Chennai look to bounce back against Lions

Match facts

October 16, 2012
Start time 1730 (Start time 1530 GMT)

Both Chennai Super Kings and Lions had contrasting results at the Wanderers on Sunday. In the first game of the double-header, Chennai failed to keep Sydney Sixers to a par score and couldn't overhaul the target of 185. Later in the evening, the Lions did well to keep Mumbai Indians to 157, and came out victorious in a chase that ebbed and flowed. Both captains chose to chase because of the view that South African grounds are difficult to defend scores. It proved to be a good decision in the end for Lions. The action shifts to Cape Town tomorrow and both teams may have an eye on the Auckland-Kolkata Knight Riders game on Monday to gauge the conditions.

Chennai went in with their strongest batting line-up but left out the allrounder Albie Morkel. Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger were the overseas picks and the pair came in for some stick in the end overs. Morkel would have been useful given his knowledge of South African conditions. Spin is Chennai's strength and the Lions will be tested, particularly Gulam Bodi who struggled to get going on Sunday. From the Lions' point of view it was pleasing to see two youngsters, Quinton de Kock and Aaron Phangiso, make telling contributions with bat and ball respectively.

Sohail Tanvir is fast establishing himself as a sought-after Twenty20 bowler, freelancing for clubs like Lions and Kandurata Warriors. He was one of the most penetrative bowlers in the SLPL, picking up 11 wickets and can be quite a handful in seaming conditions. His round-the-wicket angle seems to work against the right-handers, as Kieron Pollard found out on Sunday when he failed to dig out a yorker swerving in from wide of the crease.

R Ashwin has opened the bowling in Twenty20s with a lot of success. The Lions top order wouldn't have seen too much of him so it wouldn't be a bad idea for Dhoni to toss the new ball to his best spinner and create early pressure.

"Where we lacked was the death bowling. We gave away about 15 runs too many."
MS Dhoni on where his team went wrong against Sydney Sixers

"In big games, it's the senior players who must be counted. I don't want to put pressure him at this stage."
Lions captain Alviro Petersen on Quinton de Kock