Page 277 - IPL1

right time and some infuriatingly stingy overs. Meanwhile, the
Chargers captain VVS Laxman, rated by the Australians as highly
as Sachin Tendulkar after some stellar performances for India
over the years, was inked in to provide the elegance at the top
of the order: Hyderabad’s diamond fields were the origin of the
famous Koh-i-Noor – a matchless stone that the British stole for
their crown – and an in-form Laxman is the jewel in the crown of
any side. There was no doubt that the stage was apparently set
for the franchise to justify its $107million price tag: only Mumbai
Indians and Bangalore Royal Challengers cost more.

The first two matches, against Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi
Daredevils, were lost in dispiriting fashion, but when Symonds –
who was available for the first three matches only before jetting

off to the Caribbean to join Australia’s tour of the West Indies –
crashed 117 not out in 53 balls to help the Chargers post 214 for
five in their next game against Rajasthan Royals, the locals began
to nod their heads knowingly. What happened next seemed to
sum up the team’s entire campaign: Shane Warne hit 16 off three
balls in the last over of the match, bowler by Symonds, and the
Royals sneaked home with a ball to spare. “Twenty20 is good for
cricket,” bemoaned a disconsolate Symonds afterwards, “but
bad for the ego”.

Victory followed against fellow-strugglers Mumbai, with Gilchrist
living up to the pre-tournament hype by carting an undefeated
109 in 48 balls. And although defeats then came against Kings XI
Punjab and, agonisingly off the last ball, Bangalore Challengers,
the Hyderabadis raised spirits with an excellent win over
Chennai Super Kings inspired by fine bowling from the Indian
left-arm seamer RP Singh. But that was as good as it got and
the remaining seven matches were all lost as Laxman, who had
begun to get to grips with the unique demands of opening the
batting in Twenty20 cricket when he injured his hand, watched
on gloomily from the sidelines.

There was not much he could do. Gilchrist dazzled occasionally
with 436 runs at a strike-rate of 137, but he received precious
little support from his fellow overseas stars. Gibbs and Styris
failed to notch a half-century between them in 17 innings,
while Afridi did not pass 33 in nine attempts. In the end, it

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