A Close Run Thing

Fabulous entertainment in Chennai today. The Royals batted first and massed a whopping 211, thanks largely to 91 off 51 balls by Graeme Smith. Chennai did a great job of trying to chase the target, and very nearly got there. Warne’s 2-35 off his four overs were crucial in slowing them down, because when you are scoring at that rate losing a wicket is a real problem. Credit is due also to Pankaj Singh, who gave up only 30 from his 4 overs, and to Tanvir who took on the key role of bowing the final over. Chennai only needed 15 to win, but Tanvir held his nerve, giving up only 3 runs, and taking two wickets as the batsmen got increasingly desperate. That’s just the sort of really tough challenge the Royals needed going into the finals. Next up, the crucial match between Delhi and Mumbai.