Our attack is one of the best | Column by Sanath Jayasuriya

POWER POINT

SANATH JAYASURIYA ON THE WIN AGAINST KNIGHT RIDERS

Monday night’s clash with Knight Riders was a big game for us and winning it so convincingly was a welcome confidence boost, lifting us into the top four of the table. Wednesday’s clash against Kings XI Punjab might be a harder test as they are picking up some momentum.

We were lucky to win the toss at Port Elizabeth giving us the chance of putting up a total. As is the case all around the world, chasing is often tough under lights. Fortunately, both Sachin (Tendulkar) and I were able to get-off to a good start. Ishant Sharma was always going to be a key threat and we felt a good start against him would be crucial.

Sachin has been in glorious touch all tournament and he made life easy for me at the beginning of the innings. It is a joy batting at the other end with him. He was the one that launched the attack and after that I just tried to feed him as much of the strike as possible. It was about four overs before I hit my first boundary.

Some days things just fall into place and Monday night was one of those. We are both
experienced and we both looked to play our natural aggressive game. Everything clicked and it was great fun. My only regret was that the 127-run stand did not lead to a total of around 200. We let things slip a bit at the end and that’s an area to work on.

One big difference for us this year is having a fully fit Lasith Malinga. Sitting at the top of the wicket-taker’s list, he’s been penetrative and economical with new and old ball. When you see him charging in, bowling with great pace and control, you realise just how much he’s been missed by Sri Lanka in the past year after his knee injury. He’s a natural wicket-taker.

We always knew that Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum had the capacity to chase down the 188-run target. History was always in our favour under lights, but Gayle especially is such a brutal player. So Lasith having McCullum caught in the gully in his first over was a crucial blow. When Dwayne Bravo snared Gayle, I was confident of a victory.

At the end, Lasith once again illustrated his value at the death of the innings. His ability to bowl at pace into the block hole can be devastating against the lower order. With Lasith, Zaheer, Bravo and Harbhajan we undoubtedly have one of the best attacks in the competition.

However, the performance of Abhishek Nayar should not be forgotten amongst the big names. He did a brilliant job for us taking the wickets of Brad Hodge and Sourav Ganguly.

Sachin and Sanath were absolutely amazing : JP Duminy

What a match we had on Monday! It was one of those days that everything just went our way and we got our basics right. Sachin and Sanath were absolutely amazing and just took the game away from Kolkata Knight Riders. They are the kingpins of the team, and watching them lead from the front was a boost for us youngsters who watch and learn from them.

Sachin and Sanath were my heroes while growing up and being in the same dressing room has been a great experience for a young guy like me. It was even more of an honour to share Sachin's birthday celebrations with him! Batting with him was amazing, too, and I hope I get more opportunities to do so.

Yesterday, the bowlers were spot on, especially Lasith, Nayar and Bravo who just went through the top order. Perhaps the big score we posted took some of the pressure off them, as they did not have to worry about defending a small total and were able to just play their game. Nayar is shaping up well and turning out to be a good all-rounder -- look at the way he smashed Flintoff in our first match, against Chennai! All in all, I think we have a very balanced side with good team spirit and are looking good for the upcoming games.

One of those will be tomorrow when we take on Kings XI Punjab who have won two matches on the trot now. We will really have to concentrate against them and play like we did yesterday. We may be on a high now but still cannot take them for granted as they can be very destructive. Irfan -- who can do a lot of damage with bat and ball -- Yuvraj, Sangakkara, Mahela and Bopara can really hit out. We will have to bowl well and a couple of early wickets will do wonders for us.

Yuvraj is one of their key players, and I remember him hitting Stuart Broad for 36 in one over here at Kingsmead during the ICC world T20. But we have world class bowlers in our side and it will take a great effort from him to repeat that act. We will also have to be careful of Yusuf Abdullah, who has been doing quite well of late.

Having Jonty and Pollock to advise us definitely gives us an edge over most teams. I have learned a lot from Jonty, who has worked with us in the national side too, and Pollock brings so much knowledge and insight of the grounds and conditions with him.

I was looking forward to playing my first IPL in India. Even by watching it on TV last year we could get a feel of what a great experience it was. It is big in South Africa, but back in India it would have been special. Still, I am enjoying the experience of meeting and learning about different players, countries and cultures. To the fans back in India, keep supporting us even though we are not there. Hopefully we will do you proud and bring the trophy back home

Even today, I don’t take my place for granted: Sanath Jayasuriya | Interview

Iconic Lankan, about to complete 20 years at the top, on opening



Port Elizabeth: Sachin Tendulkar is international cricket’s senior-most pro, but his Mumbai Indians teammate Sanath Jayasuriya made his first appearance for Sri Lanka just weeks after Sachin’s. So he too isn’t far off from completing 20 years at the top.

A champion bat (6,973 runs in Tests and 13,151 in ODIs), the 39-year-old Sanath has few peers. The ‘Matara Blaster’, who has quit Tests though, spoke to The Telegraph at the Garden Court here on Sunday evening.

The following are excerpts

What goes into the making of a quality opener?

(Grins) Plenty of hard work, the willingness to undergo hours and hours of nets... Concentration... Confidence... You’ve got to back yourself against the new ball.

What goes into the making of a quality opener?

(Grins) Plenty of hard work, the willingness to undergo hours and hours of nets... Concentration... Confidence... You’ve got to back yourself against the new ball.

Technique factor

That’s there, yes... I’ve had to work hard as I wasn’t blessed with what some would say a tight technique... I didn’t see that as a handicap, though, and worked that much harder... In fact, even after almost 20 years of international cricket, I still work on my technique... Of course, the very basics have to be correct from the beginning.

On middle-order batsmen being promoted to open

That’s possible, I too started my career in the middle-order... Adjustment is the key and if one can adapt, then what’s the harm?

Whether his idol had been an opener

My hero was Viv Richards, but I’d been a big fan of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.

Favourite openers (alphabetically)

Maravan Atapattu: Had such a good technique... I could play my normal game if he was at the other end, because his presence gave such confidence... I didn’t have to worry... Maravan knew his strengths and waited for them to be put into play. He had so much patience, which came from mental toughness of a high order.

Sunil Gavaskar: Had such class and a presence at the crease... Tight on technique and a confidence-giver to the team.

Gordon Greenidge: What an attacking opener! Could hit the ball anywhere... His mental make-up was to attack and attack...

Matthew Hayden: Great presence and an attacking approach... Wanted to dominate from the first ball and got his runs at such a fast clip. Backed himself to deliver.

Desmond Haynes: I loved his approach, he’d demolish bowlers smilingly... Had all the shots and a tighter technique than Greenidge. Also, came across as more relaxed of the two.

Virender Sehwag: Another attacking opener and in both versions... The pace at which he scores allows the team to dictate terms... To set the agenda for the match... Once set, Sehwag gets the big ones... His hundreds, in Tests, have come in a few sessions and not in two days...

The importance of footwork

Footwork is a requirement, but I feel the hand-eye co-ordination is probably more important.

Country where opening has been most challenging

Look, all countries offer some challenge or the other, but one’s biggest test is opening in England in the early part of summer... April-May... Whatever the conditions, once one adjusts, one is bound to enjoy.

Message for emerging openers

Work hard and enjoy your cricket...

What keeps him going?

(Grins) Getting into the Sri Lanka team wasn’t easy (back in 1989-90)... Even today, I don’t take my place for granted in ODIs... The love for cricket has much to do with my continuing to play ODIs and this T20 game... I retired from Tests (in 2007-08) because I thought it was time for Sri Lanka to blood somebody young.

Whether he’s looking to the 2011 World Cup

Can’t say that I’ll play till then... To do that, I’ll have to keep following a process... Staying fit, getting runs and adding value to the team. Let’s see how it goes.

Finally, getting out for 340, when it seemed he could’ve gone for 400, in the 1997-98 Test series against India at home

I was destined to get that many only... I wasn’t meant to get a 350 or reach 400... That’s how I look at it... Not getting more hasn’t been a regret.

Jayasuriya and Tendulkar overwhelm Kolkata | Images

Many a time over the last 15 years or so fans of this great game have wondered what it would be like if Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya opened together in a limited-overs game and really turned it on. Today they got a glimpse.

The two masters of the limited-overs game, with a combined age of nearly 76, treated Port Elizabeth to the cleanest, purest exhibition of batting that this season of the IPL has seen. Tendulkar paved the way with a sublime innings and Jayasuriya followed suit with an explosive hand, the veteran pair combining to raise a century stand in 52 balls that flummoxed Kolkata Knight Riders. That stunning opening assault formed the crux of Mumbai Indians' 187 and though Kolkata restricted the damage with six wickets for 48 runs after the tactical break, the damage had been done. Their only realistic chance at victory rested on their explosive openers' shoulders but once they were gone inside three overs the chase was basically kaput.

Mumbai's first five overs were busy, without being spectacular. Tendulkar was beaten a couple times by Ishant Sharma but upper-cut a six and flicked a four in Ashok Dinda's first over. That set the tone for a busy innings, taken up a level when he pulled Ishant for six from outside off stump.

While Tendulkar whisked the ball off his pads and slapped through point, Jayasuriya didn't get much strike. His first shot in anger was a chip just over extra cover's fingertips and a signature clip to fine leg followed. Mumbai were 45 for 0 in five overs. What followed was carnage.

Jayasuriya, who was on 8 as Tendulkar scurried to 30, launched Sourav Ganguly's gentle military-medium stuff for consecutive sixes; Tendulkar swept Ajantha Mendis for six; Chris Gayle went for ten in six balls; Mendis was dumped for two sixes by each batsman in his second over. Tendulkar's fourth six, a deft pick-up over midwicket off Mendis, raised his fifty from 34 balls. Jayasuriya had blasted 33 from 13 balls. The 100 was up in 8.4 overs. When the tactical break was taken Tendulkar was 60 off 39 and Jayasuriya 43 off 21, Mumbai 111 for 0.

For a man who has only played one international Twenty20, Tendulkar batted with amazing fluency. He got the wrists into play superbly, pulling and cutting hard, and used his crease to negotiate the pacers. Mendis wasn't even allowed to settle; Gayle was effortlessly reverse-swept.

There were no crude shots, no cross-batted slogs from Tendulkar and Jayasuriya. This was clinical hitting - each veteran knew the field and backed himself to pick the gaps. It was the experience of 1138 combined international games coming together in a mesmerizing mosaic of boundaries. In between clearing his front leg to lift Mendis there were clever late dabs from Tendulkar, neat tickles from Jayasuriya.

That assault was in stark contrast to the second half of Mumbai's innings, when Kolkata regrouped. The scoring slowed after the break and Tendulkar fell to Laxmi Shukla, looking to take the ball from off stump and work it to leg. Harbhajan Singh strode in, clubbed 18 from 8 balls, and sent a full toss to deep midwicket. Jayasuriya looked for width but instead chipped to cover for 52 from 32 balls. Then Abhishek Nayar was run out, Dwayne Bravo top-edged to the deep, and Shikhar Dhawan edged Ishant. Gayle bowled a decent last over and Mumbai were unable to end on with a flurry.

Kolkata needed almost 9.5 runs an over inside a stadium rumbling like a Jay Z amplifier, and the pressure of chasing a large total under lights affected the Kolkata openers early in their innings. Brendon McCullum shouldered arms to his first ball before he steered Lasith Malinga to point. Gayle thumped Bravo for the 150th six in the IPL only to edge his West Indian team-mate to slip.

Sourav Ganguly wasn't allowed to come onto the front foot and so he used his feet to loft Bravo down the ground for six and four, and with that try for some momentum. But Ganguly struggled to find the boundaries thereafter and Brad Hodge never really threatened with 24 off 22 balls. Both were to fall against the tidy seam-up bowling of Nayar in successive overs, the last nail firmly hammered into Kolkata's coffin.

Nayar, Bravo, Zaheer Khan and Malinga didn't have to do much but keep it near the stumps and wait for an urgent shot. Each struck rather easily and the rest of the batting card made for disappointing reading as Kolkata fell short by 92 runs. From 71 for 3 when Hodge fell, Kolkata folded for 95 in 15.2 overs.

A powerful batting display was followed by an efficient, shining effort in the field, aptly demonstrating that Mumbai pretty much have all the bases covered.

Jayasuriya, Sachin run riot as Mumbai Indians trounce Kolkata Knight Riders

The Mumbai Indians hammered the Kolkata Knight Riders by 92 runs in game 17 of the IPL at Port Elizabeth tonight.

“It’s a rare treat for us…we are not going to see this everyday,” gushed a South African journalist as Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya inundated St George’s Park with a flurry of boundaries and sixes.

Half centuries from the legendary opening pair of Tendulkar and Jayasuriya helped Mumbai reach a mammoth 187/6 from their 20 overs, before ‘Slinga' Malinga and the rest of the Mumbai pace attack routed the Kolkata batting for just 95.

With Tendulkar winning the toss, it was no surprise to see him decide to bat first, with Port Elizabeth being notoriously famous for being very difficult to bat under lights.

Tendulkar and Jayasuriya opened the batting for the Indians, up against a back in-form Ishant Sharma, who took 2-36 in that heart-breaker of a game against the Rajasthan Royals in Kolkata's last outing.

The Knight Riders made one change to their line-up, dropping an out-of-form Ajit Agarkar in favour of Ashok Dinda, who had himself made way for medium pacer Anureet Singh in the previous game.

The Knight Riders lost Anureet Singh to a twisted ankle in the very first over, as the youngster dived to stop a beautifully timed glance from Tendulkar. It was to be a big blow for the Kolkata team, as the rest of the bowling was ripped to shreds on the night.

After scoring just 4 runs from an impressive first over from Sharma, the Indians exploded in the 2nd, as Tendulkar smashed the first ball he faced from Dinda for a 6 over a third-man. He continued to plunder runs in Dinda's opening over, hitting the medium-pacer for another boundary to take the Indians to 15 for no loss at the end of the second over.

An outstanding third over by Ishant Sharma was ruined by a wide which went for four, and a short delivery on the final ball which Sachin graciously reunited with the boundary hoardings. Sharma had earlier beating Tendulkar thrice in the over, for the last time tonight.

Dinda was hit out of the attack as he went for 12 in his second over, Jayasuriya and Tendulkar tearing the inexperienced pacer apart.

Ishant was brought on for his third over, as McCullum, now desperate for a break through went for broke. Tendulkar however was in no mood for forgiveness as he dragged a ball from well outside the off stump over deep midwicket for a huge six.

Jayasuriya got into the act too, hitting first change Saurav Ganguly for a 16 in his first over. Tendulkar then went after Ajantha Mendis in his opening over, hitting the Sri Lankan mystery spinner out of the ground with a huge slog sweep.

McCullum turned to West Indian skipper Chris Gayle for respite, but Jayasuriya planted Gayle's second ball on the fine leg roof.

The Mumbai Indians raced to an imperious 86 for no loss in just 8 overs.

Tendulkar and Jayasuriya continued the carnage in the following over hitting Mendis for a six each. Tendulkar also brought up his half-century in the same over, off just 34 balls.

Tendulkar and Jayasuriya safely negotiated the curse of the 11th over, taking just 7 runs off it. Jayasuriya got to his 50th the following over, taking just 26 balls to reach the landmark. Jayasuriya had almost gone unnoticed at the other end, with Tendulkar having most of the early strike; his half-century was amazingly 8 balls faster than Sachin's.

Laxmi Ratan Shukla proved that he was lucky bowler no. 7 for the Kolkata Knight Riders finally picking up the wicket of Tendulkar, shuffling across his stumps, only to be caught plumb in front for 68 off just 45 balls, an innings which included four 6s and six 4s.

Harbhajan Singh was promoted up the order to no. 3 with a license to thrill. He did just that for the few overs that he survived smashing 18 off 8 before he hit one straight down the throat of deep midwicket off Brad Hodge.

In the following over, Laxmi Shukla picked up his second big wicket of the day, getting rid of Sanath Jayasuriya, caught at backward point trying to accelerate the scoring rate.

The wickets kept tumbling for Mumbai as Kolkata mounted a spirited comeback. Abhishek Nayar ran himself out for just 3, and Dwayne Bravo also fell for the same score trying to heave the ball into the crowd.

Laxmi Ratan Shukla picked up his third wicket of the match, getting Shikhar Dhawan for 12, as the Knight Riders made a match of the encounter in the last few overs.

The Mumbai Indians though setting a record total of 187 for 6 at Port Elizabeth could and probably should have got more than 200 given their start. With the last five overs going for just 36 runs, the Kolkata Knight Riders would have believed that they were still very much in this game, especially if they were to get a good start from their big three - Gayle, McCullum and Ganguly.

The Kolkata Knight Riders however made a sedate start, looking to play themselves in under the difficult lights at Port Elizabeth. Malinga picked up the first wicket of the innings with the last ball of the second over, McCullum playing a tad too early to a ball that appeared to grip the surface, and JP Duminy taking a great catch diving forward at short point.

Chris Gayle responded in perfect fashion, hitting the 150th six of the tournament, dispatching a short one from Dwayne Bravo deep into the crowd over the longest boundary in the stadium.

Bravo made a brave effort off his own bowling when Chris Gayle chipped one back in the direction of the bowler. The chance however cost his team nothing as Gayle edged the next ball straight through to Sachin Tendulkar standing at one-and-a-half-slip.

Kolkata got their act together in the 5th over, taking 15 off it as Ganguly and Hodge got stuck into Dwayne Bravo.

Tendulkar rather surprisingly brought on Harbhajan Singh to bowl the last over with the fielding restrictions, and Ganguly took full toll of his former Indian teammate, dispatching him for a couple of boundaries through that magical off-side of his.

Zaheer Khan, who had been only used for the one over so far, was brought back by Tendulkar to stem the run flow, and the Indian pace ace responded to his captain's call, giving away just 3 runs off the seventh over.

Ganguly and Hodge took Kolkata through to 70 for 2 till the strategy-break, but the Knight Riders were dealt a killer blow losing Brad Hodge clean bowled by Abhishek Nayar for 24 off the second ball of the 11th over.

Running out of options with the required run rate climbing through the roof, Ganguly tried to take the attack to Abhishek Nayar, but only succeeded in hitting the ball miles high, presenting an easy catch to Dwayne Bravo in the covers.

Nayar made it a second one for the over as Arindam Ghosh fell for a golden duck, caught by Tendulkar at short midwicket.

As everything he touched turned to gold, Tendulkar kept wringing the changes, and each one resulted in a wicket. Dwayne Bravo picked up his second of the game, and then Zaheer Khan rather surprisingly his first of the tournament so far.

In a perfect finale to the match Lasith Malinga cleaned up the tail completely, knocking over the last couple of wickets to bring an early end to proceedings. The Kolkata Knight Riders were a shameful 95 all out, and Mumbai climbed back up to 3rd in the table with a crunching 92 run victory.

A visibly delighted Tendulkar spoke after the game, "Everything went according to plan. Maybe we could have got to 200, but everything else went right."

I’m still good for the new format : Jayasuriya | Interview

The physio and masseur of the Mumbai Indians team have to pay special attention to Sanath Jayasuriya. The Sri Lankan gets a good rubdown after practice and it's understandable because at 39, he is one of the oldest cricketers in international cricket.

Despite having relinquished his place in the Test XI to help youngsters, Jayasuriya continues to be a force in ODIs and T20. The following are excerpts from a chat with the Hindustan Times.

T20 was widely regarded as a young man's game. How does it feel to have hit that notion out of the park?

I'm very happy to see that many of the guys doing well are the experienced ones. For me, it's a lot of hard work to keep pace with this version of the game. Since I have to bat, bowl and field, it takes a big toll on the body. Apart from the physical hard work, there are mental adjustments as well. The fact that after so many years in international cricket, I'm still good for the new form of the game gives me a lot of satisfaction.

Apart from the physical hard work, what kind of mental adjustments does a senior player like you have to make?

It's not very different from what you do ahead of a Test match or a 50-over match. The only difference is there is no time to think. You have to take instant decisions and think really fast because everything around you is happening so quickly.

Non-cricketing elements form a major part of the IPL. Do you enjoy it?

That's mostly for the public. For us, it's a question of concentrating on the game like we do in any other competition.

But at the end of the day, we too enjoy the things which go on around the game. It's a nice experience to be part of the IPL because of these additional activities.

How different is it this time in South Africa compared to the way you spent your spare time in Mumbai last year?

I do miss the kind of stuff we used to do in Mumbai…going out with friends and explore what Mumbai had to offer.

But I watch a lot of TV, news from around the world in particular, which is taking up a lot of my time over here. I'm also very fond of Sri Lankan music and carry my CDs. That keeps me busy when I'm not playing or training.

How conscious are you of the fact that you have to constantly compete with youngsters?

It's not something that I think about. Working hard comes naturally to me and I don't think of the competition from youngsters as long as I'm doing what I should do.

From making it to the Sri Lanka team as a left-arm spinner to establishing yourself as one of the most feared opening batsman of your time, how do you look back at the journey?

It's been really nice and I'm proud of it. I come from Moratua which had nothing in terms of infrastructure when I grew up.

It was a journey which required a lot of hard work and in the end I've been rewarded for it. When I look back, I think how difficult it was and am happy to see that the hard work paid off in the end.

Spin has a huge role to play in Twenty20 cricket | Column by Sanath Jayasuriya

POWER POINT

SANATH JAYASURIYA ON THE TRENDS IN IPL 2

WHEN Twenty20 cricket arrived a few years ago it was commonly felt that it would suit seam bowlers rather than spinners, big hitters rather than those batsmen with classic techniques, and young players rather than experienced pros. One week into the second IPL and those early predictions have been shown to be wide of the mark.

Indeed, we have witnessed three clear trends. First, spin has a huge role to play in T20 cricket. Second, on good pitches with a fair balance between bat and ball you cannot just slog. Thirdly, experience can be a precious commodity in this high-pressure format.

During the first week we have seen starring roles from several of the tournament’s older players. Sachin Tendulkar set the tone for the Mumbai Indians. Rahul Dravid, relieved of the captaincy, has been brilliant for Royal Challengers. Sourav Ganguly fired for the Knight Riders.

Adam Gilchrist has been on-song for Hyderabad and Mathew Hayden certainly does not look like he has been fishing and surfing these last few months since his retirement.

Of course, you need to be fit and athletic even if you are an oldie (like me). When you are in your mid to late 30s you need to work much harder on your fitness. But the key thing is that the experience you have gathered over the years helps navigate yourself through tight situations. As a batsman, your shot selection improves and your risk-taking is better calculated.

Seeing the spinners do well has also been very encouraging. This year there has been quite a bit of turn and bounce. That has helped even the parttimers like Kevin Pietersen and Yousuf Pathan. If you look at the stats for the best economy rates in the tournament you’ll notice that seven out of the top 14 bowlers are spinners. That’s terrific.

The great fear about T20 cricket was that we’d lose some of the variety that makes cricket so compelling. However, encouragingly, the trend we are seeing here in South Africa seems to be the opposite.

Ajantha was the wrong choice | Column by Sanath Jayasuriya

POWER POINT

SANATH JAYASURIYA ON THE CHALLENGE AHEAD

We’ve the allround skills to beat Hyderabad

ON Thursday night, the Mumbai Indians celebrated Sachin’s 36th birthday with a small party. His birthday is now part of our IPL social calendar, but the main difference from last year was the fact that Sachin is fully fit this year and leading from the front.

That’s made us a far stronger team. We missed Sachin last year in the first half of the competition and only really started winning properly once he returned. It was no coincidence. His value as our premier batsman and our leader is immense. Everything is built around him.

He is now 36, but that is not too old when you are as fit as he is. He is far from finished and I see no reason why he could not play another World Cup in 2011. He is batting brilliantly, as he showed in our opening game with a masterful little innings, and has plenty more runs in the tank. I enjoy playing with him because his cool and calm manner ensures a relaxed and laid-back team.

He has seen everything in cricket during the last two decades and there is never even a whiff of panic. His teammates feed off that. You need to be relaxed to play your best cricket.

I hope we can now give him a proper birthday treat with a strong performance against Team Hyderabad on Saturday night. It’s been a slow tournament for us after the first clash with Chennai and the wash-out against Team Jaipur, so we are eager to get back on the park. It’s obviously an important game for us. Team Hyderabad look a different outfit from last year.

They have a sense of purpose and some key players — Adam Gilchrist, Rohit Sharma and Fidel Edwards — are looking good. I imagine it will be a tight game, but I’m confident we have the all-round skills to beat them. This year we have good balance and variety in the XI.

Hopefully, though, it will not be quite as tight as the thriller on Thursday night between Team Jaipur and Knight Riders.

That was a breath-taking game. Both teams had their moments, Knight Riders will be really disappointed that they did not win outright and then also squandered their chances in the Super Over. Chris Gayle had set them up beautifully and a target of 16 is very challenging. However, I thought the decision to give Ajantha (Mendis) the ball was a mistake.

He bowled brilliantly earlier in the night and we all know he is a matchwinner, but the dew factor made the move high risk. Personally, I think a seamer was needed and Ishant Sharma was the best candidate.

- Sanath Jayasuriya

Duminy not intimidated by Sachin, Sanath | Mumbai Indians Team news

Johannesburg: South Africa batting star JP Duminy is feeling the pressure of playing behind superstars Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya in the elite Mumbai Indians batting line-up in the Indian Premier League (IPL), a Sports24 report has revealed.

“It is an amazing feeling to be in a team with such big reputations. But it is pressurising to come in at three or four and bat behind Jayasuriya and Tendulkar, especially considering their quality and experience,” Duminy told.

However, Duminy insists that the top-quality players do not unnerve him in his new team.

“I have become used to playing with such top cricketers, especially with my series in Australia, so I don’t feel intimidated. We are team-mates, afterall”, Duminy laughed.

Duminy, one of the stars of the historic South African test and one-day series victory in Australia earlier this year, was bagged for a mammoth 950 000 dollars by the Mumbai Indians franchise impressed with the talent he displayed during the Australian tour.

“It was obviously a dream of mine to be part of the IPL. Of course I didn’t expect that price tag, but I am very chuffed to be here, and I am really looking forward to the challenges ahead”, he said.

The Mumbai Indians have emerged as one of the tournament favourites following an emphatic victory over last year’s finalists, the Chennai Super Kings, in the opening game of the IPL in Cape Town.

Their second game, against the Rajasthan Royals, was a non-starter with intermittent rain resulting in the game being abandoned.

Mumbai’s next match in the IPL is against the Deccan Chargers on April 25.

I can’t believe Jayasuriya is 40 : Nita Ambani

Sanath Jayasuriya's enthusiasm and energy levels have a fan in team owner Nita Ambani

DURBAN: “When I watch Sanath Jayasuriya on the field, I find him so agile that he can put a 20-year-old to shame. I can’t believe that he is 40,” says Mumbai Indians co-owner Nita Ambani, who is on a high after the team’s win against Chennai Super Kings in the inaugural match of the DLF Indian Premier League on Saturday.

In awe for the seniors in her team, Nita Ambani feels that seniors like Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya were brilliant in their first match and players like them have a vital role to play for her team.

“The seniors have done quite well, Sachin proving to be the master. We have a great bowling attack in Zaheer Khan, Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh and since bowlers have been playing a vital role for their teams so far, we do have an advantage,” says Nita Ambani, stating that she was more involved with her team this year than last season.

“Since our first two matches against last year’s runners-up Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Rajasthan Royals, I deliberately asked (husband) Mukesh to be with me for his support,” she says. “It is fun interacting with the owners of other teams away from home. The great atmosphere here is great. It’s more like a family where we keep exchanging notes. IPL is getting great support from the South Africans and that’s good for the game,” she says.

Admiring mentor Shaun Pollock’s contribution to her team, Nita Ambani said Mumbai Indians never wanted to lose Pollock even though he was injured. “Shaun is a fantastic cricketer and a great human being. I never wanted to lose Shaun and since he could not play due to back injury, we offered him the coach’s post, which he accepted.”