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Bangalore Royal Challengers v Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2010, Bangalore
Rajasthan look for first win, against upbeat Bangalore
The Preview by Sidharth Monga
March 17, 2010
Match facts
Bangalore v Rajasthan in Bangalore
Thursday, March 18
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)
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The captain's legbreaks are not coming out right; the most imposing batsman of the team has broken a finger, the canny wicket-taker has done an ankle; their fastest bowler is fast becoming wider than he is fast; and the talismanic allrounder's arrival is still two Test matches away. So average were the rest that even a 37-ball hundred from their big hitter proved to be inadequate. Rajasthan Royals need to find inspiration from somewhere, somehow they need to stay afloat till Shane Watson arrives and joins forces with Yusuf Pathan.
To stay afloat would mean to not lose three out of first three. To not lose three out of first three would mean to beat a team that successfully chased 204 at the same venue two days ago, without even needing Eoin Morgan. After a one-sided defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders in their first match, Royal Challengers Bangalore seems to have put the pieces together, at least in the batting department. Orange cap Jacques Kallis is to be the springboard; Manish Pandey, Robin Uthappa and Morgan are to soar. If the plan goes wrong, there are Rahul Dravid and Mark Boucher. The bowlers still remain a worry, and Bangalore will be pleased if they can get a better show from Praveen Kumar and Dale Steyn.
Team talk
Rajasthan have lost Graeme Smith and Dimitri Mascarenhas for the whole season, and will struggle for replacements. Adam Voges is due to arrive in India on Wednesday, and he could start in the XI. Alternatively Hampshire's Michael Lumb could replace Smith. Damien Martyn is there too, but unlikely to play; if he does, and does well, it will be a pleasant shock. Mascarenhas' replacement will be difficult to pick: there is Johan Botha and Morne Morkel to choose from, and neither brings in the batting prowess that Mascarenhas did. Bangalore's batting looks largely settled, and they might want to give the same bowling unit another go.
Previously...
In 2009, Bangalore won their first game against Rajasthan by 75 runs in Cape Town. Rajasthan returned the favour when they met next, winning just as comprehensively, by seven wickets, chasing 106 at the same venue.
In 2008, Rajasthan won both the matches against Bangalore. The margin in the first game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was seven wickets with 17 balls to spare, while in Jaipur it was 65 runs.
In the spotlight
Shane Warne just seems to be holding back when bowling them legbreaks. There's just not enough fizz on them, and duly he has failed to trouble batsmen and gone for 51 in seven overs. It can happen with a man who had not bowled in competitive atmosphere for a year, and it will be interesting to see what is coming up next.
Both teams know that Rajasthan are the underdogs in the match, but they also know that it takes only 15 minutes of Yusuf Pathan to turn the match on its head. Right now, it's about as bad as Rajasthan have ever needed him.
Eoin Morgan didn't get going in Bangalore's first match and wasn't required in the second. India is yet to witness first-hand what has made Morgan one of the most exciting Twenty20 batsmen going around.
Prime numbers
The chatter
"SRK is also a friend... And I wish him luck tonight, congrats also to Jumbo [Anil Kumble] on his win. He is a true gentleman…"
Shane Warne's twitter page shows he kept an eye on the Bangalore-Punjab match.
"He is the Bradman of Twenty20."
Robin Uthappa is not quite sure if he is praising Jacques Kallis or taking the piss.
"I'm certainly not on a holiday as I'm fully committed to playing and helping the Royals win."
Damien Martyn tweets his commitment to the cause.
Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo
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© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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With all Due respect to Shane Warne for winning the 1st IPL but that was the right time and team …..But after looking at what happened in SA...in IPL2…they should have done their homework well for IPL3….see the way Shane Warne was struggling in IPL2 with both Bat and ball…and he is more worst this year…..they should have kept Shane as a coach..so they had an option to play a extra foreign player at present RR has only a option of playing on 3 foreign player since Shane occupies one of the slot being the captain…it's time for him to step aside and take the coach seat and guide the team from there….RR needed at least one Tendulkar or Dhoni or Chris Gayle or Sangakara or a Kevin Peterson a regular international player....and a few players like young Tiwari or Raydu and a lot of young talented players available in India.....look at the international buys RR did in the last 2 IPL auctions....Martin/Botha/lumb/Henderson/ Mascarenhas/Tait/Voges well except few do we even know these guys....
Posted byCompletely disappointed by Rajasthan royals in IPL3…. I hope Shilpa or Raj reads this message and does something about it…….hope, that's the maximum I can do being a big fan of RR.To be more realistic…I know RR cannot win all IPL'S but at least can put a good show and do some good for the franchise/sponsors/owners and more important for fans like me and other millions of fans not only in Rajasthan or India but worldwide. RR team...Not to be blamed for whatever they are going through....team selection is at the poorest...not a single permanent solid one day or 20/20 international player...in the team....except couple who are struggling to keep their own places in their own respective teams ...
Posted by KTiwari on (March 18 2010, 15:43 PM GMT)R Royals are heading to the wooden spoon. I can bet that R Royals will be last year's KKR peformance. In next few games they will seal the 8th spot of this season......so that they get rid of all the pensioner for next season. Lot of chopping is waiting to happen there.....Earlier I user to support them but now I don't like a bit after they cheated a youngster R Jadeja and got him banned
Posted byRR need 2-3 Overs of Pathan Blitz to win............and Warne Needs to bowl well
Posted byrr will win 2nite if they have martyn in side bcoz he is the gr8 batsman of australia.
Posted by cric-kaka on (March 18 2010, 13:54 PM GMT)RRs are in royal mess. They have depended too havily on Wanre for everything from coaching to player selection. Warne has depended on his hand picked foreign players who are either injured or missing due to other commitments. His contribution from bowling and batting (if any) are going to slip even more. International cricket is not for part timers who don't want to put rigors of training during the year. It is time to think beyond Warne for RR. I don't know who is the replacement from the current squad, may be Smith. They have to get a few exciting Indian players as well. Too bad that they lost Jadeja too in addition to Kaif last year.
Posted byroyals should win tonight .. if i will take delhi replacing rajasthan royals
Posted byAnil's team sure win this game. gud luck to Royals "the real challenger"
Posted by Krishdking1781988 on (March 18 2010, 13:02 PM GMT)Get Morkel and Damien Martin in. Also bring in Trivedi and play Yusuf Pathan in the first 6 overs or at the last 6 overs. Bangalore has too many match winners in their side especially in their batting. They are one of the favourites this time. But you never know. With Watson coming in for the last 7 matches who knows Rajasthan can do what Bangalore did last IPL and go all the way. But they are missing very important players like Smith and Tanvir who did very well in the first IPL which Rajasthan won. Its going to be difficult but not impossible. Good luck Warne.
Posted by nag42408 on (March 18 2010, 12:58 PM GMT)RR had very good indian player,s in kaif and jadeja and there was no reason to sack them without having a correct indian players replace them that is the reason for there poor show and warne is no longer the bowler he was and it looks he has given pension to martin. Not much hope this time for RR.