Ken Borland

Jacques Kallis and Morne Morkel were the big winners as the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League concluded at the weekend with the Kolkata Knight Riders snatching the title from the Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling final.

The Knight Riders chased down the daunting target of 191 set by the Super Kings, the two-time champions, with Kallis playing the anchor role to near perfection as he scored 69 off 49 balls to add another crown to the awesome CV of the world’s greatest all-rounder.

Kallis scored 409 runs (the 11th most) and claimed 15 wickets (13th most) at an economy rate of just 7.46 to state his claim as the best all-rounder in the IPL.

Morkel won the Purple Cap for being the leading wicket-taker in the competition, taking 25 wickets in his 16 matches, at an average of just 18.12 and a more than useful economy rate of just 7.19, seeing off mystery spinner Sunil Narine (24 wkts), who was named as the Player of the Tournament for his heroics for Kolkata.

While Narine’s tournament ended with the trophy, Morkel’s finished with frustration as the tall fast bowler was inexplicably dropped by the Delhi Daredevils for their do-or-die semi-final against the Super Kings.

The extent of the hole left in Delhi’s attack was soon apparent as CSK opener Murali Vijay scored a sensational century and the log-leaders folded to an 86-run defeat.

While the performances of Kallis and Morkel were the highlight from a South African perspective, the form of countrymen AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Albie Morkel, Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy was also outstanding.

De Villiers produced what was judged to be the best individual performance of the tournament when he plundered 47 not out off just 17 balls to take the Bangalore Royal Challengers to a target of 182 against the Deccan Chargers. The fact that he took 23 runs off a Steyn over obviously tipped the vote in his favour.

South Africa’s limited-overs captain was one of the most destructive batsmen in the competition, plundering 319 runs at an average of 39.87 and a strike-rate of 161.11, the third best out of those batsmen who scored more than 200 runs.

The spectacular onslaught did little to damage Steyn’s reputation though, with the fast bowler delivering searing pace, accuracy and tremendous skill in practically every outing for the Chargers.

Steyn took 18 wickets in 12 matches and was sixth in the Purple Cap standings. He was third in the bowling averages for those who took at least 10 wickets with 15.83 and his economy rate of 6.10 was the second best of all bowlers who delivered more than 40 overs.

Albie Morkel chipped in throughout the Super Kings’ campaign with bat and ball and earned his pay with 13 wickets at an economy rate of 7.77 and a batting strike-rate of 157.35.

Du Plessis also shone for Chennai in his first IPL season, setting the early pace in the race for the Orange Cap as he scored 398 runs at an average of 33.16 and a strike-rate of 130.92.

But an untimely illness and the return of Australian veteran Mike Hussey put paid to Du Plessis’ season after 13 matches.

The left-handed Duminy was one of the best finishers in the competition, topping the averages as he was dismissed just three times in nine innings and scored 244 runs for an average of 81.33 and a strike-rate of 128.42. He was also superb in the field, but was probably under-bowled a bit by the Chargers.

David Miller struck the ball well when given the chance in six innings by the Punjab Kings XI, while off-spinner Johan Botha kept the runs down for the Rajasthan Royals.

Wayne Parnell only played six matches for the Pune Warriors, but was the third most economical bowler in the competition out of those who delivered at least 20 overs, conceding just 6.09 runs to the over.

SOUTH AFRICAN STATISTICS

Jacques Kallis (KKR) – 409 runs at 25.56, SR 106.51 2x50s; 15 wickets @ 26.86 ER 7.46

Morne Morkel (DD) – 25 wickets @ 18.12 ER 7.19

Albie Morkel (CSK) – 107 runs @ 15.28 SR 157.35; 13 wickets @ 29.61 ER 7.77

Faf du Plessis (CSK) – 398 runs @ 33.16 SR 130.92 3x50s

AB de Villiers (RCB) – 319 runs @ 39.87 SR 161.11 3x50s

JP Duminy (DC) – 244 runs @ 81.33 SR 128.42 2x50s; 12-104-1 ER 8.66

David Miller (PK) – 98 runs @ 32.66 SR 130.66

Dale Steyn (DC) – 18 wickets @ 15.83 ER 6.10

Johan Botha (RR) – 9 wickets @ 33.00 ER 7.24

Roelof van der Merwe (DD) – 2 wickets @ 30.00 ER 6.00

Wayne Parnell (PW) – 5 wickets @ 25.60 ER 6.09

Rusty Theron (DC) – 8-66-2 33.00 ER 8.25

Alfonso Thomas (PW) – 14-109-3 36.33 ER 7.78

Herschelle Gibbs (MI) – 81 runs @ 40.50 SR 92.04 1×50

Marchant de Lange (KKR) – 10-107-3 35.66 ER 10.70

Robin Peterson (MI) – 32 runs @ 10.66 SR 106.66; 8-70-3 23.33 ER 8.75

Richard Levi (MI) – 83 runs @ 13.83 SR 113.69 1×50

Davey Jacobs (MI) – 1 innings, 0 runs off 10 balls, 1 catch.

*Gulam Bodi (DD), Kyle Abbott (PK), Charl Langeveldt (RCB) & Rilee Rossouw (RCB) did not play a game in this year’s IPL.

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They were cheering all the way from Cape Town to Dhaka, from Haryana to Bengal to Kolkata, as the Knight Riders snatched a thrilling five-wicket victory over the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League final at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk on Sunday.

 http://www.supersport.com/cricket/indian-premier-league/news/120527/KKR_finally_IPL_champs_with_thriller

Chennai, the two-time defending champions, looked well beaten despite defending 191 as Manvinder Bisla of Haryana, and Jacques Kallis, Cape Town’s finest, added 136 for the second wicket in 13.4 overs.

But with Bisla outfoxed by Albie Morkel for a scintillating 89 off 48 balls, announcing himself as a great talent, and Kallis, laid low by cramps, falling for 69 in the penultimate over, Kolkata needed 16 off seven balls as the Super Kings staged a fantastic fightback.

But Bangladeshi star Shakib al-Hasan, who may well be the new best all-rounder in the world once Kallis retires, scored seven runs off the last ball of the over as Ben Hilfenhaus bowled a no-ball for height and Dhaka’s hero then innovated with a scoop for four off the extra delivery.

Manoj Tiwary, one of the new generation of Indian batting stars, then struck two fours in the final over to clinch victory with two balls to spare and spark massive celebrations in his home state of Bengal.

Chasing such a daunting target, Kolkata seemed to have suffered a mortal blow in the first over when captain Gautam Gambhir missed with a rash swish across the line and was bowled by Hilfenhaus for just two.

But Bisla showed he was equipped to play a match-winning innings on the big stage. Brought in to replace seasoned New Zealand international Brendon McCullum, because Brett Lee had to return to boost the bowling attack after Lakshmipathy Balaji failed to recover from a hamstring injury, he showed enormous self-belief against the Goliaths of the IPL and an international-strength attack.

It was David’s night as everything Bisla tried came off, the 27-year-old hammering eight fours and five sixes. He was helped immeasurably by having the experienced Kallis at his side, the South African showing great skill in placing the ball in the gaps and giving Bisla the strike.

And once Bisla cut a slower-ball bouncer from Morkel to backward point in the 15th over, with 52 runs still needed, Kallis knew he had to step up and take over the aggressor’s role.

Playing superb strokes all over the park, Kallis went to town against the bowling of Dwayne Bravo in particular as he kept the Knight Riders in the game.

Laxmi Ratan Shukla swung straight to deep midwicket to give Bravo the consolation of a wicket, while Yusuf Pathan sliced a slog-sweep off off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to fall for just a single.

Hilfenhaus was very happy when he ended Kallis’s 49-ball innings by having him caught by the cover-sweeper in the 19th over, but that soon turned to heartache.

And then Bravo, left to defend nine runs in the final over, did not seem to know whether to bowl short or full and was punished as a result.

Tiwary punched successive boundaries through the leg-side and the IPL trophy was in the box for Kolkata, giving movie star owner Shah Rukh Khan some reward at last.

Hilfenhaus had bowled brilliantly up front to put the Knight Riders under early pressure and finished with225 in his four overs, while Morkel bowled an outstanding spell of two overs, 1-12, in the closing stages to drag Chennai back into the contest.

But the other Super Kings bowlers failed to back up the new-ball pair, with Bravo (3.4-0-49-1) and spinners Shadab Jakati (4-0-38-0) and Ashwin (4-0-41-1) failing to adapt to a flat pitch.

SCINTILATING RAINA

Suresh Raina had earlier blasted the Kolkata Knight Riders bowlers all over the park as he led the Chennai Super Kings to a commanding 190 for three.

On an easy-paced pitch, all the Chennai batsmen looked comfortable with Murali Vijay (42), Mike Hussey (54) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (14* off 9 balls) all contributing in an exceptional display by the top-order.

Raina’s scintillating 73 off 38 balls merely increased the pressure on the Kolkata bowlers after openers Vijay and Hussey had plundered 86 runs in 10 overs.

Hussey, normally the accumulator, did not sit back on this grand occasion, galloping to his 50 off 38 balls, with four fours and two sixes and some wonderfully clever strokeplay and manipulation of the field.

With Vijay conducting a similarly brutal assault on the bowling, picking up four fours and a six off 32 balls, the runs kept flowing for Chennai as the first wicket put on 87 off just 64 balls.

Vijay fell in the 11th over to a beautifully-judged, diving catch on the square-leg boundary by Shakib, giving medium-pacer Rajat Bhatia his only wicket.

But that brought Raina to the crease and that’s when life really became busy for the stats men.

The chunky left-hander smashed five sixes, four of them over midwicket, and three fours as he added 73 for the second wicket with Hussey off just 41 deliveries and made his highest score in this year’s IPL.

Kallis bowled Hussey in the 18th over, but the inspired Raina batted on until the last ball, which he slog-swept off the bottom of the bat, Brett Lee having to dash in sharply from cow-corner to get the ball in his hands.

The wicket was just reward for left-arm spinner Shakib, who conceded just eight runs in the final over.

Shakib and Bhatia both bowled just three overs, conceding 25 and 23 runs respectively, while the other wicket-taker, Kallis, was also reasonably tidy, conceding 34 runs in his four overs.

But key bowlers Sunil Narine and Lee were less successful with ball in hand, conceding 37 and 42 runs respectively in their four overs.

A top-class spell by Faf du Plessis and a double-strike up front by Albie Morkel led the Nashua Titans to a comfortable 45-run victory over the bizhub Highveld Lions in the MiWay T20 Challenge final at the BidVest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday.

 – http://www.supersport.com/cricket/domestic-t20/news/120401/Titans_coast_to_T20_title

The two all-rounders shared seven wickets between them as the Lions crumbled to 142 all out after the Titans’ powerful middle-order batsmen had seen them to 187 for six.

The Lions beat the Titans in both their round-robin matches this season and must have fancied their chances of chasing 188 in good batting conditions. But this time they danced to the tune of the Titans bowlers as they lost three wickets in the first four overs and then another three in the space of nine balls midway through their innings.

Titans coach Matthew Maynard may have swum against the tide by leaving out all of his international stars, but his team remained a slick, efficient outfit on the field as they hunted down their second trophy of the summer after their success in the SuperSport Series.

Lions youngsters Jonathan Vandiar (0) and Quinton de Kock (17) could both perhaps be accused of going too hard too early as they both skied the ball into the outfield to be caught.

The dangerous De Kock had already hit two fours and a six off 10 balls but, with his captain Alviro Petersen falling just three balls previously for five as he edged Morkel and was brilliantly caught by Heino Kuhn standing up, he then tried a lofted drive and gave the Titans another wicket.

It was also another fine catch, Eden Links judging the steepler to perfection as he ran from mid-off to behind the bowler.

The Lions were 24 for three after four overs, but Neil McKenzie and Jean Symes provided a brief surge of runs as they added 50 off 34 balls.

But the home crowd’s cheers were soon silenced as leg-spinner Du Plessis came on in the 10th over.

His third delivery was the only one that misbehaved all day on another excellent Chris Scott pitch, keeping low to bowl Symes for 25 off 20 balls as the left-hander attempted a pull shot.

Dwaine Pretorius’s stay was brief. He hit his first ball from Du Plessis straight back over the bowler’s head for six and then tried the same shot two balls later, but was surprised by the googly and bowled middle stump.

McKenzie fell six balls later, bowled off the pad for 24 off 19 balls by a quicker delivery from left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe that went straight on, meaning there were two new batsmen at the crease with the Lions needing a daunting 106 off nine overs.

Du Plessis carried on his destructive business by removing the last two hopes of the Lions – having Chris Morris caught by a diving Alfonso Thomas for 18 and then accepting a simple return catch from Thami Tsolekile (14). It left Du Plessis with brilliant figures of 4-24 from his four overs and the bowling award.

There was some late resistance from Aaron Phangiso (19 not out) before Morkel (3-28) had Ethan O’Reilly (7) caught behind by Kuhn off a bouncer to claim the Lions’ final wicket in the penultimate over.

BRILLIANT OUTFIELD CATCH

Farhaan Behardien had hit the ball high and handsome in the closing overs to lift the Titans to 187 for six and earning himself the batting award in the process.

Behardien, who scored an unbeaten 20 off 11 balls on Friday night on his international debut, continued to court the national selectors for a place in South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad as his brilliant 42 not out off 26 balls gave the Titans a competitive total after they had been a dodgy 112 for five in the 14th over.

The Titans were sent in to bat and openers Henry Davids and Kuhn did a fine job of seeing them off to a good, fast start as they added 43 runs in three-and-a-half overs.

There had been some speculation that the Titans management would drop Davids for returning international Jacques Rudolph, but the former Bolander repaid their faith as he slashed 27 runs off 12 balls, with five fours and a six, hitting the ball beautifully through the off side.

The Lions were desperate for a breakthrough and all-rounder Morris, who has very much been their talisman this year, topping the SuperSport impact ratings, did the job by bowling Davids with the assistance of a deflection off his back pad-flap.

The Lions, with superb team-work between their focused bowlers and lively fielders, especially on the boundary, then kept chipping away as the Titans lost regular wickets.

Pakistan international Sohail Tanveer had Kuhn caught behind for 14 in the next over, and left-arm spinner Phangiso, playing against his former team, had Van der Merwe (7) well-caught by Symes on the deep midwicket boundary.

Du Plessis and Martin van Jaarsveld began to dominate in a fourth-wicket stand of 29 off 25 balls, but Morris then took a brilliant outfield catch, running in from cow corner and diving forward, to dismiss Du Plessis for 22 off a Pretorius full toss.

Captain Van Jaarsveld scored an impressive 32 off 21 balls but then drove Phangiso to Morris at deep extra cover.

The Titans had plans to dominate the 28-year-old Phangiso, but he certainly won his personal battle against his former teammates by finishing with outstanding figures of 2-14 in his four overs.

Van Jaarsveld was out midway through the 14th over and Behardien then dominated the last six overs as he slammed two fours and two sixes, the extra cover region once again being one of his main targets.

The Lions were badly disrupted by Dirk Nannes having to pull out with a hamstring strain and his replacement, O’Reilly, who has not played since the match against the Knights on March 7, had a torrid time.

Having conceded 31 runs in two overs against the Davids onslaught up front, O’Reilly returned to bowl the 16th over and was taken for 14 more runs by Behardien and the in-form Morkel.

Behardien and Morkel did the business in the closing overs as they added 42 off 27 balls; the left-hander fell to Tanveer in the 18th over for 21 off 15 balls, but Behardien batted through to the end, hitting a wonderful six over extra cover off the Pakistani in the final over.

David Wiese, another who had international rivals for his place, showed his big-hitting ability with 14 not out off seven balls, but it was the composure and brilliance of Behardien that carried the Titans to their highest total this season and the best against the Lions.

Phangiso was the obvious bowling hero for the Lions, with Tanveer, Morris and Pretorius the other wicket-takers, but all at a cost of more than nine runs an over.

Nashua Titans coach Matthew Maynard said his players’ dedication and ability to rise to the occasion had been the shining lights of their MiWay T20 Challenge campaign that culminates in the final against the bizhub Highveld Lions at the Wanderers on Sunday.

“The intensity in practice has been sensational, as good as I’ve come across, and I’m delighted that they’ve been rewarded for their efforts. Trophies are what is expected in professional sport and I’ve been blessed with a very good squad. Managing the guys who’ve been away and come back is always a challenge, but when Faf du Plessis and Jacques Rudolph have come back, they’ve been highly motivated to succeed.

“It’s been an incredible year. Ever since I arrived from a foreign land, I’ve felt so welcome. The first phase was getting to know the players and the first thing that struck me was how driven they are. I just had to create an environment for them to thrive in, I’m very much an empowering coach, leaving the onus on them. The players have been absolutely fantastic and I couldn’t have asked for more as a coach in terms of how they’ve gone about their work,” Maynard said.

The Titans reached the final in the most dramatic circumstances at SuperSport Park last weekend, after they seemed to have once again wrecked their chances with a poor batting display. But Farhaan Behardien pushed them close and Alfonso Thomas hit the last ball of the 20 overs for six to force a Super Over decider, in which he and Behardien once again shone.

“We’ve got through some tight situations this season, starting in Paarl in the SuperSport Series when we had a very difficult chase and Albie Morkel made an unbeaten half-century. That was a massive defining moment and then we prepared a filthy green pitch against the Dolphins because we had to win outright, but we lost the toss and had to bat first and Heino Kuhn smacked 128 to put them on the back foot and Faf then scored 157 to get us plenty of bonus points.

“And then it was an incredible way to reach the T20 final and we’ve had to let it sink in. But this is a great bunch of players, they’re very self-motivated and there’s a lovely balance between those who have won before and the youngsters. They’ve done the key things right in the tight games,” Maynard said.

During their years of promising much but eventually failing at the final hurdle in T20 cricket, the Titans were generally fast out of the blocks before fading at the business end of the tournament. But this season, they have slowly built their way to peak form ahead of the crucial final two matches, winning their last four games.

The Titans now look such a settled, in-form and slick unit that it seems national stars AB de Villiers, Morne Morkel, Jacques Rudolph and Marchant de Lange will be left on the sidelines for Friday’s final.

“I will need to sit down with them and see how fatigued and motivated they are. It’s a very tough call, because it affects the balance of the side, but it’s all about how motivated they are to play. It can also be hard on them because the levels of expectation will be very high, but they’ll be fatigued after a long tour and a long flight. You only need to be 2% off your best to not be able to perform in a final,” Maynard said.

South African captain Graeme Smith was showing the effects of that long flight when he arrived back in Johannesburg late on Wednesday afternoon and he said it was a very tough ask for his team-mates to play on Sunday.

“I feel like I’ve been flying for four days, so I feel for the guys playing on Sunday. Your sleep patterns are a mess and it’s not just about game day, but also the training beforehand. It took us time to find our feet when we flew to New Zealand, about seven or eight days,” Smith said.

There has been speculation that the Titans played their “final” in their thrilling qualifying playoff against the Knights, but Maynard said their focus will be firmly on Sunday’s actual final.

“For every franchise, first-class team in England, state in Australia, New Zealand or the West Indies, it’s exactly the same thing, it’s our version of Champions League football to qualify and play against the best in the world. You don’t get that opportunity very often and financially, it’s obviously a massive boost for the union.

“But we won’t be relaxing, there are a couple of new T20 Proteas [Behardien and Du Plessis] who have a lot to prove, and winning the final would be the cherry on top of the cake,” Maynard said.

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