Champions league t-20 takes start…Cobra’s win a thriller-Upset RCB

Chinnaswamy stadium-Bangalore saw a colourful extraveganza on 8th of october 2009 as the Champions League t-20 championship took underway amidst an eye catching opening ceremony.It marked a feast involving various countries and cultures…seen never before in the international cricket. 12 teams from 7 different countries will be fighting for the title. These teams are scattered into 4 groups…A,B,C and D. Many international artists participated in giving the best of their sizzling performances entertaining the packed crowd. Following a march with flags from the 12 captains, imprinting their hands on a board, Lalit Modi-governing council chairman declared the event open after a welcome address. Performances to Classical Hindustani music, Jappanese drumming, and events involving Chaka Khan and Shaggy and Jamelia were the highlights, not leaving behind the acrobatic show by Shaolin monks from China and sword fighting skills of our own Kalaripayattu.

The opening encounter was between hosts and runners up of the 2008 IPL- Royal Challenger Bangalore team headed by the old fox and the experienced Kumble taking over the South African team Cape Cobras headed by Puttick. Batting first the RCB team made a challenging 180 runs losing 4 wickets. Utappa gave a terrific start in combi with Dravid and Kohli making a deserved 50 much to the relief of the RCB’s. The finishing act was done by some hard hitting by Ross Taylor who finished with 53 made of just 24 deliveries with 4 hits to the fence and the other 4 clearing it. Langeveldt bowled tidy for the cobras.

In reply the Cobra’s had initial hiccups when the openers Gibbs and Puttick were dismissed by Praveen kumar with just 14 on board. When the RCB were looking to take command they had to face the venom of the merciless cobra in the form of J.P.Duminy who was in a punishing mood determined to take the first honours of the championship in favour of his team. He fired all guns entertaining the crowd,unless they were hard core RCB supporters. Kumble and his boys had no weapon to demolish him. He finished with one run short of what could have been a tremendous century. His 99 undefeated came off just 52 balls and had 8 fours and 5 mighty sixes in them.He got a good support on the other end by David’s Ontong and Canning. This heroic act fetched him the man of the match with his team Cape Cobras sitting healthy with 2 points on the table in group C. Kumble has to plan different strategies for his must win next match to stay in contention and he is not going to sit silent. But early celebrations for the Cobras. The opening match showed signs of the fight outs that we are going to see in the days to come…

C U tommorrow with more action………..