By Ray Sundar
Adam Gilchrist, the former Aussie test wicket-keeper extraordinaire, won the toss and elected to field. Conspicuous by his omission is the dependable Laxman.
With wickets tumbling all around him, Sachin Tendulkar stood tall, weathering the storm, making a cavalier captain’s knock of 55. This is his 4th 50 plus score in the tournament (the most), with a highest of 72, followed by 71. He faced 43 deliveries and hit 9×4’s. His sixes drought continues unabated, as his total remains at 1. However, he has the most 4’s, 45, the 2nd highest aggregate, 303, and average, 60.60.
In a cameo, Bravo, in the 4th over, hoicked a 6 and muscled a 4 off Ojha. In the 6th over he powered 2×4’s off Symonds.
Harbhajan Singh provided some late innings pyrotechnics, pulverising the trio of Symonds, Roach and Sharma into submission. His blitzkrieg of these three read : 1, 1, 6, 4, 1, 4, 6, 4, 4, 1, 4, 4, 4, 4, 1 = 49. That is, not out.
Mumbai scored 172/7 in the allotted 20 overs. The pick of the bowlers – R. Singh 3/31, J. Singh 2/30 and P. Ojha 2/24.
The high octane Deccan batsmen, arguably the best batting line up in the tournament, were unable to settle down. Superman Harbhajan Singh returned to open the bowling. And the move paid immediate dividends as Gilchrist was caught by Sachin off Harbhajan for 0. Gibbs and Sharma were the only ones to provide any resistance, with the former scoring 27 and the latter top scoring with 45. Symonds had a wretched day, scoring 1, on the heels of a sub par bowling performance.
Inevitably they were all out for an uncharacteristic 131. The pick of the bowlers – Z. Khan 3/31, S. Malinga 3/12 and the eventual man of the match, the turbanator, Harbhajan Singh 3/31.
The biggest bust so far in IPL’s 2010 season is the continued failure of Trinidad’s K.A Pollard. It seems as though he does not know whether he is going or coming. His latest misadventure, after a horrid series against Mugabe’s cellar dwelling Zimbabwe, came against Deccan Chargers, scoring a lousy 1. Thus far, in 5 matches, he has scored a paltry 59 for a minuscule 11.80 average. In fairness he is one of five who failed miserably against Deccan Chargers. However, he is the big money man and as such his failures are more pronounced, more magnified, more glaring, and most of all, serves as a lightning rod.
