By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu
Chennai would perhaps have been celebrating by singing “Whistle Podu” rather than “we are the champions” after completely a spectacular run of form with Twenty20 tournaments. They peaked at the perfect time as far as the Champions League Twenty20 2010 in South Africa was concerned and were richly rewarded. So what did they do right?
Chennai had three serious matches in a row that were must-wins if they were to cap the victory of the IPL 3 season with the CL T20. And the opponents before them were not walkovers, although the eventual results may seem to suggest so. Victories came after tough endurance, perseverance and patience, not qualities one would associate with Twenty20. But given the conditions in South Africa at the time, Chennai’s strength lay in using their resources, which would have paled against some of their opponents, stringently and to plan to ensure what they had would seem a lot more.
That is how it worked for Chennai successively as they moved from one hurdle to the next, gathering up in strength like a storm waiting to unfold. The Warriors have been riding high on the belligerence of their captain, Davy Jacobs, and on the starts that he has provided in this tournament alone, the Warriors moved up quickly from unknowns into serious title contenders. Therefore, the virtual quarterfinal against them was hard fought for Chennai who did not have enough runs on board, but had to pool together their bowling efforts to make it seem too much for the Warriors, even if it meant sidelining Jacobs. The plan worked eventually, the Warriors faltered in the middle of going for a win and making the qualification cut, and Chennai had a gift horse in the mouth staring at them.
In the semi final, the Royal Challengers Bangalore were an equally strong threat standing the way of the Chennai Super Kings. While RCB had a strong line up, Chennai had determination in plenty to outclass RCB’s best. Durban added to the anxiety with foul, uncooperative weather but when the match did go ahead, it was the Royal Challengers who appeared to be playing a very defensive game, playing right into the hands of the Chennai Super Kings.
Dale Steyn’s injury was a double edged sword. While his catch took care of Michael Hussey, the denial of his bowling was infuriating to the RCB captain, Anil Kumble, who could not get his team to work as per his plans. The exasperation was working against a team that looked worse for wear and on a subtle panic button that allowed Chennai to ease into a position they would not be comfortable with but one they would nevertheless feel confident about.
And the pieces simply fell into place. Albie Morkel’s bowling on the night is something to be earmarked because it is something that was expected of Morkel but not witnessed with regularity to the captain’s liking in recent times. But Morkel has to be attributed for Chennai’s success on the night because he really turned on the match by bowling a miserly spell that had the RCB backs to the wall. Doug Bollinger had to complete the discipline and the wickets were his for the taking.
And if Chennai needed to show that they had overcome the bowling concerns that nagged them in the past, they displayed it amply in the final when the spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin and Muttiah Muralitharan showed, by holding the stranglehold over the Warriors in the second encounter between the two teams, once again after Davy Jacobs was the threat they needed to negate.
En route, they have had to sideline Matthew Hayden, but they were rewarded in their choice of Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina did not go out on a blip by turning it on crucially in the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and in Murali Vijay, they found the one weapon they would edge out the other threat, Jacobs, if only by a few runs. And that was all that Chennai needed for a glorious finish with a flourish.
©Sreelata S. Yellamrazu for ©www.mindspacecricket.com
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