Four good overs that made the difference

6 May 2008

The Chennai Super Kings, the only team in the DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) to post totals in excess of 200 runs twice, came into the match against the Delhi Daredevils with an unblemished record and was yet to be tested in the tournament.

Today, pitted against the best bowling attack in the IPL, they found runs hard to come by, this despite having the explosive MS Dhoni and the enterprising Albie Morkel in its ranks. This is clearly established by the fact that just as well as they managed only 169 runs in their allotted 20 overs (their lowest total in the tournament), the Chennai Super Kings only managed five sixes in the match, the least they've hit in a match when batting first.

Here's a look at the four overs that made the difference:

1. Glenn McGrath's second over - 2 singles, 3 false shots

With Stephen Fleming and Parthiv Patel at the crease, the Aussie ‘metronome' McGrath conceded only two runs in the third over of the Chennai Super Kings' innings. While the experienced Stephen Fleming played safe cricket, the lesser-experienced Parthiv Patel tried to chance his arm and ended up playing two false shots in the over.

2. Glenn McGrath's final over - 7 runs, 1 wicket, 3 false shots

This time it was MS Dhoni (batting on 23) and S Vidyut (batting on 53) at the crease - and they too found runs hard to come by. MS Dhoni, who was stepping down the crease even to the seamers, gave this experienced pro the respect he commanded on the international stage, and stayed well within the crease. Three deliveries were pitched right up in the block hole, and Dhoni and Vidyut could only manage a single off those, while the short delivery aimed at Vidyut's body cramped the southpaw for room and he ended up holing out a catch to cover. Albie Morkel walked in at the fall of Vidyut's wicket, McGrath welcomed in with a back of a length delivery, but Morkel was up to the task and creamed it over point for a boundary.

3. YoMahesh's final over - 1 run

Into the last quarter of their innings, the stage was just right for the final assault, but Dhoni could manage just one run from the over, while Morkel couldn't get a run off four deliveries. Coming in at the back of a brilliant over from McGrath, the Daredevils captain Sehwag couldn't have asked for anything better from his 20-year-old medium pacer.

4. Rajat Bhatia's only over - 11 runs

The last over of the innings, and with Badrinath and Albie Morkel at the crease, the Chennai Super Kings were still on the look-out for that one big over which would see them past their lowest total in the IPL.

In a surprise move, after all the regular frontline bowlers had been bowled out, Sehwag handed the ball to Rajat Bhatia, and did he do well. Generally full in length, Badrinath and Morkel could only manage five runs off the first four balls. Morkel, who took strike for the penultimate delivery, could only top edge a full toss to the man at cover.

The last delivery was yet another full toss on leg stump, but this time Badrinath looked like he was expecting it, and was dispatched over the midwicket fence in utter disdain. 11 runs came off the over, but Delhi Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag would take it anyway, given the least the Chennai Super Kings had scored off the last over in their previous games was 14 runs.

Dhoni and Co. will only be left pondering on what the result would have been if only that one big over that eluded them had materialized.