Dhoni leads the way as CSK outclass Delhi

May 15, 2013

Dhoni_leadsChennai, May 15: Mahendra Singh Dhoni led the way with a typically aggressive half-century to power Chennai Super Kings to a 33-run win over Delhi Daredevils here today and brighten their prospects of securing a top-two finish ahead of the play-offs of the Pepsi Indian Premier League.

Batting first, Chennai rode on Dhoni's 35-ball unbeaten 58 to post a competitive 168 for four. Albie Morkel (3/32) then spearheaded a disciplined bowling effort to restrict Delhi to 135 for nine at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Mohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin and Dwayne Bravo picked up two wickets each as CSK grabbed the top spot again.

Dhoni smashed two fours and four sixes during his whirlwind knock and added 57 runs for the fourth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja. The captain was also involved in an unbroken 37-run stand with Bravo, which came off just three overs.

In reply, Delhi were off to disastrous start as they lost the dangerous Virender Sehwag to Sharma off only the second ball of the innings. It was a short, wide delivery and Sehwag went for the cut only to get a thin edge through to the wicketkeeper.

There was a surprise at the top of Delhi batting order, with stand-in skipper David Warner (44) sending Johan Botha ahead of him. Unmukt Chand and Botha added 34 runs for the second wicket, before the Delhi player was done in by a slower ball from Sharma. Chand had hit two fours and a six before attempting a slog-sweep that led to his dismissal.

Botha followed 15 runs later, top-edging a sweep off Ashwin. Next to go was Kedar Jadhav whose predetermined shot off Albie Morkel landed in Dhoni's gloves. The dismissal ended a horrible night for Jadhav, who dropped a catch and missed a run-out besides his failure with the bat.

Morkel then sent back Ben Rohrer in a soft dismissal to leave Delhi reeling at 63 for five in the 10th over.

Warner tried to offer resistance but the ever-rising required rate only added to Delhi's woes. As the visitors reached 100, they had a little under six overs to pull off a win. And the task got even tougher with Roelof van der Merwe getting out to Ashwin.

Earlier, Dhoni whacked Ashish Nehra for 18 runs in CSK innings' penultimate over but the last over, bowled by Umesh Yadav (2/26), proved to be a good one for Delhi as he conceded just eight runs.

The Super Kings were off to a sedate start with both openers Murali Vijay and Michael Hussey mixing caution with aggression in the early part of the innings. Vijay was a bit lucky as he was dropped by Jadhav off Nehra in the third over.

Hussey hit Irfan Pathan for two successive fours to get a bit of momentum for the home team, before Vijay hammered Johan Botha for two fours and a six over long-on to set the ball rolling.

While the maximum was lofted over the on-side, the boundaries were scored through the off. Luck was again on Vijay's side as he survived a run-out chance, Jadhav being his saviour again.

However, the Chennai player was not third time lucky as a diving Ben Rohrer flicked the ball onto the stumps catching Vijay short of the crease. Two overs later, Umesh Yadav snared the big fish as he bounced out Hussey who lobbed a catch to Virender Sehwag at short fine-leg.

Another danger man, Suresh Raina, soon made his way back to the pavilion after driving Roelof van der Merwe straight to stand-in skipper David Warner at extra cover.

CSK however could take comfort from the fact that Dhoni was still there in the middle. And he didn't disappoint his fans as he played a few lofty blows to prop up the home side's run rate towrads the end.

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News Network
April 4,2020

New Delhi, April 4: India skipper Virat Kohli has said that the 2014 Test series against England was the lowest point of his career.

He made the revelation during a candid Instagram Live session with former England batsman Kevin Pietersen.

To date, the 2014 Test series in England remains one of the worst Test series for Kohli as he averaged just 13.40 from 10 ten innings with his highest score being 39.

"I felt like as a batsman, you know you are going to get out in the morning as soon as you wake up. That was the time I felt like that there is no chance I am getting runs. And still to get out of bed and just get dressed for the game and to go out there and go through that, knowing that you will fail, was something that ate me up," Kohli told Pietersen.

However, just four years later, Kohli made a triumphant return to England as he scored a century in the opening Test of the 2018 series and finished as the highest run-getter in the series.

Kohli told Pietersen that the performance in 2014 came because he was just thinking about his own batting.

"2014 series happened, for all the younger guys listening, because I was too focused on doing well from a personal point of view. I wanted to get runs. I could never think of what does the team want me to do in this situation," Kohli said.

"I just got too engulfed with England tour - if I perform here, Test cricket, in my mind I am going to feel established and all that crap on the outside, which is not important at all," he added.
During the chat, Kohli talked about his favourite format in cricket and he also revealed the main reason for turning into a vegan.

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News Network
April 5,2020

New Delhi, April 5: England batsman James Vince lashed out at people for not taking proper measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and said people are going out as if "everything is normal".

"Just seen the pictures of people out and about today as if everything is normal. What selfish people, surely by now they've realised this is serious. Well done to everyone who's doing their bit and staying in," Vince tweeted.

On March 13, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that Europe was now the 'epicentre' of the disease.

The death toll due to the novel coronavirus in the UK has exceeded 4,313 with at least 708 new deaths in the last 24 hours, the largest one-day rise since the start of the outbreak as confirmed by the Department of Health and Social Care.

The total number of cases in the UK as on Saturday is 41,903, a rise of 3,735 cases in the last 24 hours.

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News Network
June 20,2020

Melbourne, Jun 20: If 15 teams can be allowed to enter Australia for the T20 World Cup then fans will not be stopped from watching live action from the stadiums, Cricket Australia's interim CEO Nick Hockley said on Saturday.

Hockley replaced under-fire Kevin Roberts, who recently got the boot from Cricket Australia, which is grappling with financial woes.

Different possibilities are being worked out for the T20 World to go ahead as scheduled later this year and one of them is to host the tournament before empty stands in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Hockley said crowds will be allowed, though, hosting 15 teams with players, officials and support staff is "complex" as of now, hinting that probably the ICC flagship event could be pushed back.

"The reality is, and we've got much more understanding about this in recent weeks, is crowds are most likely to come back before international travel. Our biggest challenge is getting 15 teams into the country," Hockley told cricket.com.au when asked if he would like to see the World Cup proceed without fans.

"If I compare it with the prospect of a bilateral tour, you're talking about bringing one team in and then playing individual matches. But the prospect of bringing 15 teams in and having six or seven teams in one city at the same time, it's a much more complex exercise."

When specifically asked whether crowds would be permitted by the time borders have opened to the point that 15 teams will be allowed to travel to Australia, Hockley replied in an affirmative.

"That's the current thinking, yes."

Hockley said it came as a shock when he was asked by Cricket Australia to replace Roberts.

"I've had very mixed emotions. I was very shocked to be asked. I didn't see it coming at all, so I probably haven't had time yet to process it. I feel very sad for Kev (Roberts). On the other hand, I feel this is a massive privilege to be asked, it's a massive responsibility and a massive opportunity even if it's only for the next few months," he said.

Hockey did not commit when asked if he would like to assume the role full time, but he did say that he would quit as CEO of the T20 World Cup Organising Committee.

"My approach throughout my entire career has been to focus on doing the best job I can with what I've been tasked with, and the future will look after itself. And I'll continue the same approach.

"That's (T20 World Cup) been a real priority over the last 48 hours. We're reasonably well progressed and we will be appointing an interim because you just can't do both," he said.

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