Malinga shines and spot-fixing intensify

In spite of the Indian Premier League that ended on Sunday causing the biggest stink since the inception of sure-fire cricket, given the spot-fixing saga, the finals were played to full house at the picturesque Eden Garden Ground in Kolkotta.

The Mumbai Indians who accustomed themselves better to the prevailing conditions and tension and held their nerves, pushed aside Chennai Super Kings by 23 runs to pocket their maiden title.

In reply to the Mumbai Indians score of 148 for 9 in 20 overs, Chennai Super Kings, who were never in the hunt, crumbled to 125 for 9 in their 20 overs, with Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni fighting a lone battle and making 63.

In the last few days with the breaking of news that spot-fixing was taking place and with the arrest of three players and 11 bookies and with names of top officials also being mentioned, the IPL lost its clout and glamour.

BCCI Chief asked to resign

The mention of the name of Gurunath Meyiyappan who is an official of Chennai Super Kings and who is the son-in-law of Narainswamy Srinivasan India's cricket chief in the spot-fixing has raised cries for Srinivasan to resign.

But as there is no allegation against the Indian Cricket chief, but against Chennai Super Kings, Srinivasan says that he will not shirk his duties and has no intention of resigning from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Srinivasan is also the Managing Director of India Cement which owns Chennai Super Kings and this causes another embarrassment to the Chief. Accepted that Srinivasan is clean.But with his son-in-law in the net, it would have been in the best interest of him and everybody around him if the big chief steps aside until all investigations are over and done with.

Investigations gather momentum

As the investigations gathers momentum, there is the likelihood of many more names surfacing. It will be interesting to watch how the investigations will go and how many other big fish will be dragged into the net.

Reverting to the IPL final, it was creditable for the Mumbai Indians to grab the final sans their regular captain and former Australian captain Ricky Ponting and the darling of the Indian cricket fans Sachin Tendulkar.

A batsman with full of promise and unfortunate not to command a regular place in the Indian Test team Rohit Sharma who took over when Ponting decided to step down due to poor form with the bat, did a magnificent job as captain which led to his team's success.

After the Mumbai Indians recovered to make 148 for 9, thanks to a dashing knock of 60 not out with 7 fours and 3 sixes in 32 balls by Kieron Pollard, Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga knocked the stuffings out of the Chennai innings in his first over.

Lethal swinging Yorker

In his third and fourth balls of the first over he knocked Michael Hussey's stumps with a lethal swinging Yorker and next ball Suresh Raina failed to keep down a rising delivery and holed out to the short leg fielder Dwaynne Smith. Badrinath prevented the hat-trick.

While not wanting to belittle Pollard's blistering knock, which earned him the Man-of-the-Match Award, the adjudicator would not have been faulted had he shared the award between Pollard and Malinga.

Malinga's credentials were that in dismissing Hussey and Raina he broke the back of the Chennai innings which paved the way for the victory. Hussey and Raina have been prolific scorers and with them going early, the game was good as over for Chennai.

But with the Mumbai Indians motoring to victory it was sad to see India's cricketing god Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar seated on the bench, yet cheering and encouraging his team to victory.

Unable to recover and play

He was doing well with the bat and in hitting a six off one of the Hyderabad Risers bowlers he injured himself and was unable to recover and get back into the team and continue his good work.

At 40 he has decided that enough was enough and probably would have had a tear in his eye when announcing his retirement. But that's how life goes even in the life of a cricketer.

Now that the IPL is over, another tournament of a different sort will unwind and that is the spot-fixing game. The cynosure of all eyes will be the police investigators who have up to now done a splendid job, not worried who or how powerful the culprits are.

It is hoped that the investigators will be given the necessary cooperation and assistance to incessantly carry out the onerous job and bring to book the scoundrels who indulge in dirty match-fixing.

Lankan cricketers will be watched

After their dismal showing in the Indian Premier League, it will be interesting to see how captain Angelo Mathews, Mahela Jayewardene, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara recover form in the ICC Champions Trophy tourney in England next month.

With slinger Lasith Malinga seemingly coming into form if his opening over blitz against the Chennai Super Kings where he stuffed Michael Hussey and Suresh Raina is an indication, then he and the above mentioned must deliver if the team is to make their presence felt in the tournament.

If Malinga can maintain the same form in England, he could be a difficult customer, what with the ball wobbling about and with 10 overs to bowl unlike the 4 in Twenty20 cricket,he should be a thorn in the opponents batting.

Cleverly nursed and nurtured

Former skipper Jayawardene nursed and nurtured him very cleverly although he had a few hic-ups in the Twenty20 World Cup final. If Mathews could do the same, then Malinga, every time he is called upon to bowl, should be there to fire his thunderbolts, especially the swinging toe crushing Yorkers.

The only player who performed consistently in the IPL was all rounder Thisara Perera. Perera lived up to his all round potential and it was his success that enabled the Hyderabad Sunrisers to go far in the IPL.

The Lankans will have three practice games to condition themselves before their first trophy game against New Zealand in Cardiff. Probably every player will be given a game to stake their claims.

Will take no chances

And indications are that the selectors on tour will take no chances but play only those who are fit and in form. That is the correct approach and the selectors should not be swayed or influenced by big names.

It is important for the future of the game and we leave our mark in England. A first round knock-out could be damaging and will nullify the good work done by the selectors and the new administration.

We will be there in England bringing the on field action to readers. So stay with the 'Daily News', 'Sunday Observer' and 'Thinakaran'.

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