Saturday, September 24, 2011

Malinga's new Avatar




Malinga played the best innings of his career, as he lambasted the Chennai bowlers to all parts of the field. With Bajji, he was involved in an unconquered 53 run partnership, which brought home the bacon for Mumbai Indians.

Eleven runs were needed in the ultimate over and Malinga hit the second delivery for four. Off the next ball he took a single and Bajji swung for another four. Bajji then hit the winning run by nudging a single on the leg side.

Off 18 balls, Malinga blasted 37 runs and Bajji 19 off 20 balls. For Chennai Bravo, Ashwin & Raina took two wickets each.

Chasing a modest 159 run target, Mumbai were in the doldrums at one stage at 106/7, before this partnership turned defeat into victory !

Bizzard (28) and Jacobs (18) gave MI a good start, but then MI had lost half the side in the first ten overs for 63!. Earlier Mike Hussey was at his best, as he cracked a belligerent 81 off 57 balls to help Chennai post a competitive 158/4. Three sixes and eight fours flowed off his bat but he could not get support from other players. Raina ( 18 off 17) and Badrinath ( 16 off 21) fell cheaply at the other end.

Lasith "formdiable" Malinga had done the impossible. He had proved Napolean's dictum " The word impossible occurs only in the dictionary of fools".

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