daredevils to run away to an easy victory and make a mess of their net run-rate despite having a paltry 112 on the board.
         With six wins in their Kitty,CSK will have to win their last match against Kings XI at Dharamsala on Sunday to entertain any hopes of making the semis.
          CSK did make things difficult for Delhi after a poor batting effort when they had Gambhir's team down to 6-3 within the first three overs. But Gambhir, all drenched and trying desperately to fight sway cramps, knew what was to be done at such a critical juncture.
           He didn't play a single rash shot, kept looking for the singles, and despite a few tight overs here and there,never lost his cool. He found decent support in Mithum Manhas, a domestic cricket veteran, and the two took Daredevils home.
          Dhoni tried his best to break the partnership, but Gambhir opened up after the 15th over, playing a few shots over the top as CSK ran out of ideas to lose in 18.4 overs.
          If Gambhir's batting sealed the issue in the end, it were the three comeback boys who provided the initial platform. Dirk Nannes, Ashish Nehra and Tillekaratne Dilshan, back in action after injury lay-offs, ripped through the CSK top-order to have the home side firmly on the back-foot.
         CSK, thourgh, were themselves to blame to a dertain degree for persisting with Matthew Hayden, who has been horribly out of form for quite a while now. The Australian was dropped off Nannes when he was on 0, yet, he didn't give himself enough time to settle and threw his sicket away in the next Nehra (3-26) over.
           Nehra and Nannes, to their credit, worked up a lively pace, pitching the ball short and keeping the hatsmen on their toes right from the word go. Both Vijay and MS Dhoni (walking in at No.3), love coming to the front foot, but the Delhi bowlers pushed them back to make things difficult.
          After Nannes and Nehra removed the two danger men, it was Dilshan who induced a false shot off Suresh Raina to claim his wicket and there was no way back for CSK.
          The likes of Mike Hussey and Abbie Morkel, on whom the Dhoni brigade had pinned their hopes, were just not up to the mark in countering the spin of Dilshan, Mishra and Sehwag who ran through the middle-overs in a hurry.
           The spin trio gave away a mere 50 runs off their 12 overs and it proved extremely vital at the end of the day.