IPL 2009 Semi-Final - Can Deccan Stave off Delhi Belly?

WITH very little riding on their last match of the regular Indian Premier League tournament and with the semi-finals looming large, the Deccan Chargers should have cruised past Royal Challengers Bangalore in match 56 yesterday.

However the Adam Gilchrist-led Chargers were handed a defeat that could not only shatter their confidence but could also cost them a lot more.

A win would have assured the Chargers a semi-final berth against second placed Chennai Super Kings but now they face the minor premiers Delhi Daredevils in a do or die fixture that has the cricket betting punters salivating.

Now Deccan must regroup, their bowlers pick themselves up off the floor after being pummelled by a batsman who, up until yesterday’s match, had provided very little to crow about for Bangalore.

Mandish Pandey’s only five innings before yesterday’s match yielded just five runs yet he smashed 114 not out off 73 balls including 10 fours and four sixes against a bowling attack sporting the likes of Ryan Harris, RP Singh, Andrew Symonds and Pragyan Ojha, who up until yesterday, had provided Deccan with a solid attack.

Not only did Pandey notch his maiden century in dashing form to help Bangalore to 4/170, hardly an impressive total, the Deccan batsman failed to fire except for South African Herschelle Gibbs (60 off 43 balls).

Gilchrist (15), Suman (12), Symonds (18), Sharma (12), Bilakhia (16no) all got starts but failed to capitalise which is worrying when they come up against a seasoned Delhi attack that features Dirk Nannes, Amit Mishra, Avishkar Salvi and Pradeep Sangwan.

If you are looking for a reason to bet for Deccan than it must be based around Gibbs and Gilchrist.

If they can fire at the top of the order than they have the ability to restrain a batting line up with their bowlers.

If they fail, the IPL 2009 is over for Deccan.