Banglore v Deccan, Finals, IPL 2009
Nobody can predict outcomes in sport, but as I had posted yesterday-
"I can tell you that Gilchrist will not be playing his natural game- he will have to earn it. I reckon that he will not be getting balls to cut and pull, but will have to fetch them from outside off or be forced to slog them off the front foot." - saumilzx
...from my post after Bangalore won the semi finals
Kumble has stopped Gilchrist like this before. This time he got one ball at a length outside off, another full and flighted on his pads, and then a third which was flighted in from leg inviting him to loft (slider/googly combo pack with a new ball). Gilchrist was bowled for a duck. But to be fair to Gilchrist, he at least come down the track, rather than slog it off the front foot and get a top edge, as he has often fallen that way in the past.
Compulsive natural batters can be very unnatural against the likes of Kumble and MacGrath- both great bowlers who thrive on a batter's intent and allow you to play your shots ...or rather, sort of allow you...
Kumble continued the strategy from yesterday, and made sure big shots were dried up in the middle overs, when Deccan were asked to bat first. Bangalore slipped in balls into the pads, allowing singles to square leg or straight. Square of the wicket on the off-side, the gaps were available, but the options were not. So batsmen had to go inside out for big shots- only to be caught at deep extra cover or mid off...
When chasing, even though Bangalore lost early wickets, they had the batting resources, since the losses included Pandey (although a star for Bangalore- he was the junior player gambited by Kumble to open) and van de Merve, their bowling all rounder- who did boost their run rate nonetheless.
Dravid who had an off day, dropping Symonds in the slips, played what looked like an injudicious shot- trying to paddle sweep a straight ball from Harmeet (the junior 5th bowler), down to long leg and was bowled. At this stage it looked like rotating strike would have helped, as Taylor and Boucher were better suited for risky shots.
But full credit to Gilchrist for pursuing with Harmeet, who went for 10 runs in his first over. Harmeet responded by keeping it dead straight- wicket to wicket- making it tough to rotate strike. He was indeed the junior star for Deccan today, just as Manish Pandey had been for Bangalore in the last two games.
The end result was that, Kumble won the battle but lost the war- perhaps an apt ending for the Bangalore Management, which woke up late in identifying him as the best choice as leader, when he was always available.
There is only so much one man can do for a team. Although in a team game, the team is greater than its players- it is often the case when a player is let down by the team.
Unfortunately, it was so for Anil Kumble today.
Saumil
Mumbai
25 May 2009
Posts
