Kumaran shines as Superstars dismantle Champs

An outstanding spell of bowling from Thiru Kumaran, allied with a medley of some lofty strokes from Ian Harvey, handed Chennai Superstars a 38-run victory over Mumbai Champs in their league encounter of the Indian Cricket League played at Tau Devi Lal Stadium on Sunday. The precedent to Chennai Superstars’ successful defence of 157, which was compiled largely thanks to Ian Havey’s brilliant knock of 63, came from T Kumaran who picked up six wickets. The 31-year old player from Kerala bowled a tight off-stump line and caused Mumbai Champs’ batsmen no end of difficulty. Gaining sharp bounce-more than any other bowler from either side- his four overs cost just 21 runs.

Brian Lara, the Mumbai Champs’ skipper, was particularly unsettled by the lift Kumaran produced and soon departed after making four runs coming down at number five spot. The tone was set in the fourth over of the Champs’ innings, when opener Robin Morris while attempting for the drive off the bowling of Shabbir Ahmed, gave a simple catch to Russell Arnold at mid-off. Mumbai Champs were pushed to the back foot and, with only Johan Van Der Wath and Dheeraj Yadav really comfortable playing the pull shots, they were subdued from early on. After the powerplay period, Superstars’s skipper Stuart Law kept on an aggressive field which did not allow Mumbai Champs to break free. Dhheraj Yadav scooped a catch to long on to give Kumaran his first wicket. Astle and Van Der Wath kept dealing in singles and twos during the middle overs. However, the reintroduction of Kumaran in the sixteenth over pegged Mumbai Champs back as he sent back Astle and Van Der Wath in quick succession. Harvey then scalped the wicket of Khirid in the next over to make it 103 for 5 with Mumbai Champs still needing 55 runs from 22 balls. Kumaran then picked up the prized wicket of Brian Lara in the next over who top edged a heave to deep square leg to make the matters worse for Champs. Kumaran again struck twice in that over to end up with the first six-wicket haul in the Championship. Tamil Kumaran then sent Vikram Solanki and Mervyn Dillon to end Champs’ chances of pulling off their first win of the Championship.

Earlier during the Chennai Superstars’ innings, Ian Harvey, promoted as an opener, batted with tremendous vigour and adaptablilty, hitting the fast bowlers and spinners with great power. Harvey and Chris Read who made a cultured 34 from 28 balls, put on a vital 78 for the second wicket, laying into the new-ball attack of Dillon and Van Der Wath whose control and length was lacking. Harvey was more severe on the slow bowlers, smotting Nathan Astle for two successive sixes in the thirteenth over before giving a top edge to Khirid at fine leg in the same over.

“I knew we had to come out hard,” Kumaran said after the match, “and I looked to hit the deck hard. We are gelling as a team and we always knew 157 was a decent score.”

Brief scores : Chennai Superstars : 157 for 8 in 20 overs ( Ian Harvey 63, Chris Read 34, Nathan Astle 3 for 36, A Yadav 2 for 24): Mumbai Champs : 119 all out in 18.5 overs (van Der Wath 31, Dheeraj Yadav 30, Thiru Kumaran 6 for 21, Tamil Kumaran 2 for 27).

Source : http://www.expressindia.com/