Page 254 - IPL1
P. 254

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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