IPL - Paul Valthaty and Shaun Marsh keep Kings XI http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Punjab-c833 on track - Part I
Needing 160 runs to win the match after a fine display from Mumbai Indians’ captain, Sachin Tendulkar, and, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ambati-Rayudu-c1007, who scored 51 runs each, the Kings XI Punjab had an uphill task in the second innings.
The fans in the Wankhede Stadium, in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mumbai-c820, cheered the teams as they emerged from the pavilion for the second half of the 40th match of the Indian Premier League.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Adam-Gilchrist-c918, as the Kings XI looked to get off to a strong start.
In their way was Mumbai Indian bowler and World Cup Winner, Harbhajan Singh, who opened the bowling for his side.
Valthaty got his side’s first run on the board with a single off the third delivery, to hand the strike to Gilchrist. The former Australian batsman did not stay long at the crease as Harbhajan had him trapped leg before wicket just two deliveries later.
Gilchrist failed to connect bat with ball as he went for a big hit and the ball struck him on the pads. The ensuing appeal was met with the umpire’s raised finger and that was the end of Gilchrist.
Shaun Marsh made his way onto the crease earlier than the Kings XI batsman would have expected, but he got straight to work building up a partnership with Valthaty, though not before Lasith Malinga bowled a ferocious over that only gave away two runs.
Harbhajan Singh bowled another tight over, not giving the batsman any opportunity to go for any serious runs, before Malinga was the subject of a light hammering.
Marsh punished the first two deliveries of Malinga’s over for two boundaries before taking a single to earn 9 runs off the over; the highest for the Kings XI so far in the match.
There was a moment of drama when danger-man Valthaty was dropped in the fifth over. Munaf Patel dove for the catch but could not hold on to the ball as the Mumbai Indians lost an opportunity for another wicket.
The next three overs saw Munaf Patel and Ahmed go for a boundary each in the next three overs before the Kings XI batsmen decided to take it a step further when Valthaty sent the ball flying over the ropes for his team’s first six of the match.
The 10th over was a bit of an anticlimax as the seven runs that came from it were all singles with the odd double, as the Kings XI were on the back foot at 62 runs for the loss of one wicket at the end of 10 overs.
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