Lasith Malinga the toe crusher - Man of the Match

Mumbai Indians led cleverly by off spinning Turbanator Harbhajan Singh were crowned the new kings of the Indian Twenty20 Champions League when they put to second best Royal Challengers, Bangalore led by Kiwi Daniel Vettori.

In the final played in Chennai in front of a wildly cheering crowd of cricket crazy spectators, some of whom were dressed and painted in the colours of the two finalists, Mumbai beat the Royal Challengers by 31 runs.

That the Mumbai Indians won the final was all the more creditable because they missed their regular leader the mercurial and charismatic Sachin Tendulkar who was nursing an injury and did not play in any of the matches.

Tendulkar inspiration

But the cricketing demigod was with the team at every match and his presence was, no doubt, an inspiration for his players to bring out the perspiration by straining every nerve and sinew and perform at full capacity to win the final and the money bag of 2.5 million dollars! When the final took off, the consensus was that the Royal Challengers were the favourites, considering that they chased over 200 in the last two games to win and secure a final slot and meet the Mumbai Indians.

Their favourite tag soared further when, although losing the toss they restricted MI to 139 in 20 overs which was a walk in the park considering that RC had master class batsmen in this style of game, West Indian man mountain Chris Gayle, Sri Lanka’s big hitter Tillakeratne Dilshan and the consistent Indian Virat Kohli.

Insensible running

For MI James Franklin made 41,S. Yadav 24 and A. Rayudu 22. Their collapse was caused by some insensible running between the wickets with the consistent Blizzard, Franklin and Yadav being run out.

Skipper Daniel Vettori bowled a steady length to take 2 for 30. When RC began their chase Dilshan exploded with a 20 ball 27 putting on 38 runs for the first wicket with Gayle who was surprisingly strokeless in this stand deprived of the strike while Dilshan plundered being particularly severe on his Sri Lankan team mate Lasith Malinga.

But Malinga had his revenge when he uprooted Dilshan’s off stump with his signature delivery the Yorker. But with Gayle who had been in rollicking form with big scores and Kohli still there, hopes ran high for the players in red and gold.

Gayle unlucky

Then it happened that made the Royal Challengers batting wheels come off. Gayle who was threatening to cut loose and play another magic innings was ruled out LBW by Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena a judgement that was, to say the least, atrocious.

Gayle was at full stretch to Harbhajan, and when the near seven foot Gayle stretches, no umpire would dare rule him LBW. But Dharmasena did and what Gayle was mouthing turning his back to the cameras could be imagined.

Stormy petrel of Australian cricket and former captain Ian Chappell who was doing TV commentary at that time, who is known to call a spade a spade and not some other implement, said what he thought of the decision.

Beginning of the end

And Gayle’s dismissal signalled the beginning of the end for the Royal Challengers and with Virat Kohli who was a heavy scorer in earlier games also falling cheaply, the Challengers fell short of the victory target and were beaten by 31 runs.

As for Christopher Gayle, it is time that the West Indies Cricket Board and the power hitting left hander indulged in consultation, compromise and consensus for the further good of Caribbean cricket.

For far too long has the former captain and WICB been at loggerheads. This faux pas has led to Gayle missing representing his country. Windies cricket which is not what it was when their greats were mincemeating opponents badly needs Gayle’s terrifying influence.

Skipper Harbhajan who had a wretched tour of England, seemed to be the unplayable bowler that he was a few years back and on a wicket where the ball was turning square, he returned figures of 3 for 20 which also earned him the man of the match award.

Malinga man of the series

Sri Lanka’s slinger Lasith Malinga brought great honour to himself and the country by winning the man of the series award. His toe crushing Yorkers are still feared by batsmen as was obvious in this tournament.

Malinga who is injury prone, did right in deciding to skip the established game and concentrate on the shorter versions of cricket.

His body is unable to stand the rigours of the longer version. In the shorter version he needs to bowl only four and ten overs.

In the longer version, with him being our strike bowler he could be asked to bowl a longer spell which could lead to him breaking down.

Had he played and broken down it would have been similar to the story of the goose that laid the golden egg. There were frantic moves to bring him back from Test match retirement and fire him against the Australians. But saner counsel prevailed and Malinga was saved for the betterment of Sri Lanka’s one day fortunes.

Chappell courageous

Incidentally Chappell also hit out courageously and said what he thought of the switch hit or the reverse stroke played by batsmen after the bowler had set his field. Today the rules are heavily loaded in favour of the batsmen and Shoaib Akhtar also said it in his book ‘Controversially Yours’.

Chappell fearlessly said that it is unfair by the bowler. This ugly side of the game has been happening for far too long and the toothless tigers in Dubai seem deaf and blind and don’t have the guts to stop this nonsense.

The batsman who plays this stroke is a cheat and the International Cricket Council is aiding and abating the cheat. They are frightfully keen on the rupees and don’t seem to have sense. The ICC was quick to warn Sri Lanka for preparing what they thought and called a poor pitch for the Test against Australia in Galle. But when it comes to the jokes being perpetrated on the game they are helpless.

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