Highveld Lions vs http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Delhi-c780 Daredevils – Champions League T20 – Match Preview
After topping their group, Delhi Daredevils will be eager to carry the Indian flag forward when they take on local Highveld http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lions-c808 in the first semi-final of the Champions League T20, scheduled to be played at Kingsmead Durban, today, October 25, 2012.
The tournament finally enters its penultimate stage with four teams left to contest the biggest cricketing prize on offer. Daredevils are the only IPL representatives in attendance, and will be eager to end their barren trophy run since coming together in 2008. Thrice they made the knock-out stage of an IPL season but failed to reach any of the final.
Another spot awaits them this time, and with the personnel they have at their disposal, hopes will be pinned on them to deliver this time around. Even though they finished top of their group, they played just two games, while watching the other two being washed out by rain.
Their preparations therefore, will be hindered, and the players will be rusty. The batting department nonetheless, looks daunting owing to the presence of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806.
Apart from Sehwag, all batters tend to take time before getting into their grooves and being short on match practice will play on their minds. However, their wealth of experience will eventually put them in good space. Such remains their strength that David Warner is expected to miss again, having not made a single appearance in the competition so far.
Their other area of dominance remains a power-packed bowling line-up. The major reason they have ably adjusted to the conditions in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 has been their reliance on pace. While the other IPL sides have built a reputation of going spin-heavy wherever they play, Daredevils’ pace prowess has allowed them to not only counter the bouncy conditions but use it to their advantage. However, this has left the star-studded batting line-up relatively untested and the Lions will be eager to exploit that.
Their pace roster, which includes http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Irfan-Pathan-c1601, is expected to be in the thick of the action. Morkel’s precision has been frightening and coming up against the Lions will bring the best out of him.
Lions’ progression to the knock-out round was pretty straight forward. They had been the pace setters, alongside Sydney Sixers, in their group and their only defeat came against the Big Bash Champions.
Their victories have been built on collective performances, where bowlers and batters have complemented each other skillfully. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Quinton-de-Kock-c82885 has shown flashes of brilliance.
The bowling department has been headed by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DP-Nannes-c1396 and Sohail Tanvir have found the conditions to their liking and the two left-armers will be keen to keep the Delhi batters on the back foot.
Both teams have not played a game at Durban, so one expects a balanced contest, despite the overall local experience of the Lions. The weather has been a major hindrance for the organizers and the forecast looks bleak. A possibility of a reserve day has been discussed but a final decision has yet to be made. In case of a wash-out, as things stand, Lions will go through, having won more games than Delhi Daredevils in the group stage.
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