Page 254 - IPL1

Part of the problem was that the team was never allowed to
settle from the moment McCullum hit their bowlers to all parts
of the Chinnaswamy on that historic opening night. Bangalore
tried any number of opening batting partnerships with only
sporadic success. Wasim Jaffer hit an inventive half-century in
the narrow defeat to Chennai and an equally innovative 44 to
win in Hyderabad, but he was hardly used after that as Dravid
and Martin Crowe, Bangalore’s chief cricket officer, wrung
the changes in an increasingly desperate attempt to uncover
the winning formula. It remained frustratingly elusive and
Bangalore’s failures with the bat were summed up by the fact

that they produced twice as many ducks as half-centuries -
14 to seven - and only passed 150 on six occasions. For a side
containing so many experienced international stars, it was a
gross underachievement.

Steyn was never less than wholehearted with the ball, and
conceded just 6.63 runs an over - an outstanding figure
considering he usually bowled when the fielding restrictions
were in place - and his compatriot Mark Boucher was a
pugnacious presence with both bat and gloves. But Kallis fell
short of expectations, averaging just 18 with the bat and taking
only four wickets with the ball in 34.2 overs.

There had also been high hopes for the obviously gifted Kohli,
but a top-score of just 38 in 12 innings did not do him justice,
while the potentially destructive Chanderpaul played only
three times. The experience of Kumble was not enough to save
a campaign that never got out of first gear.

Mallya may have been disappointed by his team’s performance,
but the Bangalore public was never less than enthusiastic and
the Chinnaswamy will always be remembered as the venue
which got the IPL underway. And with valuable lessons sure to
have been learned from the tournament’s first year, you suspect
that Mallya will be doubly determined to make amends in 2009.

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