Jadeja routs Deccan Chargers

Chennai Super Kings 193 for 6 (Jadeja 48, Bravo 43*) beat Deccan Chargers 119 (Jadeja 5-16) by 74 runs

	Faf du Plessis provided Chennai Super Kings a boost at the start © AFP Enlarge

He was persisted with for all of India's eight games in the CB series in Australia, for an average of 16.83 with the bat and 109.00 with the ball. He had an indifferent Asia Cup. Back in the IPL, this time with Chennai Super Kings, this year's most expensive signing, Ravindra Jadeja, excelled right away in the tournament that had catapulted him into the limelight in 2008. A five-wicket haul followed an innings of 48 off 29 deliveries as Super Kings recovered in style from a patchy display in their opening game against Mumbai Indians.

While Jadeja's name was all over the scorecard, it was Dwayne Bravo's late blast with the bat that took the game away from Chargers. Bravo blasted five sixes in the last two overs to propel Super Kings to a tall score, which was aided by loose bowling from the Indian component of the Chargers attack. Faf du Plessis provided the boost at the start, Jadeja built on it in the middle and Bravo took Chargers apart at the death.

Forty runs came in overs 19 and 20 bowled by TP Sudhindra and Manpreet Gony. A leading edge off Sudhindra carried all the way over the straight boundary for the first six. Bravo wound up and deposited the next delivery, a length ball, over long-on. Gony was wayward in the final over, and Bravo clattered three sixes off an assortment of full tosses and short deliveries.

Bravo ended on 43 off 18, with Super Kings taking 72 in the last five overs. Du Plessis had set the tone earlier, hitting Gony for three consecutive boundaries in the fifth over. Gony became too predictable with his shortish length, and du Plessis stayed back to steer for four to third man and pull for six over deep midwicket. Gony became predictable again when he went full with the last ball of the over, and du Plessis lofted him over long-off.

Sudhindra had du Plessis holing out to long-on with his first ball, but was to go for 46 in four overs. Suresh Raina and S Badrinath looked in fine touch till Daniel Christian got them. Christian and Dale Steyn were difficult to get away, but Chargers had plenty of weak links in the attack.

Jadeja went after fellow left-arm spinner Ankit Sharma, slog-sweeping and lofting him for three boundaries. Christian was taken for consecutive fours. Jadeja even tried to distract Steyn by moving around in his crease but was dismissed hit-wicket when he trod onto his stumps as he tried to nudge a short of a length Steyn delivery. Things weren't looking as bad for Chargers at that point with the score on 147 in the 18th over, but Bravo's innings turned a stiff chase into an improbable one.

It did not help Chargers that the longest any of their batsmen managed to last was 18 deliveries and the most any of them made was 23. Super Kings' spin battery smothered Chargers completely. R Ashwin gave 12 runs in his three overs at the start, Shadab Jakati got the important wickets of Cameron White and Christian, and Jadeja did the rest. He is an unspectacular bowler, but is generally accurate.

By the time he was brought on in the 11th over, the asking-rate had already crossed 12. Chargers had no option but to go after the bowling. But this was Jadeja's night, and there was to be no hitting him.

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s Powerplay (0-6) 16-20 overs NB/Wides Chennai Super Kings 48 10 12 44-2 60-1 1/7 Deccan Chargers 47 11 4 45-1 2-2 (17.1) 0/3

Scorecard - Kochi Tuskers Kerala v Chennai Super Kings at Kochi

Chennai Super Kings 131/4 (17/17 ov)

Kochi Tuskers Kerala 135/3 (15.0/17 ov)

Kochi Tuskers Kerala won by 7 wickets (with 12 balls remaining) (D/L method)

• Indian Premier League - 18th match
• Twenty20 match | 2011 season
• Played at Nehru Stadium, Kochi
• 18 April 2011 - day/night (20-over match)

	Chennai Super Kings innings (17 overs maximum)		R	B	4s	6s	SR
	MEK Hussey	c †Patel b Singh	8	10	2	0	80.00
	2.2 RP Singh has his first wicket of the 2011 IPL. Good movement again, Hussey gets a top edge and he's on his way 11/1
	M Vijay	lbw b Perera	28	18	6	0	155.55
	7.2 appeal and given! Full delivery, strikes Vijay on the front pad as he looks to turn that to the leg-side and misses, plumb in front, that was hitting middle and leg. 48/2
	SK Raina	run out (Perera)	50	40	5	1	125.00
	15.1 from Perera, it's all happening here. Great ball, full, and difficult to get away, Raina misses and wants the bye. Attempted run out from the keeper with an underarm throw, the bowler has a second go, hits the stumps and Raina is out. 109/4
	S Badrinath	lbw b Gomez	19	17	1	0	111.76
	13.2 Badri wants to improvise, by going for a biggie on the leg side, trying to flick it over fine leg, but he's chosen the wrong shot. It's hit the pad, absolutely plumb in front of middle and leg and there was no hesitation in giving that out. 96/3
	MS Dhoni*†	not out	14	13	1	1	107.69
	JA Morkel	not out	9	4	0	1	225.00
	Extras	(lb 1, w 2)	3
	Total	(4 wickets; 17 overs)	131	(7.70 runs per over)

Did not bat S Anirudha, R Ashwin, SB Jakati, TG Southee, DE Bollinger

Fall of wickets1-11 (Hussey, 2.2 ov), 2-48 (Vijay, 7.2 ov), 3-96 (Badrinath, 13.2 ov), 4-109 (Raina, 15.1 ov)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	RP Singh	4	0	24	1	6.00	(1w)
	2.2 to Hussey, RP Singh has his first wicket of the 2011 IPL. Good movement again, Hussey gets a top edge and he's on his way 11/1
	R Vinay Kumar	3	0	16	0	5.33
	NLTC Perera	4	0	32	1	8.00	(1w)
	7.2 to Vijay, appeal and given! Full delivery, strikes Vijay on the front pad as he looks to turn that to the leg-side and misses, plumb in front, that was hitting middle and leg. 48/2
	RR Powar	3	0	24	0	8.00
	RV Gomez	2	0	20	1	10.00
	13.2 to Badrinath, Badri wants to improvise, by going for a biggie on the leg side, trying to flick it over fine leg, but he's chosen the wrong shot. It's hit the pad, absolutely plumb in front of middle and leg and there was no hesitation in giving that out. 96/3
	RA Jadeja	1	0	14	0	14.00

	Kochi Tuskers Kerala innings (target: 135 runs from 17 overs)		R	B	4s	6s	SR
	BB McCullum	c Morkel b Ashwin	47	33	4	3	142.42
	10.3 not quite down town this time. McCullum goes down the wicket and plays it high. This time he hasn't got all that much on it and Albie Morkel takes the catch at long off. In 2008, on this day, McCullum scored 158 not out. Nothing similar today 90/2
	DPMD Jayawardene*	c Anirudha b Ashwin	16	11	2	1	145.45
	4.3 third time unlucky. Mahela looks for the big one again, and gets a leading edge and Anirudha comes in to take it at short cover 39/1
	PA Patel†	c Anirudha b Bollinger	34	26	4	1	130.76
	12.6 smashed straight to the man at deep mid wicket. Short and hittable, Patel rocks on his back foot but this one isn't going over the rope. Good knock from the ex Chennai man 110/3
	BJ Hodge	not out	19	14	2	0	135.71
	RA Jadeja	not out	16	6	0	2	266.66
	Extras	(lb 1, w 2)	3
	Total	(3 wickets; 15 overs)	135	(9.00 runs per over)

Did not bat KM Jadhav, NLTC Perera, RV Gomez, R Vinay Kumar, RP Singh, RR Powar

Fall of wickets1-39 (Jayawardene, 4.3 ov), 2-90 (McCullum, 10.3 ov), 3-110 (Patel, 12.6 ov)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	JA Morkel	2	0	17	0	8.50
	DE Bollinger	3	0	18	1	6.00
	12.6 to Patel, smashed straight to the man at deep mid wicket. Short and hittable, Patel rocks on his back foot but this one isn't going over the rope. Good knock from the ex Chennai man 110/3
	R Ashwin	4	0	31	2	7.75
	4.3 to Jayawardene, third time unlucky. Mahela looks for the big one again, and gets a leading edge and Anirudha comes in to take it at short cover 39/1 10.3 to McCullum, not quite down town this time. McCullum goes down the wicket and plays it high. This time he hasn't got all that much on it and Albie Morkel takes the catch at long off. In 2008, on this day, McCullum scored 158 not out. Nothing similar today 90/2
	TG Southee	3	0	38	0	12.66	(2w)
	SB Jakati	3	0	30	0	10.00

IPL Match Preview- Kochi Tuskers Vs Chennai Super Kings

Kochi is a hamlet of God’s own country, its townsfolk ever ready to extend the hospitality that behoves heavenly hosts. But the Gods are crazy; even the all-powerful Indra is subject to the whims of his sabha member Lord Varuna, and the rain god has not generally shown himself to be the greatest fan of the game, often raining, literally, on the parade. But even if the thunderstorms heralded for this 8 ‘o clock fixture on Monday between Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Chennai Super Kings come a no-show, the fixture itself will provide the thunder and lightning in any case, when Brendon Indra McCullum, Murali Varuna Vijay, and other IPL Gods do war at the Nehru Stadium!

Chennai Super Kings, Twenty20 team extraordinaire, reigning champion of the IPL and Champions League, has had to stomach one embarrassing loss to the lesser fancied Kings XI Punjab, and will abhor a loss to the Tuskers, an IPL rookie. The Tuskers belied their greenhorn status the other day, defeating the mighty Mumbai Indians by a sound margin. Will the Super Kings push the Kerala boys over or is another upset in store?

Kochi Tuskers Kerala:

The win over Mumbai may not have effected a giant leap in the points table for the Tuskers, but it certainly boosted their reputation, confidence and future prognosis. They had been a formidable team from the start, but had lost the first couple of games, which occurred while their gestational period was still on. Friday was the day they adhered together and showed that their combined force and the strength of their top order made them a side capable of overhauling a Sachin Tendulkar ton (although some might not consider that much of a feat!).

Brendon McCullum and Mahela Jayawardene have just constituted a golden opening combo that VVS Laxman’s return will threaten to jar. Will the Tuskers stick to the centurion partnership or be gutsy enough to break it and put Jayawardene back into his traditional one-down domicile? Ravindra Jadeja and Brad Hodge, the romping finishers at the Wankhede on Friday, will fortify the middle order, along with Raiphi Gomez and Thisara Perera. Parthiv Patel will hope that his top order does well enough for him not to get a bat, yet hope that he does well should he get in!

The Tuskers bowling has resembled a roller-coaster so far. With generous arms, RP Singh and S Sreesanth had been causes for anxiety for Jayawardene. While Sreesanth was benched for the last game, RP retained his place, and rewarded his selection with a heavenly economy rate of 3.75. Vinay Kumar, who was the pick of the Tuskers pacemen, was unlucky to suffer at Sachin Tendulkar’s hand on Friday, after replays showed that he had been unjustly treated on as many as two LBW shouts not given. The greatest bane has been Muttiah Muralitharan’s ineffectiveness, which led to his being benched for the last game. His replacement, Ramesh Powar, however, was not much of an inclusion, going for a 12 runs in the sole over he was bowled.

Chennai Super Kings:

Chennai’s batting has always been its strength, and that is true even without a burly Matthew Hayden manning their helm this season. What of Haydos’ absence, bellow CSK fans, when we have another Aussie in Michael Hussey who can hit the screaming flat sixes and score massive at will just the same! Murali Vijay may be a mundane international batsman, but come IPL, he transforms into a batsman who can hit the boundaries like a game of whack-the-weasel! Suresh Raina will look to carry an innings on long enough to convert the propellant starts into fifties. Raina’s premature exits are not the only mystery in the Chennai dug-out, though. For inexplicable reasons, the hero of Chennai’s first match, Anirudha Srikkanth, did not get a bat on Saturday against Royal Challengers Bangalore. He could not possibly have pulled a Ramnaresh Sarwan, visiting the loo when his number came, given that he is the opening batsman! And he was certainly in prime shipping condition when he took three catches in the second innings…

Doug Bollinger, Chennai’s lynchpin bowler from last season, is waiting in the wings, having returned from Bangladesh. Whom can he replace, though? Tim Southee and Suraj Randiv are the two scapegoats available. Randiv, on his part, turned in a keen spell of 2/24 during Saturday’s match, so it could be Southee who gets the benching. After contributing that superb tight finishing over against Kolkata, Southee had to have bowled really badly to let anyone take his place, but his last two outings have not been remarkable for economy or striking. Strengthening the pace department will be Morkel, who is in prime wicket-taking form. On Saturday, he sent the dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan back cheaply, before bagging another key wicket in a well-set AB de Villiers. Ravichandran Ashwin was himself on Saturday, getting the opener with his variation and carding sub-six economy rates.

Batting and bowling apart, CSK’s fielding was the difference, barring the sitter Hussey grassed.

Likely teams:

Kochi Tuskers Kerala: Brendon McCullum, VVS Laxman, Mahela Jayawardene, Brad Hodge, Ravindra Jadeja, Raiphi Gomez, Parthiv Patel, Thisara Perera, Vinay Kumar, RP Singh, Ramesh Powar.

Chennai Super Kings: Michael Hussey, Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Aniruddha Srikkanth, Subramaniam Badrinath, Albie Morkel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, Tim Southee/Doug Bollinger, Suraj Randiv.

Watch out for…

… Ravindra Jadeja on Monday. The talented southpaw gave a glimpse of his effervescence towards the end of the team’s first win, on Friday, when he finished the game off with two Maximums. Such feats must infuse a great deal of confidence in the player. He has also bowled refreshing spells even as his colleagues have got hammered.

MS Dhoni, the batsman, seems to have days when his bat is an instrument of unabashed debauchery, and others in which the ugliness of his batting is magnified by a sequence of brute swings gone wrong. Against Kings XI Punjab, his bat was a windmill blade again, but against Bangalore, it was an unwieldy chunk of wood that kept forcing potential scoring shots straight to the fielder. Which will it be on Monday?

Prediction: After a dodgy loss against Kings XI, Chennai Super Kings has reprised its assertive persona, thoroughly outplaying the Royal Challengers. They are a more well-rounded side than the Mumbai Indians, and will not fear the Tuskers as much as the latter may like to believe after their win against Mumbai. Chennai is not likely to underestimate any team after Paul Valthaty happened to them. Kochi will have to surprise themselves with their bowling if they are to hold their own against the CSK batsmen. It will be Dhoni against Jayawardene all over again after the Wankhede Final, and we all know how that went down!

IPL-4: At Rs 34 crore, Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni highest insured in IPL

MUMBAI: Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni , who is the highest earning cricketer in the world, is the most heavily insured player for the forthcoming Indian Premier League T20 tournament which begins on April 8.

An insurance firm official confirmed that the Indian captain, who led CSK to victory in IPL 3, has been insured for Rs 34 crore by the Oriental Insurance Company (OIC)-a rise of Rs 24 crore over his insurance cover for IPL 3. CSK has paid a premium of Rs 16 lakh, which includes travel risk cover, including medical emergencies, personal accident and loss of baggage.

Suresh Raina, retained by CSK, will get an insurance cover of Rs 20.5 crore. Incidentally, little master Sachin Tendulkar , who will play for Mukesh Ambani's Mumbai Indians for the fourth consecutive season, has an insurance cover of only Rs 12 crore.

Mahela Jayawardene, the skipper of Kochi Tuskers Kerala , has been insured for Rs 20.5 crore. "He seems to be most highly insured overseas player for the tournament," said a source, adding, "Speedster Dale Steyn from South Africa, who will be playing for Deccan Chargers, has been insured for Rs 16 crore."

According to a source from the insurance industry, every insurance company and IPL team have a different methodology of finalizing an insurance policy. "For example, Ambani has decided to take comprehensive cover for his team, which includes event cancellation cover, workmen's compensation, personal accident cover, medical cover and so on," he said. "For this, he is likely to shell out a premium of around Rs 1.5 crore to the National Insurance Company ."

The cover will be active till the time the final is played on May 28. The policy can be invoked in the event of the death of a player or total disability, permanent partial disability or temporary total disability. The policy holder will be paid compensation for injuries that are sustained on and off the field during the duration of the tournament. One of the rules of IPL is that even if the player is benched due to a disability, he has to be paid his dues by the franchisee. The cover is being taken by the franchisee to cover his or her financial interest.

Many owners are still in the process of finalizing the insurance cover for their team. "Most of the franchise representatives involved in the insurance negotiations don't understand the trade and there's a lot of confusion," said a source. "Hence the delay in finalizing the insurance policy for many of the teams."

The official added that many franchise owners seemed to be keen to save money on premium. "However, they do not realize that most of the rates for such risky policies are based on those quoted by reinsures like Llyods of London. Hence, many teams are taking only partial cover to save money on premium, which is a bit risky," he said. Leander Dias, insurance official from OIC, who is an expert on cricket-related policy, is negotiating with several franchises but refused to comment on the developments.

Incidentally, for the recently held ICC World Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI) bought a group personal accident policy from OIC. Each player can expect a financial benefit up to Rs. 2.3 crore under this policy.