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A round-up of the matches played in Group C of the Ranji Trophy on December 9, 2014

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Dec-2014Group C
ScorecardKrishna Das registered his best first-class figures of 7 for 50•PTI Assam picked up a bonus point after Krishna Das ran through Tripura’s batting in Guwahati. Starting the third day trailing by 138, Tripura’s second innings folded for 155, with medium-pacer Krishna picking up seven wickets to finish with match figures of 10 for 91. This left Assam chasing a target of 16 runs, and they completed the job without losing a wicket.Tripura were 2 for 0 at the start of the day, and their openers put on 39 before Krishna picked up his first wicket. The top four all got into double figures, and their third-wicket pair of Rajesh Bainik and Rakesh Solanki put on 73 to steer Tripura to a solid 113 for 2, before the wicket of Bainik began a collapse that saw eight wickets fall for 42 runs. All seven batsmen Krishna dismissed were out bowled or lbw.
ScorecardHyderabad took firm control of their clash against Andhra, as three-wicket hauls from Syed Quadri and Ravi Kiran helped the team collect a crucial first-innings lead. In reply to Hyderabad’s 522, Andhra began the day well-placed at 121 for 0, but were dealt an early blow when the opener Srikar Bharat (75) was dismissed in the first over. Bharat’s opening partner Prasanth Kumar carried on, stroking a fourth first-class hundred, but none of the other batsmen were able to make good on their starts and raise a fifty, as Andhra were bowled out for 369. Prasanth hit 17 fours and a six during his 124, while for Hyderabad, Quadri picked up 3 for 54 and Kiran took 3 for 103. With a 153-run lead in hand, Hyderabad enforced the follow-on. Andhra were 24 for 0 at stumps.
ScorecardServices were stung by Himachal Pradesh’s lower order on the third day which resulted in a 253-run deficit for the home team at the Palam Ground in Delhi. They then lost their top three batsmen in the latter half of the day and were left staring at a possible defeat. Services were still 162 short of making Himachal bat again.Resuming from their overnight 255 for 6, Himachal lost their seventh wicket after the addition of 16 runs. But if Services thought they would be able to bat again soon, it was not be. Nikhil Gangta, who has a scored a century in first-class cricket previously, added 55 for the eight wicket with Karnaveer Singh, followed it up with a 77-run partnership along with Vikramjeet Malik (59 off 47 balls), before adding 75 for the last wicket with Pankaj Jaiswal (41 off 46 balls). Gangta fell one short of a century; he was the last wicket to fall. But by that time, the team had scored 224 runs in 49.1 overs.
ScorecardAmit Verma’s ninth first-class century anchored the Kerala innings in their response to Goa’s 367 in Wayanad. Verma was the last batsman to be dismissed on the day – after a 287-ball 129 that included 13 fours and three sixes – but the innings ensured Kerala moved within 68 runs of Goa’s total.Kerala started on 60 for 2 but were jolted in the fifth over of the morning as KB Pawan was caught behind off Saurabh Bandekar. The dismissal brought Sanju Samson to the crease but he could only score 24 from 95 balls before being dismissed by Shadab Jakati. Sachin Baby, the Kerala captain, added 80 for the fifth-wicket with Verma before being caught behind off Jakati for 31. Verma found a solid ally in Nikhilesh Surendran and the two put the best stand of the innings – 86 runs in 30.3 overs – to edge Kerala closer to the target. However, Verma was dismissed four overs before the close of day, leaving both sides with a chance of grabbing the point for first-innings lead on the fourth day.

Weston McKennie and Tim Weah left San Siro with three points as Juventus took down Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and AC Milan.

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Juve win 1-0Four USMNT stars startWeah the standout American

It was a big day for Americans in Italy as all four U.S. men's national team stars started in a clash of two Scudetto hopefuls. The contest was, however, slightly derailed by a first half red card that led to one of those Americans, Pulisic, being taken off of the field as Milan boss Stefano Pioli reshuffled his lineup.

In the end, though, Weah, McKennie and Juventus got the last laugh against their USMNT teammates as Juve earned a 1-0 win that opened up the Serie a title picture in a big way.

GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

With Milan on the front foot, the match was turned on its head just five minutes before halftime. Juventus forward Moise Kean got through on goal and was hacked down by Malick Thiaw, giving the referee no choice but to send the Milan centerback off.

Needing to reshape his team, Stefano Pioli opted to take Christian Pulisic off, and the American winger looked extremely frustrated as he marched toward the bench.

Up a man going forward, Juve finally got their goal in the 63rd minute as midfielder Manuel Locatelli fired a shot that deflected off Rade Krunic and into the back of the net. Weah was credited with the assist on Locatelli's goal, while the American star also played the pass that led to Thiaw's red card.

In the end, Juventus held on to the win, leaving them in third with 20 points. Milan, with the loss, sit second on 21, one point behind their eternal rivals Inter, who have held on to the top spot in Serie A.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

We only got the promised matchup for the first half, with Pulisic's removal robbing fans of the chance to see all of the USMNT stars go head-to-head. However, Musah and McKennie did face off for large stretches, with both starting in midfield.

Musah, at one point, put in strong tackle on Weah, who he pushed off the field in pursuit of the ball, while he and McKennie did meet up at several points in the center of the park.

Overall, with the four starting, the U.S. was the second-most represented country on the field, behind only Italy, on what felt like a historic day for American soccer.

GettyUSMNT IMPACT

Gregg Berhalter was in the house for Sunday's match, and for good reason. For Berhalter, and many Americans, it felt like a landmark moment for the American game.

"It's a special moment for U.S. Soccer," Berhalter told . "To think about these two traditional clubs and now to have four U.S. players with the opportunity com compete in a game like this, we've come a long way. For me to be here is an honor, but mostly it's about supporting the guys because it's a great group of guys."

The occasion, of course, was ruined a bit by Pulisic's early substitution, but it doesn't diminish from the moment too much. Two of the biggest clubs in the world began a match with two Americans each in a match with real stakes.

There will be another match between these two sides in April, and all involved will hope for a cleaner match that allows all four to stay on the field and compete.

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GettyGOAL'S RATINGS

Weston McKennie (7/10):

Sent one really good chance into the highest levels of the San Siro but, other than that, was solid for Juve. Was good defensively, although it helped Milan were up a man, and was solid enough in the attack, that missed shot aside.

Yunus Musah (6/10):

Was just a bit too quiet, although part of that will be due to the fact that his side was down a man. Didn't contribute enough and, in one of Milan's few real chances, he was unable to really control a cross from Rafael Leao.

Christian Pulisic (6/10):

A very incomplete game from the American, although he wasn't doing too much even prior to Milan's red card. He did, nearly, get a chance on goal after Olivier Giroud's shot was saved, but Wojciech Szczesny's parry went just past the American.

Tim Weah (8/10):

Of the four Americans, Weah was far an away the best on the field and it could be argued that he was the standout player of the entire game. Will be credited with the assist on the goal, although that was a bit lucky. It was deserved, though, as Weah routinely got forward and created danger with several dangerous crosses.

Chelsea remain unafraid of splashing the cash, despite making some expensive errors

Chelsea's considerable success in the last 20 years or so can be partly attributed to the significant amount of money they have spent in the transfer market. Indeed, the Blues have never had any issue splashing the cash on talented players, especially after Roman Abramovich took control of the club in 2003.

While there have been some notable flops, many new signings played a pivotal role in an unprecedented era of success for the club featuring Premier League triumphs, two Champions League wins and five FA Cup successes.

Abramovich may now be gone but Chelsea's new owners, a consortium fronted by Todd Boehly, have already demonstrated their willingness to continue spending big, as underlined by the signing of Mykhailo Mudryk, who was brought in from Shakhtar Donetsk to fortify their attack in a deal worth around £89 million ($109m). Mudryk's is no longer even the most expensive transfer in the Boehly era, though, as they smashed their transfer record on deadline to make Enzo Fernandez their most expensive signing of all time at £106.8m.

Here, GOAL takes a look at the 15 most expensive signings in the Blues' history…

Chelsea top 15 most expensive transfers

Getty Images15Ben Chilwell | £45.2m | Leicester City | 2020

Having established himself as one of the best left-backs in England, it was not a surprise to see Chelsea spend big on the Leicester City youth product in the summer of 2020.

He had a great first season at Chelsea, making 42 appearances in all competitions. He played the entire 90 minutes as Chelsea beat Manchester City in the 2021 Champions League final.

Though a cruciate ligament injury curtailed his 2021-22 season campaign, Chilwell is already back in Thomas Tuchel's starting line-up and will be battling out with new signing Marc Cucurella for a starting spot this term.

AdvertisementGetty Images14Timo Werner | £47.7m | RB Leipzig | 2020

Signed for big money on the back of a prolific season for RB Leipzig, Timo Werner's move to Chelsea has not gone well, with the Germany international now tipped to return to his former club.

Werner cut a frustrated figure right from the off, his confidence clearly affected by a succession of glaring misses. He slowly fell out of favour, as Chelsea desperately searched for more dependable attacking outlets.

In fact, there was a marked decrease in his game-time in the 2021-22 season and has long been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge.

Getty Images13Raheem Sterling | £50.6m | Manchester City | 2022

The former Manchester City winger has only just arrived at the Bridge and is expected to add a cutting edge to an attacking unit that struggled for goals a bit last season.

Despite falling out of favour a tad during the final year of his time at the Etihad, Sterling's quality cannot be questioned.

He won four titles at City, scoring 131 goals in all competitions, and also played a pivotal role in England's run to the final of Euro 2020.

Given he's still only 27, Sterling could well prove one of Chelsea's best-ever buys.

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(C)Getty Images12Jorginho | £51.3m | Napoli | 2018

Despite being wanted by Pep Guardiola at Man City, Jorginho ended up joining his former Napoli boss, Maurizio Sarri, in West London.

However, while Chelsea won the Europa League in his first season, the cultured midfielder did not have a great first season, as the team struggled under Sarri.

Jorginho, however, did start to live up to his billing in the following seasons, under Frank Lampard and then Thomas Tuchel.

He is a trusted member of the team now, as reliable as his famous 'Hop, skip and jump' penalty technique.

The Rojiblancos' record signing turned in a match-winning performance to keep Xavi's side within striking distance of the league leaders

It just had to be Joao Felix. On Sunday, the Barcelona loanee showed exactly why he is still rated so highly despite everything that has happened in his up-and-down career. Playing against his parent club Atletico Madrid, Felix turned in his best performance for the Blaugrana to date, and bagged the winning goal in a 1-0 win for Xavi's side.

Barca created a number of chances early, with Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski missing clear opportunities to put their side ahead. Felix, though, grabbed the much-deserved opener, darting down the left and dinking the ball over Jan Oblak — and he didn't hold back with his celebration, either!

The Portugal international was their primary outlet for the rest of the clash, as he darted at defenders, caused problems down the wing, and tracked back with the kind of vengeance he's been lacking since he arrived in Catalunya.

And although Atleti made things uncomfortable at times, the Blaugrana looked mostly composed in key areas. Their midfield trio — Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong — simply played through the Rojiblancos', and ensured that Barca never really lost their control of the game.

By the 76th minute, Felix was exhausted, grabbing the back of his hamstring, and half-limping off the pitch. For the first time since he arrived late in the transfer window, Barca fans rose to their feet to applaud what had been a special showing.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from the Olympic Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Inaki Pena (7/10):

Had little to do before making immense saves from a Depay free-kick and a Correa shot from point-blank range late on. Who needs Marc-Andre ter Stegen, eh?

Jules Kounde (6/10):

Moved back to a right-sided role. Didn't have loads to do in a defensive sense, and kept the ball moving when needed.

Ronald Araujo (8/10):

Immense in the air, and put his body on the line with regularity. Loves these kinds of physical contests.

Andreas Christensen (7/10):

A late replacement for Inigo Martinez after the warm-up. Atleti tried to attack his side of the pitch, but he handled things well.

Joao Cancelo (7/10):

Completed a solid percentage of his passes, created one big chance, and got his defensive positioning mostly correct. Doesn't have to be assisting every game to make an impact.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Pedri (7/10):

Silky on the ball, composed in central areas. Still looked tired towards the end. Much improved after a rough run of form.

Ilkay Gundogan (8/10):

Immense at the base of midfield. Cut passing lanes, and broke away from pressure. Pedri did the pretty stuff, Gundogan went about the dirty work with aplomb.

Frenkie de Jong (8/10):

Impactful all over the pitch. Covered loads of ground and put in an excellent block to deny Griezmann shortly before half time. Worked well with Gundogan. He makes Barca tick.

Getty ImagesAttack

Raphinha (7/10):

Really raised his level for the big game. Could have scored early on, and was a constant menace on the wing. Looked tired late — which was understandable.

Robert Lewandowski (4/10):

Missed a couple of chances early, and was handled far too easily by the Atleti defence. Should have made it 2-0 towards the end of normal time. Well off it.

Joao Felix (9/10):

Probably his best showing in a Barca shirt. Kicked around from the first minute against his former team-mates but it didn't seem to get to him. Direct, skilful and a joy to watch at times. Took his goal wonderfully — and seemed to enjoy it, too!

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Ferran Torres (6/10):

A good shift on the left to relieve a tired Felix.

Lamine Yamal (6/10):

Didn't shy away from the physicality of things.

Fermin Lopez (N/A):

No time to make an impact

Xavi (8/10):

After a series of poor showings, Barca were excellent from the get-go. They created chances aplenty, got contributions from their main men, and held on at the end. A good day, right after a series of bad ones.

This World Cup has already been an unprecedented experience for New Zealand. It is not about to calm down as they face Australia at Eden Park

Andrew McGlashan in Auckland27-Feb-20153:40

‘Playing Australia doesn’t change anything’ – McCullum

This World Cup has already been an unprecedented experience for the New Zealand side. It is not about to calm down as they face Australia at Eden Park in what is expected to be the biggest crowd for a cricket match in the country for more than 30 years.The record attendance in New Zealand is 42,000, for the 1982 match between the same two sides, and that will not be broken on Saturday with Eden Park’s current capacity set at 40,000. Still, with the sharply tiered stands that now surrounded the stadium set to be packed, it is likely to be an atmosphere rarely felt by the home side.That game in 1982 was a victory for New Zealand despite a century by Greg Chappell and also marked the debut of Martin Crowe, who will be inducted into the ICC’s hall of fame during the interval on Saturday. A repeat result this time will maintain the frenzy of excitement that has enveloped the New Zealand campaign.The team has had time to soak up the mood since thrashing England in Wellington in front of a crowd in excess of 30,000. The side split up for a few days to take advantage of the week’s break, but the hype has not died down. When the squad went to an event in the Auckland city centre there was a throng of fans wanting autographs and selfies.Embracing the mood of the nation has been a key part of New Zealand’s outlook during this tournament, and this match was a specific focus from very early in the planning stages as the team’s on-field results started to raise the level of expectation.”We knew that was going to be the case, especially if we started the tournament well,” Brendon McCullum said of the focus on his team. “We tried to factor that into our plans a long time ago, for the whole squad, not just those on the field but the back-room staff as well.”We’ve seen the way the public has reacted, the guys have loved it. Full houses are great and people driving past with flags hanging out of their cars. We’ve encouraged everyone to enjoy the tournament and lap up the chance to go out and about rather than a burden.”That was the beauty of preparation we had coming in. We were able to deeply ingrain that mentality among the group. The anticipation for this game is big but I feel the guys are in a good place because of the work we have done. I don’t think we will be overawed.”New Zealand’s stability and confidence was reinforced as they named an unchanged XI for the fourth match in a row. McCullum, though, was also keen to stress that there is no more, or less, riding on this match than the three previous outings in the group stage.”The points that are on offer tomorrow are no different to those against Sri Lanka, Scotland or England,” he said. “It is a big game, will be a great atmosphere and one the guys will remember for long time, but the points are still the same.”New Zealand’s approach in the middle has been one of all-out – but calculated – aggression whether with the ball or bat. McCullum has been central to that, from driving his first ball of the tournament for four to slaying England last weekend and hurling himself around the field.The outstanding performance against England, coupled with the implosion of Eoin Morgan’s team, means New Zealand have not yet been pushed in the tournament but that will not be a signal for them to alter the mindset for their toughest assignment so far.”We have a blueprint which has worked very well for us and it’s how we do that in front of 40-odd thousand people,” McCullum said. “If we can do that I’ll be pretty pleased, win or lose. Obviously we want to win but we can only control the cards in our hand. If we do that we’ll be pretty happy.”One of the areas where McCullum values having “control” is with the fielding. Their display against England was breathtaking and McCullum called it “the best I’ve seen from a New Zealand team.””Everyone wants to score runs and everyone wants to take wickets, but it’s not how the game works. Fielding you can control,” he said. “Fielding for us is non-negotiable. It’s a sign of attitude and shows how desperate we are as a team.”The team may be desperate to achieve success, but they are equally aware of it not becoming so overbearing that they forget to enjoy the magnitude of what they are undertaking. “We are living the dream,” McCullum said, “playing a World Cup at home and tomorrow will be a great event – 40-odd thousand people and playing against Australia, it doesn’t get any better.”

Australia allrounder Shane Watson is set to join the Test squad in the West Indies on Wednesday, following the birth of his second child in Sydney

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-2015Australia allrounder Shane Watson is set to join the Test squad in the West Indies on Wednesday, following the birth of his second child in Sydney. Watson, however, will not participate in the three-day tour game against WICB President’s XI in North Sound, the only warm-up match before the two-Test series gets underway on June 3.The allrounder had delayed his departure for the Caribbean due to the impending birth of his second child – who was born on May 24 – and was uncertain for the first Test.Apart from Watson, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Steven Smith and David Warner will also miss the warm-up match, after the team management opted to rest players returning from the IPL season.Australia XI: Chris Rogers, Shaun Marsh, Michael Clarke, Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin (wk), Peter Nevill, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Fawad Ahmed

On the day it was revealed that he wants to leave the French champions in January, Mbappe found himself the centre of attention at Parc des Princes

On an evening where Kylian Mbappe and PSG had made headlines before even stepping onto the pitch, a big performance was needed to hush the latest soap opera surrounding Paris Saint-Germain.

Mbappe did step up to fire a penalty home in the first half against Benfica, and celebrated with intent following reports that he has asked to leave PSG in January.

The goal made Mbappe the club's all-time top scorer in the Champions League, but his goal & the lead it gave PSG did not translate into a positive second-half performance. Benfica defended shrewdly and grew into the contest, forcing PSG into errors as they took their foot off the gas and stopped piling on the pressure.

Marco Verratti's waning influence resulted in him clipping Rafa Silva and gifting the visitors a chance to equalise from the spot after 62 minutes, which Joao Mario did with ease.

Victory for either side on the night would've been enough for them to secure their place in the Champions League knockout stages after Juventus surprisingly lost to Maccabi Haifa earlier in the evening, but both teams lacked the quality to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

It was a tiring watch on a day that had surely already been exhausting enough for PSG fans – what happens next is anyone's guess.

Getty ImagesThe Winners

Kylian Mbappe:

Was his goal from the penalty spot? Sure. But did he score? Absolutely. When all is said and done, nobody will look back and remember the dribbles that didn't quite come off or the crosses that were wayward; what they will see is Mbappe's name on the scoresheet in the game that all-but secured PSG's place in the knockout stages. It would've been very easy to crumble under the pressure considering the headlines on Tuesday, but the Frenchman didn't. He stepped up and delivered.

Lionel Messi:

The resurgence of Messi only continues to be highlighted in his absence. After a difficult first year in Paris, the Argentine has been an absolute hit in his second season, and in a performance that lacked desire, magic and overall cutting edge quality, PSG most definitely missed him. Who'd have thought?

Hugo Ekitike:

Ekitike didn't have to do a lot to be a winner on the night. In fact, much like Messi, he'd have gotten away with not playing at all and still made the cut. If ever there was a reason to justify keeping the squad on its toes by chopping and changing even its most 'irreplaceable' players, tonight's performance was it. Neymar and Mbappe were far from perfect, but Galtier gave them the benefit of the doubt. That has to change. Ekitike is a fabulous talent and deserved the chance to come on and change the game much earlier than he did. Perhaps Galtier will realise that having slumped to a third successive draw in the space of a week.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe Losers

Achraf Hakimi:

Considering just how high a regard Hakimi is held in, fans have a right to be disappointed with his performance on Tuesday. Lacking just about everything that typically makes his game so special, the Moroccan fell flat. He didn't push up high enough or attempt to get beyond the line of defence enough, which stifled PSG creatively. Add a lack of quality in possession to that fact, and suddenly he had put in a rather average performance.

Marco Verratti:

Another performance which seemed to lack intensity, Verratti faded as the game went on, and it was clear for all to see when he clumsily brought down Rafa Silva inside the box after an hour. His challenge was lazy and resulted in a booking after it was picked up by VAR, which rules him out of PSG's next Champions League game. When the likes of Verratti stop firing in midfield, the whole team struggles.

Pablo Sarabia:

Nobody was expecting Sarabia to slot into the front three and fill the boots of Lionel Messi, who scored a wonder goal in the reverse fixture and was missing through injury. That is an almost impossible task. But when given the chance to start in a big game, you have to stake your claim. Sarabia didn't. Instead, the Spain international looked flustered and didn't make the most of the ball when it did come his way. Poor touches, lacking urgency and forgettable. That's not how you force your way into the starting XI.

Getty ImagesPSG Ratings: Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (5/10):

Switched off in the first half and almost gave a goal away in doing so, when receiving the ball to feet. Not at fault for losing his clean sheet to a penalty.

Sergio Ramos (6/10):

Confident in and out of possession. Led proceedings at the back for his side. What a huge presence he is for PSG; they've got to keep him fit this season.

Marquinhos (6/10):

A more composed figure within the back three; necessary when sitting next to Ramos in particular. Wasn't challenged all too much by Benfica's front line, though.

Danilo Pereira (5/10):

Took plenty of risks on the ball – some which almost caught him out – but recovered well and generally swept up without issue. Maybe needs to find the balance between risk and reward.

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Getty ImagesMidfield

Achraf Hakimi (4/10):

Bailed out by the offside flag after what was a very poor excuse of a header early on, which resulted in a handball. Also lacked his usual quality when trying to attack down the right flank.

Vitinha (5/10):

Too safe in possession. Would've been better trying to burst beyond the lines and create overloads.

Marco Verratti (5/10):

Swept up well in front of a backline that was drilled into taking risks with the ball to begin with, but faded as the game drew on. Far too casual after the break and gave away a penalty as a result. Frustrating.

Juan Bernat (6/10):

Better than his colleague on the other flank and linked up well with attackers. His run in the first half forced the penalty which put PSG ahead.

NWSL expansion side Bay FC smashed the world-record transfer fee to sign Madrid CFF superstar Racheal Kundananji on Tuesday.

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Bay FC sign Kundananji for world-record feeMadrid CFF superstar joins NWSL expansion sideLook ahead at 2024 campaignWHAT HAPPENED?

The Zambian superstar has signed from Madrid CFF in the biggest transfer in women's soccer history, for a staggering fee worth €735,000 ($788,000/£625,000). The 23-year-old striker will travel to the United States to now be one of the highest-paid players in the league, with a deal that will pay over $2m across her contract through 2026, according to

AdvertisementWHAT BAY FC

“We are delighted to add Racheal to our group,” said Bay FC General Manager Lucy Rushton. “She is a tremendous talent with dynamic attacking qualities and an incredible physical profile who has produced for both club and country. Racheal has a composure in-front of goal and a natural ability to score with different types of finishes and from various locations. We believe she will continue to grow and develop at our club, showcasing her skillset and adding to the array of exciting attacking talent we have here.”

GettyWHAT KUNDANANJI SAID

“Every place that I’ve been to, I always take something from there; I learn something from there,” Kundananji told . “Good or bad, to me it’s a good experience because you have to experience something to know something. I’m looking [forward] to having a great time in the U.S., have a great time with the team. Now, Bay FC is my new family.”

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Kundananji, who has eight goals and two assists this campaign in Liga F, is one of the top prospects in all of women's soccer. After signing in Spain in 2022, she ended her debut season with 25 goals across all competitions for Madrid CFF. Now, she's taking her talents to the West Coast to be the first-ever superstar signing for Bay FC ahead of their inaugural season.

India marched into an all sub-continent final with a clinically cold-blooded chase against a South African team that put in one of their better performances in a crunch match but were still not good enough

The Report by Firdose Moonda04-Apr-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details 3:53

Cullinan: Du Plessis has a lot of work to do as captain

It has been 14 years, five Champions Trophies, five World Cups and four World T20s since South Africa last won a knockout match at an ICC event and that has not changed. Neither has the fact that India have not lost a semi-final under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. They marched into an all sub-continent final with a clinically cold-blooded chase against a South African team that put in one of their better performances in a crunch match but were still not good enough.South Africa had never lost a T20 match after posting a 170-plus score before today and they would have thought they were halfway to breaking the hoodoo with that total. They were not overawed by India’s spinners, apart from R Ashwin, their captain Faf du Plessis put runs on the board, he was supported by JP Duminy, with whom he shared the biggest partnership of the match, and they had big overs at the end.But India matched them man for man and then outplayed them through one of them. The tournament’s top run-scorer, Virat Kohli, went after the runs ruthlessly. He paced the chase perfectly, put on 56 runs with Yuvraj Singh, brought up his third half-century in four innings and then ushered India over the line with five balls to spare.If India had reservations about how they would fare chasing a higher target than the most they have been presented with so far in this tournament -138 – the start they got would have put those to bed. Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane raced to 33 after three overs, against some questionable South African strategies.Faf du Plessis eased India into the task by using JP Duminy and Albie Morkel as his new-ball bowlers. India’s comfort against offspin and the lack of a threat, despite his ability to take pace off the ball, Morkel posed allowed India’s openers to settle. Dale Steyn bowled the third over, by which time Rohit had seen enough to upper-cut a short ball over the boundary.South Africa continued to juggle their bowling with the relatively new left-armer Beuran Hendricks used before Wayne Parnell. Hendricks got the first wicket when Rohit launched him high but the shot had no distance on it and du Plessis took the catch running in from mid-off.India would not have minded losing a man in the Powerplay because they posted 56 in the six-over period; the most they have ever put on against South Africa when the fielding restrictions are in operation. That was an early sign of how India were going to edge ahead of South Africa in every department. South Africa had scored 44 for 2 in their Powerplay, not a statistic worth mentioning except that it was the most runs scored against India in that period in this tournament.Kohli and Rahane played Imran Tahir, the joint highest wicket-taker at this event, with the respect someone of that stature deserves. They milked him without hitting out and went through the next three overs content without boundaries. With a rising required run-rate, Rahane was the man to take the risk. He swung at a Parnell bouncer and was caught at deep mid-wicket by AB de Villiers.With Kohli still out there, India did not have much to worry about. His response to losing his partner was lofting Duminy over long-on to start the second half of the Indian innings. Yuvraj Singh could not get the South Africans away with similar ease but played his part in rotating strike and leaving Kohli to do the big-hitting.Du Plessis kept Steyn back until the last six overs, when India required sixty. Yuvraj had also found his groove by then and when Steyn pitched one up, Yuvraj met it with a pick-up over mid-off. Yuvraj was victim to another de Villiers catch, this time at long-off but for as long as Kohli remained, South Africa would have been uneasy.That would have turned into despair when Parnell bowled the 17th over. India needed a big over, a 17-run over like South Africa had in their innings, and they got it. The runs came streakily – a six off a Suresh Raina top-edge, a four off an edge that went through third man and another off an inside-edge. India only needed 23 off the last three overs, Steyn was blunted and MS Dhoni even had enough time to block the final ball of the 19th over to allow Kohli to hit the winning runs.South Africa could only dream of such luxury. They lacked it all tournament, with tense finishes underlining their campaign, and they lacked it again in the semi. Their innings started with the wicket of Quinton de Kock at the end of the first over and Hashim Amla and du Plessis had to start by rebuilding. Amla had some fortune early on, with an edge off Mohit Sharma flying through the vacant slip cordon, and was out as he found his touch. R Ashwin got one to turn in from outside legstump to peg back off and stun Amla.Ashwin’s first over and the two lbw appeals Ravindra Jadeja had off JP Duminy’s failed attempts to sweep may have hinted at a raging turner but the surface was not that hostile. Duminy and du Plessis worked Raina and Jadeja around and dealt with Amit Mishra effectively. Du Plessis was particularly forceful, chipping Mishra over cover and slapping Raina for a one-handed six before bringing up his fifty with a lob over point.He was eventually also bowled by Ashwin, with the ball coming off his body to hit the stumps. That brought de Villiers to the crease in the 14th over, leaving him with little time to make an impact. De Villiers scored just 10 but David Miller provided the late surge. South Africa took 38 runs off the last three overs of their innings but it was not enough.

While Super Kings are all but through to the playoffs, the demands are much harder on Royal Challengers, who cannot afford any slip-ups in their four remaining matches

The Preview by Kanishkaa Balachandran17-May-2014Match factsSunday, May 18, 2014
Start time 1600 local (1030 GMT)3:28

Hattangadi: RCB better off chasing against CSK

Big PictureChennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore are playing each other for the first time, more than 30 days into the tournament. While Super Kings are all but through to the playoffs – for them to miss out on a spot in the last four, they would have to lose four games in four, and even then they could go through on net run rate – the demands are much harder on Royal Challengers, who cannot afford any slip-ups in their four remaining matches, given their delicate mid-table standing. Super Kings, Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals are primed to take three of the playoff spots, but the remaining spot is expected to be a scramble between Royal Challengers, Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad.Royal Challengers avoided the embarrassment of being trampled upon for three consecutive games at home thanks to Yuvraj Singh, whose blazing fifty gave their campaign fuel. They would have to hit peak form going forward and while the batting looks in better health, the bowling hasn’t been up to the mark. In their last four games, Royal Challengers have conceded 170, 191, 198 and 187. They don’t have a bowler in the same mould as Sunil Narine, who can consistently bowl four tight overs even if he fails to pick up wickets – perhaps young legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal comes closest. Royal Challengers wouldn’t want to be forced into making changes to their bowling every game, certainly not at this stage, so they’ll be hoping to finally hit upon the right combination on Sunday.Super Kings haven’t had to make too many changes and a relatively settled unit is partly responsible for their success. David Hussey has been included in the squad but he is likely to come in only once Brendon McCullum flies home for the birth of his baby. Super Kings made heavier weather of their chase against Royals in their last game than they would have liked, but MS Dhoni – with some help from Ravindra Jadeja – calmly saw them through, again.Royal Challengers Bangalore need more out of their bowlers•BCCIForm guideRoyal Challengers Bangalore WLLLW (completed games, most recent first)
Chennai Super Kings WWLWWWhere they standChennai Super Kings – Second place, with eight wins in ten games
Royal Challengers Bangalore – Sixth place, with four wins in ten gamesPlayers to watchYuvraj Singh has made up for lost time with two consecutive fifties, but big runs continue to desert Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli. Both are yet to score fifties, though Gayle has played four fewer games. Given Royal Challengers’ bowling weaknesses, it will come down to their batsmen to win them games and a strong top order platform is essential or else the responsibility falls on Yuvraj and AB de Villiers, again.Super Kings have not got the best out of Mithun Manhas, who has a highest of 13 in five innings. A middle-order batsman, he has been batting at No. 7 and often comes in only towards the end of the innings. For now, it doesn’t make much of a difference to the team since it is doing well. But a promotion to give him more of a chance to get runs, and keep his confidence high, might be good, looking at the long-term – he will be needed should their strong top and middle order falter at any stage.Stats and trivia Super Kings have not been bowled out even once in this tournament. Their specialist bowlers Mohit Sharma and Ishwar Pandey have not been required to bat at all Royal Challengers’ Yuzvendra Chahal has picked up 12 wickets in ten games at an impressive economy rate of 6.48 – the best by an uncapped player so far in the tournament (minimum 5 overs)Quotes”I have sort of spoken to [Stephen] Fleming and he said that I will be a middle-order player, and with Brendon McCullum due to go home for the birth of his baby, I’ll definitely get an opportunity to play.”
“I’m definitely staying out of that sort of thing. It’s not in my nature to get involved in that sort of stuff. It was a heat-of-the-moment thing.”