Chennai show Warriors who is King
The win, largely owed to spin bowlers Ravichandran Ashwin and Muttiah Muralitharan, bagged them the $2.5 million prize money while the Warriors took home $1.3 million.
Warriors, who chose to bat, could only manage a paltry 128 for seven before Chennai opening pair Mike Hussey and Murali Vijay ended any hopes the South African team had of defending the total as they put on 103 for the first wicket in less than 15 overs. Vijay, who finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, had two let-offs, both from Mark Boucher, the most experienced player in the Warriors team.
The South African Test wicket-keeper missed an edge off Rusty Theron when Vijay was on 15 and fumbled a stumping chance off left-arm spin bowler Nicky Boje when the batsman had scored 34. The Indian opener made the Warriors pay for the mistakes as he hit six fours and two sixes before he was caught in the deep after making 58.
Four runs later Suresh Raina made his way back to the pavilion but the result was never in doubt as MS Dhoni fittingly hit the winning runs with six balls to spare. Hussey, who proved to the innings’ anchor, was unbeaten on 51.
Earlier, the Warriors were off to a flying start through captain Davy Jacobs before his opening partner Ashwell Prince was bowled by Doug Bollinger for six. Jacobs was dismissed in the next over as he attempted a reverse sweep against Ashwin. It was all downhill for Warriors from that point as the scoring rate slowed to a trickle. Ashwin, the leading wicket-taker of the tournament, claimed two for 16 while spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan claimed three for 16.
Jacobs hit eight boundaries but the rest could only manage five fours and a six with two fours and a six hit by Craig Thyssen off successive balls in the 17th over. Jacobs was visibly disappointed after the defeat. “If someone had told us before that we would lose in the final, we would have taken it, but once we got here we wanted to win,” said Jacobs.
Once he was dismissed by Ashwin, the Warriors could find no answer to the spin of Chennai. Dhoni, who has always placed a lot of confidence in the 24-year-old Ashwin, was in full praise again. “Ashwin is used to bowling in the Powerplays. He is an aggressive bowler and has the variety. He has grown a lot as a player over the last three IPLs,” said Dhoni.
The captain meanwhile termed the win extra special as this was the last time these particular players would play for Chennai before the auction for the fourth IPL is likely to change the combination.
“It was the last game for many of us players as a team. However much you try, we can’t retain all. These three years were great; we played good cricket. You develop a special bonding with each other.” (WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AFP)
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2010.
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