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Really looking forward to this and as we all know....It matters more when there's money on it

COME ON CHENNAI SUPER KINGS!!!

Just had a look through the teams. It really is a whos who of international cricket apart from English players obv.

As for betting on it, looks a like abit of lottery all the teams seem to be pretty even to me.

Should be good.

yea sounds excellent, just one problem......


....its cricket

Might not be all that much of a lottery...

Highest indivdual score in twenty20. Good start! Bit of a non event after that.

Just saw that 158NO!!  Sick hitting by McCullum.

Jason Roy currently smashing it up

Ben stokes in and Buttler up next, Woakes bowling for the other team.....

Rajasthan Royals looks balanced....Anyone playing fantasy IPL?

English players so far this season:

Mark Wood (CSK). 1 game, 4 overs, 0-49. Got took to the cleaners game 1 and never got a chance again. Has now to get some 4-day cricket under his belt for Durham before the tests. Has the pace to trouble top players but would need to play more T20 cricket and learn more varieties before he can make the step up (only played 19 games ever?)

David Willey (CSK). 1 game, 1-24 off 4 overs. Brought in for thier last game and went well with the ball so may get increased game time. Fits in well with CSK's bowling unit, who like to bowl their seamers up top as they have Harby/Jadeja/Sharma for the middle overs and Bravo at the death. Unlikely to get much of a go with the bat for them, as they are old scholl and keep wickets in hand often. Would be a useful pinch hitter in other sides.

Sam Billings (CSK) 6 games, 80 runs in 5 innings. Been feast or famine for Billings, but his 1 substantial contribution was a match-winning 56 off 23 balls vs KKR. Faf is back fit so may be in and out the side. Will always get in franchise squads because he can bat anywhere, plays spin well and is good in the field but long-term it might be best for him to nail down a role and specialize in that. He's been around a while now and I still don't know if he's best as an opener, a middle order strokemaker or a finisher.

Jason Roy (DD) 3 games, 97 runs, average 48.5. Has suffered at the whim of selectors. Started with a thrilling 91* in their early season win against Mumbai, then was dropped on the back of 2 low scores. Now young Indian sensation Prithvi Shaw (future superstar) has nailed down the opening spot and he faces competition for the overseas spot from Munro and Maxwell he could be in for a frustrating spell on the sidelines. Given that Munro has 63 runs in 5 games he can feel a little aggrieved.

Liam Plunkett (DD) 5 games, 4 wickets @ 39, going at 8.7 RPO. Injury replacement for Rabada, hit the ground running with 3-17 on IPL debut vs Kings but has regressed since. Delhi is an ideal side for him to get a good run of games, as they lack bowling strength so he can make a big impression but needs to get back in the wickets. Seems to retain the faith of captain/coach so should be given the opportunity to turn it around.

Tom Curran (KKR) 5 games, 6 wickets @ 19.66, going at 11.6 RPO. Injury replacement for Starc, has been sharing the overseas seamer role with Mitch Johnson. Has been used almost exclusively at the death (only bowled 10.1 overs in those 5 games) which explains his excellent strike rate (wicket every 10 balls) but also his very expensive economy rate. Will be a good learning curve for him, and he's shown he's brave enough to try all his variations at crucial times in games. Given Johnson has only taken 2 wickets in 6 games and is going at 10+ RPO he should get some more game time, and still time for him to be a match-winner at the death.

Jos Buttler (RR) 10 games, 320 runs @ 35.5, SR 146. Dramatic change in fortunes for Buttler. He struggled initially down the order, RR were often getting off to average starts with Short/Rahane up front and they have a long tail so he wasn't making much of an impression. He was getting "in" but not making the match-defining contribution. They then opened with him in the rain-reduced game against Delhi and have stuck with him as an opener and he's scored 67, 51 and 82. Continued form like that will cause England a headache, as opening in T20 cricket looks to be his best role (25 innings, over 900 runs striking at 150).

Ben Stokes (RR) 10 games, 174 runs @ 17.4, SR 123. 3 wickets @ 77, going at 9.2. Horror season for Stokes, hasn't made an impact with bat or ball. After 3 MOTM performances in 12 games last year, big things were expected and he hasn't delivered. With the bat you could argue he was put under pressure by a mis-firing D'Arcy Short up top but even on the back of Buttler's 50's he hasn't performed. With the ball with Archer/Unadkat bowling at the death he's had to fill the middle overs but hasn't been able to either break a partnership or keep the runs down. He's so integral to their balance I assume they keep picking him and he has the ability to turn it around, but so far it's been very disappointing.

Jofra Archer (RR) 5 games, 9 wickets @ 17.1, going at 8.17. Missed the first few games of the tournament with an injury but has made a real impact since he's played. Book-ends the innings, he's capable of knocking over top order batsman. His short ball (whilst expensive) is a wicket-taking option and he has real pace. At the death his yorkers are a real weapon. Personally I think he's the real deal, he's impressed in the Big Bash and now the IPL and he's only 23 so if he stays injury free the sky's the limit. No way he should be batting as high at 7 mind, jeeeeeez.

Chris Woakes (RCB) 5 games, 8 wickets @ 23.75, going at 10.36. Got took to the cleaners at the death a few times and hasn't been seen since, with Southee taking over his role as the overseas seamer. Given they have Kohli/ABDV, RCB seem to have wasted resources by picking both McCullum and QDK and picking "luxury" all-rounders like Anderson and De Grandhomme. Given he's a capable batsman and he'd shown an ability to take wickets he's been slightly harshly done by, but then that's what you get with RCB (20 players picked so far this season, 2nd bottom of the table)

Moeen Ali (RCB) 1 game, 10 runs and 0-19 in 3 overs. Very limited game time for Moeen, was picked for their last game and performed ok so he may get a little run in the side but the balance of their squad means it's unlikely. RCB have plenty of spin options (Chahal, Washington, M.Ashwin and Negi) so they'll often go with a seamer for their all-rounder spot (Anderson/De Grandhomme). If they wanted to be left-field he wouldn't be the worst choice as a pinch-hitting opener

Alex Hales (SRH) 3 games, 95 runs @ 31.66, SR 126. Replacement when Warner got banned. Sat out the first 7 games as SRH used the overseas spot for Stanlake/Nabi. Injury to Stanlake meant a re-shuffle, Sandeep coming in as a domestic seamer and Hales getting his chance. the team looks stronger for it, they're going well at the top of the table and he's made contributions (2 scores of 45). He has the backing of a stellar bowling attack and steady players around him (Dhawan/Willimason) so it looks a good fit for him. He'll want to make a really telling contribution soon to nail down his spot in the side but so far he's made a positive impact. SRH are almost certain to make the play-off's, so he'll have extra opportunities to showcase his talents.

Another excellent article by Ian at sportdw on opening batsman in t20s

http://www.sportdw.com/2018/05/cricket-opening-batsmen-explosive.html

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dcw1ky4XcAExEnc.jpg)

Basically saying why do these Ipl sides sign explosive match winning batsman and expect them to be consistent Munro a good example this time

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dcv3MwDX0AASRrK.jpg)

Great write up of our boys' performances nellberg, many thanks!

Yup v good, thx!

Yeh, they've handled both Munro and Roy poorly. Have to take the rough with the smooth with that type of player

No worries  :)up

IPL is becoming my favourite sporting event of the year. This year has been particularly good with so many close matches.


I have become a real Kane Williamson fan boy. I have always thought he was a vastly underrated batsman but didn't realise what a leader he is. He has taken a team perhaps lacking some of the star power of other sides and led them to some amazing victories. His captaincy is intriguing....... he trusts his bowlers and sets fields suited not only suited to their style but to the stage of the game. I'm really pulling for the Sunrisers to win it all this year.

Me too, I've lumped on thanks to a tighty/BE recommend (can't remember which)!

Buttler continued his excellent form yesterday. Stokes was economical but no wickets. Opening the batting as well, which given RR started the tournament with a load of opening options is a bit bizarre

I thought Stokes looked utterly clueless at the top of the innings. Whilst Buttler was scoring fast with proper cricket shots and timing, Stokes just wanted to put the ball into orbit with premeditated heaves. A man who has forgotten the type of batting that got him the big contract.............

Buttler again amazing, and Jofra the stand-out bowler. Even Stokes managed a few poles!

RE last game, I'd have a little bit of sympathy for him. He's playing an unfamiliar role and he may well have had the instructions to make sure he utilized the first 6, given how frenetic he batted.

Missed it today damn......

IPL was at it's most unpredictable today, KXIP bowled out for 88 with almost 5 overs remaining at a ground where 425 runs were scored last game. Go hard or go home (!)

Moeen bowled a tidy few overs inamongst the carnage.

Buttlerstan play tomorrow :-)

one way to celebrate a test recall

A.B deVilliers' catch to dismiss Alex Hales in the game today is well worth a watch.

England player watch:

Buttler finally failed to make a 50, but his previous efforts got him an England test recall. I think he'll be of more use to England if we allow him to specialize solely on white ball skills rather than him trying to adapt his game to red ball cricket, but we'll see. Stokes again couldn't make an impact with the bat, but bowled well and was finally amongst the wickets.

Yesterday Moeen blazed a 50 for RCB and got Hales out (As Nick says, De Villiers catch was a little bit tasty!) Hales has got 3 "decent" scores and 3 low ones so far, he'll be itching to go big though. His place in the side is secure and they defintely have at least 3 games left, so he'll get the opportunity.