Chargers win first home game

Posted by Abhishek Kamble in IPL on 03 20th, 2010 | no responses

They say that history repeats itself. Well they forgot to add “NOT ALWAYS”. Before yesterdays match history was against the Deccan on two counts. One: it had never won a home game. Two: it had never won a game against Punjab. But determined lot that Deccan is, they were not to repeat the mistakes of past. Instead they decided to start a new chapter. And there goes the story of the third match of the Deccan Chargers. Deccan defeated Punjab by 6 run at their new home cuttack.

Deccan fielded the same side that they had in the previous game. Punjab made two changes to the side dropping M. Kaif and Y. Abdulla and playing A. Barat and S. Shrivastav. As usual Gilchrist provided a flying start. For a change Laxman was looking in a good touch. But then Deccan found itself in the same situation as in the last few matches. Gilchrist could not build on the start he got loosing his wicket on a half hearted pull shot. Laxman followed in unfortunate circumstances. He had to retire as he got hurt with a bizarre throw from Srivastav hitting him on the fore-arm. Again there were two new batsmen at the crease. Because of the flying start given by Gilchrist, they could afford to take time and set themselves in and that is what they did. The ground was small and the wicket was slow with a hint of movement in air for the swing bowlers. But the outfield was fast. Symonds played an intelligent knock. He pushed the balls for singles and doubles and played some handsome shots on loose deliveries, scoring 58 in 33 balls. Deccans finished the inning at 170/7 with the help of 22 balls 26 run inning by T. Suman and 10 balls 16 runs inning by Vaas.

Punjab started badly and kept losing wickets regularly. They were reduced to 68 for 6 in 12 overs and it looked that it would be an easy victory of the Deccans. But that was not to be. In last four overs when about 67 runs were required, Irfan Pathan cut loose. He punished RP Singh and P. Ojha. One of the six he hit to RP went out of the park. This last moment outburst by Pathan created hopes in the Kings camp. 19 runs were required from the last over of the match. With Vaas and Symonds already finished with their quota of overs it was thought that Gilchrist will hand over the ball to R. Sharma, the crises man for Deccan. He had bowled pretty well conceding 19 runs of 3 overs. But Gilchrist played a gamble by getting Jaskaran to ball his first over and the last over of the match. Jaskaran had to be right on target to withheld Pathan who was on strike. And he delivered by getting Irfan out. Irfan pulled just to find Symonds waiting right on the boundary line. The formality was completed. Sreesanth hit three fours to reduce the margin to six runs.

Few mistakes that were repeated by Deccans: Gilchrist getting of to a flying start but failing to convert it into a big score. Gibbs and Symonds lost their wicket after getting set. The set batsmen seems to loose their wickets just when the team needs them to accelerate the inning.

In next match Deccans will play against Delhi Daredevils on 21st at the same venue. Hopefully they will maintain the momentum they have gained so far.

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