Dhoni lauds ‘aggressive’ Ashwin
MS Dhoni’s processes and plans worked to clockwork precision on Sunday as Chennai stormed to the ACLT20 title.
By Rajarshi Gupta in Johannesburg
His trademark shot to the fence helped the Chennai Super Kings win the Airtel CL T20 but MS Dhoni remained and as cool and collected as ever- even as the rest of his team went wild with frenzy. And why not- they had achieved a double within the space of months- the IPL and now the conquest in South Africa- a conquest that obviously came on the back of some strong planning.
The calm Dhoni exuded after hitting the winning runs in a packed Wanderers, three years after he had led India to the World T20 championship reflected how he looked at the final on Sunday. “We stick to processes and if we stick to them, we will end up on the winning side,” is something Dhoni often says. Sunday evening was an example of what exactly he means. There is nothing copybook in his cricket or captaincy but there certainly is a clever method to all his ‘Midas touches.’
The turning point of the match was easy to spot. Warriors skipper Davy Jacobs was in the midst of another blitz, Doug Bollinger and Alibe Morkel were under heavy fire and Chennai looked like they needed to chase down a massive total till it happened. R Ashwin, the eventual Man of the Series and the highest wicket taker of the tournament, trapped Jacobs in front of the wickets. Few had expected the fiery opener to go down without a major assault on Chennai’s spinners but Dhoni had done his homework well.
“The Warriors got off to a perfect start, the kind of start needed in the final of a big tournament like this. But we all knew the spinners' spell would be the key feature.
“We knew that the Warriors would have been expecting Ashwin in early, like always. He got the wicket of Davy Jacobs at the end of the sixth over and after that we were able to put some pressure on their batting," Dhoni said.
The India skipper, who might have just led the Super Kings for the last time (what with the fresh auctions coming up in November), had a different role for his spinners.
“We wanted the spinners to bowl in the middle stages because we don’t have a lot of bowlers who can take the pace off the ball. That would have hampered our chances of winning.”
That was actually a masterstroke. It wasn’t until the sixth over that the skipper brought on the more successful bowler of the tournament despite the two pacers being treated with disdain. Coming on for the last over of the power play meant Ashiwn would always be under pressure from a set batsman, who was looking to use the field restrictions to the hilt. The offie kept his cool and delivered, in the process, earning accolades from his captain.
“Ashwin is an aggressive character and is always up for a challenge. He is always ready to bowl and is a very smart character. He has a lot of variations and knows what field he wants to bowl to. He really doesn’t need much guidance on the field,” Dhoni said.
Dhoni was also effusive in his praise for L Balaji who, with Ashwin and Muttiah Muralitharan restricted the Warriors in the middle stages.
“Also let's not forget the bowling spell of Balaji. "That was also important to keep the pressure on from both sides and we saw how his spell allowed for Murali and Ashwin to get wickets."
Warriors skipper Davy Jacobs admitted that his team was outfoxed by Chennai’s spinners and that they weren’t good enough to handle them.
“The two spinners tied us down and our batsmen did not play them well. That was the game,” Jacobs said, hardly betraying any emotion after losing a big ticket final infront of a massive home crowd.
The Super Kings lorded over the Bull Ring Sunday night and there was no mistaking where the campaign had started- in that sharp mind Dhoni keeps handy. Talk of sticking to processes.
Courtesy: ESPN.COM
Monday, September 27, 2010
Super Kings crowned T20 champions!
Johannesburg: The Chennai Super Kings ascended the World T20 throne and the coronation took place at the Wanderers here tonight when they rode high, mighty and handsome while demolishing the Eastern Cape Warriors by eight wickets in the final of the Airtel Champions League.
The Super Kings, winners of the 2010 IPL, thus achieved a unique double as they picked up the cash prize of US Dollars 2.5 Million while the Warriors who looked out of depth, went home richer by USD 1.3 Million.
For bonus, the Super Kings picked up both the Golden Bat and Golden Wicket awards as Murali Vijay (294) and Ravichandran Ashwin (13), who turned 24 only last week, topped for most runs and wickets, respectively. Ashwin also won the Man of the Series award while Vijay was adjudged Man of the Match.
Batting first on winning the toss, the Warriors, after a rollicking start, were all at sea against the “Spin Twins” Muttiah Muralitharan (3 for 16) and Ashwin (2 for 16) and managed just 128 for seven.
In reply, the Super Kings had few problems in chasing down the total. Openers Michael Hussey (51 not out) and Murali Vijay (58), pacing themselves brilliantly, made light of the target with a 103-run partnership as the Super Kings made 132 for two in 19 overs.
The Warriors lost the plot after the exit of skipper David Jacobs who blasted a 21-ball 34. The rest of the batsmen were far too circumspect, especially against the spinners who, on their part, teased and tormented the willow-wielders.
In the event, while the first five overs saw eight boundaries, all by Jacobs, the next 15 had mere five hits to the fence and a six as the Warriors crumbled after a promising start.
Like the proverbial cat on the hot tin roof, Jacobs danced about the crease, hitting fours as if there was no tomorrow. He was severe on the two new ball bowlers, Doug Bollinger and Albie Morkel to set a scorching pace for the innings.
However, it was too good to last and Bollinger struck with a low full toss that Ashwell Prince missed to lose his off-stump, in the fifth over.
Dhoni, shrewd as ever, brought on Ashwin for the next over and the tall offie obliged, courtesy a rash attempt by Jacobs who was caught plumb in front missing a reverse sweep.
The two wickets turned the game around and the Super Kings then cut through the line-up that appeared clueless against the spin of Ashwin and Muralitharan as wickets fell at regular intervals.
The only solace for the Warriors came in the form of the 18 runs that they scored off Balaji’s final over and innings’ 17th with Craig Thyssen belting a six and two boundaries.
Such was the grip that the Super Kings bowlers exerted that the 20th over, bowled by Muralitharan saw only four runs scored for the loss of one wicket, leaving the Warriors floundering at 128 for seven, a total that looked well within the reach of the Chennai outfit.
The Super Kings, as usual, began sedately with Vijay doing most of the scoring. A couple of boundaries off Makhaya Ntini provided the chase an early acceleration as the openers bided their time.
The focus of the openers was to play safe, running the singles hard and an occasional boundary breaking the pattern. The runs came at a steady pace while the Warriors missed out on two opportunities to take a wicket.
Vijay, on 15 in 27 for no loss, was lucky when he edged Juan Theron between the lone slip Justin Kreusch and wicket-keeper Mark Boucher to the third man fence. And when on 35 in a total of 61), he had another reprieve when Boucher fumbled with a collection with the batsman lured out of the crease by Johan Botha.
A quiet word from Hussey apparently steadied Vijay and the pair batted most sensibly while looking to be on a Sunday evening stroll in the park. However, Vijay opened up soon after with two towering sixes before holing out in the deep, before holing out in the deep attempting another off Boje.
In the next over, Suresh Raina got out for a slog shot to provide a little twist to the match as the Super Kings needed run a ball to get to the target which Hussey and Dhoni did quite comfortably.
Quite fittingly, Dhoni delivered the decisive blows with a massive six followed by two boundaries off Theron, bowling the 19th over, to set off the celebrations.
SOCRE-BOARD
Eastern Cape Warriors Innings:
David Jacobs lbw Ashwin 34 (21b, 8 x 4)
Ashwell Prince b Bollinger 06 (9b)
Colin Ingram c Raina b Morkel 16 (23b, 1 x 4)
Justin Kreusch c Raina b Muralitharan 17 (17b, 1 x 4)
Mark Boucher b Muralitharan 05 (11b)
Johan Botha c Srikkanth b Ashwin 07 (10b)
Craig Thyssen c Srikkanth b Muralitharan 25 (18b, 1 x 6, 3 x 4)
Nicky Boje (not out) 08 (10b)
Juan Theron (not out) 02 (1b)
Extras (lb-4, w-4): 08
Total (for 7 wkts, 20 overs): 128.
Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Prince, 4.1); 2-45 (Jacobs, 5.4); 3-73 (Ingram, 10.5); 4-81 (Boucher, 13.1); 5-82 (Kreusch, 13.5); 6-111 (Botha, 17.5); 7-125 (Thyssen, 19.4).
Bowling: Doug Bollinger 4-0-33-1; Albie Morkel 4-0-31-1 (2w); Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-16-2 (1w); Lakshmipathy Balaji 4-0-28-0 (1w); Muralitharan 4-0-16-3.
Chennai Super Kings Innings:
Michael Hussey (not out) 51 (46b, 3 x 4)
Murali Vijay c Kreusch b Boje 58 (33b, 2 x 6, 6 x 4)
Suresh Raina c Botha b Ntini 02 (3b)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (not out) 17 (12b, 1 x 6, 2 x 4)
Extras (lb-1, w-3): 04
Total (for 2 wkts, 19 overs): 132.
Fall of wickets: 1-103 (Vijay, 14.5);
Bowling: Makhaya Ntini 4-0-30-1 (1w); Lonwabo Tsotsobe 3-0-14-0; Juan Theron 4-0-40-0 (2w); Johan Botha 4-0-18-0; Nicky Boje 4-0-29-1.
Umpires:Rudi Koertzen (South Africa) and Aleem Dar (Pakistan)
The Super Kings, winners of the 2010 IPL, thus achieved a unique double as they picked up the cash prize of US Dollars 2.5 Million while the Warriors who looked out of depth, went home richer by USD 1.3 Million.
For bonus, the Super Kings picked up both the Golden Bat and Golden Wicket awards as Murali Vijay (294) and Ravichandran Ashwin (13), who turned 24 only last week, topped for most runs and wickets, respectively. Ashwin also won the Man of the Series award while Vijay was adjudged Man of the Match.
Batting first on winning the toss, the Warriors, after a rollicking start, were all at sea against the “Spin Twins” Muttiah Muralitharan (3 for 16) and Ashwin (2 for 16) and managed just 128 for seven.
In reply, the Super Kings had few problems in chasing down the total. Openers Michael Hussey (51 not out) and Murali Vijay (58), pacing themselves brilliantly, made light of the target with a 103-run partnership as the Super Kings made 132 for two in 19 overs.
The Warriors lost the plot after the exit of skipper David Jacobs who blasted a 21-ball 34. The rest of the batsmen were far too circumspect, especially against the spinners who, on their part, teased and tormented the willow-wielders.
In the event, while the first five overs saw eight boundaries, all by Jacobs, the next 15 had mere five hits to the fence and a six as the Warriors crumbled after a promising start.
Like the proverbial cat on the hot tin roof, Jacobs danced about the crease, hitting fours as if there was no tomorrow. He was severe on the two new ball bowlers, Doug Bollinger and Albie Morkel to set a scorching pace for the innings.
However, it was too good to last and Bollinger struck with a low full toss that Ashwell Prince missed to lose his off-stump, in the fifth over.
Dhoni, shrewd as ever, brought on Ashwin for the next over and the tall offie obliged, courtesy a rash attempt by Jacobs who was caught plumb in front missing a reverse sweep.
The two wickets turned the game around and the Super Kings then cut through the line-up that appeared clueless against the spin of Ashwin and Muralitharan as wickets fell at regular intervals.
The only solace for the Warriors came in the form of the 18 runs that they scored off Balaji’s final over and innings’ 17th with Craig Thyssen belting a six and two boundaries.
Such was the grip that the Super Kings bowlers exerted that the 20th over, bowled by Muralitharan saw only four runs scored for the loss of one wicket, leaving the Warriors floundering at 128 for seven, a total that looked well within the reach of the Chennai outfit.
The Super Kings, as usual, began sedately with Vijay doing most of the scoring. A couple of boundaries off Makhaya Ntini provided the chase an early acceleration as the openers bided their time.
The focus of the openers was to play safe, running the singles hard and an occasional boundary breaking the pattern. The runs came at a steady pace while the Warriors missed out on two opportunities to take a wicket.
Vijay, on 15 in 27 for no loss, was lucky when he edged Juan Theron between the lone slip Justin Kreusch and wicket-keeper Mark Boucher to the third man fence. And when on 35 in a total of 61), he had another reprieve when Boucher fumbled with a collection with the batsman lured out of the crease by Johan Botha.
A quiet word from Hussey apparently steadied Vijay and the pair batted most sensibly while looking to be on a Sunday evening stroll in the park. However, Vijay opened up soon after with two towering sixes before holing out in the deep, before holing out in the deep attempting another off Boje.
In the next over, Suresh Raina got out for a slog shot to provide a little twist to the match as the Super Kings needed run a ball to get to the target which Hussey and Dhoni did quite comfortably.
Quite fittingly, Dhoni delivered the decisive blows with a massive six followed by two boundaries off Theron, bowling the 19th over, to set off the celebrations.
SOCRE-BOARD
Eastern Cape Warriors Innings:
David Jacobs lbw Ashwin 34 (21b, 8 x 4)
Ashwell Prince b Bollinger 06 (9b)
Colin Ingram c Raina b Morkel 16 (23b, 1 x 4)
Justin Kreusch c Raina b Muralitharan 17 (17b, 1 x 4)
Mark Boucher b Muralitharan 05 (11b)
Johan Botha c Srikkanth b Ashwin 07 (10b)
Craig Thyssen c Srikkanth b Muralitharan 25 (18b, 1 x 6, 3 x 4)
Nicky Boje (not out) 08 (10b)
Juan Theron (not out) 02 (1b)
Extras (lb-4, w-4): 08
Total (for 7 wkts, 20 overs): 128.
Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Prince, 4.1); 2-45 (Jacobs, 5.4); 3-73 (Ingram, 10.5); 4-81 (Boucher, 13.1); 5-82 (Kreusch, 13.5); 6-111 (Botha, 17.5); 7-125 (Thyssen, 19.4).
Bowling: Doug Bollinger 4-0-33-1; Albie Morkel 4-0-31-1 (2w); Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-16-2 (1w); Lakshmipathy Balaji 4-0-28-0 (1w); Muralitharan 4-0-16-3.
Chennai Super Kings Innings:
Michael Hussey (not out) 51 (46b, 3 x 4)
Murali Vijay c Kreusch b Boje 58 (33b, 2 x 6, 6 x 4)
Suresh Raina c Botha b Ntini 02 (3b)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (not out) 17 (12b, 1 x 6, 2 x 4)
Extras (lb-1, w-3): 04
Total (for 2 wkts, 19 overs): 132.
Fall of wickets: 1-103 (Vijay, 14.5);
Bowling: Makhaya Ntini 4-0-30-1 (1w); Lonwabo Tsotsobe 3-0-14-0; Juan Theron 4-0-40-0 (2w); Johan Botha 4-0-18-0; Nicky Boje 4-0-29-1.
Umpires:Rudi Koertzen (South Africa) and Aleem Dar (Pakistan)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)