IPL 2: Team Preview :Chennai Super Kings

A team built around Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings now have a player by the name of Andrew Flintoff taking higher salary than the captain himself. Team Chennai Super Kings lost their only match of the tournament to end runners up in the inaugural season of the tournament. Mahendra Singh Dhoni who has already proven to be the best captain around the world, will be aiming for one better performance from the players to have his hands around the IPL trophy this year.



Andrew Flintoff is the second highest paid cricketer next to his fellow countrymen Pietersen, He will however be losing out on his full amount as he will be missing the last part of the tournament as the England team plays host to West indies for a return series. Mathew hayden having retired completely from International cricket has made Chennai his second home and will be available for the Full length of the tournament.

Hard Hitting all rounder Albie Morkel who is already proving to be the next Lance Klusner of South Africa if lives up to the reputation will leave some captains sobbing. Micheal Hussey has announced his willingness to go back home after the series with Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, leaving CSK a batsman less.Adding to team's firepower is NewZealand Monster Jacob Oram who is yet to fire this season. Muralitharan will lead the bowling attack, the man has already earned a reputation of a good T20 bowler. Flintoff bolsters the bowling while Sri Lankan left-armer Thilan Thushara could be the dark horse among the foreign recruits.

Chennai's third signing at the auction was Tasmanian batsman George Bailey, but he is unlikely to feature given the team has consistent performers in Suresh Raina and S Badrinath. Suresh Raina seems to be in blistering form and Badrinath has already scored a few hundreds in the domestic tournament.


Chennai Probable XI: 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Michael Hussey/ S Vidyut, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), 5 S Badrinath 6 Albie Morkel, 7 Andrew Flintoff/ Jacob Oram/ Joginder Sharma, 8 Manpreet Gony, 9 L Balaji 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Makhaya Ntini/ P Amarnath.

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IPL 2: Team Preview : Rajasthan Royals

The inaugural season's champins Rajasthan Royals managed to work out a winning formulas under the guidance of shane Warne, and would expect to do the same this year too. The team may not have the big names in the squad but they proved that playing as a team and celebrating other players success is the winning formula. Fined for not spending enough money on the side, Emerging Media, team owners are hopeful of a repeat performance with new recruits in the likes of Shaun Tait and Tyron Henderson.


Their Indian players were not the best of the lot, but Warne turned them into a formidable unit, and found two highly successful foreign recruits in Sohail Tanvir and Shane Watson. Tanvir is unavailable and Watson doubtful due to Australia's schedule and fitness worries, but Rajasthan have found adequate replacements at the auction. Shaun Tait the tall fast bowler with slinging action from Australia is tailor made for Twenty20, and Tyron Henderson, one of the surprise picks at US$650,000, has proved his worth with skills in batting and bowling playing for MiddleSex. Yet to make international debut, Tyron will make his first international appearance courtesy Rajasthan Royals.

It will be a tall order to match Watson's heroics from last season, but Henderson is an impact player in this format. The team will also be boosted by the availability of Morne Morkel and Justin Langer. Both had to miss the inaugural edition due to commitments to the specific counties..Dimitri Mascarenhaus will only make Rajasthan a stronger side. Yusuf Pathan made his way into the national side courtesy his power hitting and match winning performances. Mohammed kaif, Munaf patel and the likes of Ravindra Jadeja will have to play out of their skins to impress the national selectors. The big doubt however lies over the availability of Graeme smith who is expected to have a surgery post the current South Africa - Australia series. One other important person missing in the team is Kamran Akmal.

Rajasthan Royals play their first match of this season on April 18th against the Bangalore Royal Challengers. for Full match schedules go here: IPL 2 Schedule

Both Kamran Akmal and Sohail tanvir's contract has been suspended, which means they cannot be picked by any other team for a contract period of 2 years. Both players are serving their second year of the contract. If they were terminated, they would have been available for transfer to other teams. Currently all contracts with the Pakistani players stand suspended immaterial of the team they belong to.


The Rajasthan Royal Squad:
Graeme Smith, Niraj Patel, Justin Langer, Swapnil Asnodkar, Mohammad Kaif, Shane Watson, Tyron Henderson, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, Mahesh Rawat (wk), Shane Warne, Shaun Tait, Morne Morkel, Siddharth Trivedi, Munaf Patel.

Playing XI that i assume will be used for the matches:
1 Graeme Smith/ Niraj Patel/ Justin Langer, 2 Swapnil Asnodkar, 3 Mohammad Kaif, 4 Shane Watson/ Tyron Henderson/ Dimitri Mascarenhas, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Mahesh Rawat (wk),8 Shane Warne, 9 Shaun Tait/ Morne Morkel, 10 Siddharth Trivedi, 11 Munaf Patel.

Do Join me later for more previews and Team news following the IPl Season 2 starting in South Africa on April 18 2009.

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Australia in South Africa: 2nd T20I Review : South Africa power to another T20 win

29 March 2009: Young, Dynamic and Determined SouthAfrican side continued to domiante teh shorter format after theyThe South Africans continue to dominate the limited-overs format after they beat the Autralian side for yet another T20I victory.. Having usurped Australia for top place in the 50-over rankings last year, South Africa now head to the World Twenty20 brimming with confidence after a second consecutive 20-over victory over Ricky Ponting's men, this time by 17 runs.



SouthAfrica were put into bat after Autralia won the toss and elected to field. As expected Gibbs was off in full speed as he smacked 20 off the initial 22 runs that SA scored. He played one too many shots to get himself out bowled to a slower delivery of Bracken. Bracken was flown in for the T20 and the five match one day series against SA strating April 3,2009. DeVellliers continued to show poor form in the format when he was out for 0 caught by White at Short Extra cover off the bowling of the debutant Laughlin. Peterson opened the innings with Gibbs and took the attack to the Australian bowlers as soon as Gibbs was dismissed. He scored 34 off 27 balls before he was out bowled by Hopes, but not before he got over 15 runs of his over. Duminy scored a very cautious 23 off 28 balls before he was out bowled by Harwood playing his 2nd international match for Australia.

Edges off the bat carried over the boundaries for six. RE Van der Merwe, a mighty South African hit 48 off 28, Played some convincing shots and some not so convincing shots.He played some blind shots in his inning of 48 off 30 balls before he lost his wicket to Harwood caught behind by Haddin. He at one point smashed Hoped over the Point Boundary for six trying to hoik that over Midwicket. Morkel scored 14 off 10 and Boucher scored 9 off 8 as he samashed the last ball off the inning for six over midwicket to finish the inning at 156 for 5 in 20 overs.

ScoreCard Courtesy: CRICINFO

The Australians seldom appeared comfortable in pursuit of South Africa's 156 for 5 on a pitch that troubled batsmen from both sides of the Indian Ocean. Michael Clarke (27 runs from 33 balls) struggled to combat South Africa's disciplined lines, while Ricky Ponting was dismissed for a solitary run for the second time in three days; this time to a well-angled delivery from debutant paceman Yusuf Abdulla. Hardly an ideal start. But the fatal sequence for Australia was saved for the eleventh over, delivered by the ever-effective Johan Botha, who must surely rank among the world's finest Twenty20 bowlers at present. Clarke was bowled attempting to sweep the first ball of the South African captain's second over, and Callum Ferguson - following a dreadful mix-up with David Hussey - was run out the next delivery, in a carbon copy of Michael Hussey's dismissal on Friday.

Thereafter, the tourists were never in the hunt. Roelef van der Merwe, who previously blasted 48 from 30 deliveries to provide impetus to the South African innings, claimed the vital wicket of Hussey to end the Australian charge. And when Johann Louw removed James Hopes and Nathan Bracken in the final over of the innings, the Australians found themselves marooned at 139 for 8 and facing a comprehensive tactical and selection overhaul ahead of the World Twenty20 in June.





SA will like to carry the same form and momentum into the five match one day series starting on April 3,2009. Graeme smith has been named in the squad and looked a fit man as he cheered his team from the dug-out during the T20 matches. SA will be looking to regain their 1st spot from the Australians before they head to England for the world T20.

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Australia in South Africa: 1st T20I Review: Boucher and Morkel aid SA win

27 March 2009: A young South African side, under their new T20 captain Johan Botha won the first T20 match against the Australians chasing a target of 167. Thanks to the contribution of Albie Morkel and Mark Boucher SA sealed the victory after losing way middle of the innings as wickets fell in succession.



Earlier SA won the toss and put the Australians into bat with a batting line up that consisted od the best T20 players in Australia. Clarke lost his stumps in the seconfd over to Parnell trying to hit the ball over the covers. Australia lost their captain Ricky ponting for 1 when he tried to play one too many shots off Albie Morkel who maintained a good line. Australia at this point were 16 for 2 in 3.2 overs.

Score Card Courtesy: CRICINFO


A good partnership between Warner and David Hussey of 54 put Australians back in the match before Warner played a ball straight back to the slow left arm bowler Robin Peterson who took a very good catch. Warner out C&b to Peterson for 3. the score suddenly turned 70 for 4 after Micheal Hussey was run out to a direct hit from Botha fielding at short Midwicket. Australia lost their way when Haddin was out caught by Morkel at the long on boundary trying to break the shackles only putting his team in a deeper hole. Australia were 71-5 in 10 overs. Cameron White supported David hussey for quite a while and the duo took Australia past the 100 mark in the 15th over. Trying to Up the anti, White was caught at the deep mid wicket boundary by Duminy off the bowling of Peterson after he hit the previous ball for six in the same direction. Mitchell Johnson played a supportive role to Hussey who was going big time against the inexperienced attack of SA. He finished 88 not out off 63 balls to take Australia to a par score of 166 for 7.

Gibbs and Amla tooke the field and the attack against the Austrlian bowlers strating the innings off in blistering fashion. Gibbs had scored 19 off the 25 runs, Sa were 25/0 at the end of the third over. Gibbs innings came to an end when he was caught in the covers trying to smash the first ball of Geeves first over. DeVelliers continued to show poor form in the T20 format of the game when he was out bowled to a full delivery from Geeves leaving South Africa at 46 for 2 in 5.1 overs. Duminy and Amla stictched together a good partnership, but Amla who played the ball all along the ground was out bowled to a yorker from David Hussey. Duminy soon foollowed when he was out bowled for 21 bowled to hopes. VB Jaarsveld didn't impress Botha as much when he lost his stumps to David Hussey who was having a ball of time in the middle.

With South Africa at 83-5, It was a Mark Boucher and Albie Morkel show from then on. Balls flying over the fielders for six and boundaries. The duo scored a partnership off 58 before Morkel(37 off 19 balls) was out caught by David Husssey at the boundary off Mithchel Johnson. SA needed 26 off 23 balls. Johnson finished a good over with South Africa still needing about 20 runs to win the match. Boucher smashed the next over and 20th over of the match to lead SA to a 1-0 lead in the 2 match T20 series. Boucher scored 36 off 22 balls.





Johan Botha, the South Africa captain, praised the performances of Mark Boucher and Albie Morkel after they showed why they get paid "the big bucks" in the tight four-wicket Twenty20 win over Australia. Boucher and Morkel concluded the hosts' recovery from 83 for 5 to reach 168 for 6 with four balls remaining.

Ricky Ponting was also impressed by the effort of Morkel, who took 1 for 36 before his 37 off 19 deliveries. "He probably won a couple of games single-handedly with his batting in Australia," Ponting said. "His power hitting tonight probably got them over the line again.

"So he is a very, very dangerous hitter. They use him very well. They hold him off as late as they possibly can and let him go in for the final onslaught really." Ponting said Australia got into a position where they should have won. "That's the disappointing thing about it," he said. "If we had got blown off the park then I would not have been as disappointed.

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