Cricket- a religion: Another week gone by in IPL2009

Race for the top has never been so close... 2 teams go on top on a day ( DD, DC) and then the other two go on top the next day.. (CSK, RR)... Very close fight amongst all the teams, a treat for the viewers..

DC: 3 losses this week (May2-May9).. They still find themselves in the top 4 with another match in hand as against KXIP... Couple of wins can see them into the semis.. The team heavily depends on Gilly and Gibbsy.. The others need to develop into match winners than just play second fiddle to the top 2 ..

DD: A side that has still Maharoof and McGrath, and Vettori for the last few matches on the bench has to be balanced.. Won-2 and lost-1 under GAUTI... Yes! Viru is still warming the bench .. :P Looks very strong and determined to win this edition of IPL.

KXIP: Surprising that they are winning some nail biters those which should have been won in a better fashion.. Lost an equal number of games as they have won to be placed 5.. With just 4 matches to go for them, a win in 3 or 2 spectacular wins may just reserve a berth for them in the semis..

CSK: On a Roll !! Inspirational captaincy, Mighty Matthew, Raina storms, Balaji and Jakati's cool headed bowling etc...... Just doesn't end.. Anybody who saw their match against KXIP would know how brutal CSK can be on any day..

RCB: RCB have just lost the plot unfortunately.. Well, I shouldn't be saying this as they had only 2 matches.. Magnificent win against MI and a IPL08 performance against RR evens things out with fans quite happy that RCB are back to their best (losing).. They have to pull up their socks as they are a match short with 8 points, need to win most of the remaining matches.

MI: An unexpected and an unwanted downward trend losing all their matches.. Sorry state of affairs, another loss and they could well be out of the game...

RR: Same as every other post on RR, Captain Marvellous is inspirational even amidst Steve Waugh asking the world not to read too much into Warne's captaincy in a T20 game... RR just as CSK are on a roll, well these 2 teams lock horns today !! May well make it to the semis, but the absence of key performers like Amit Singh and Kamran may be a dent in their armoury..

KKR: A team that is just destined to lose.. Had a bizarre match against DD.. Posted their highest team total of 154, talks of Dada being "rested".. Batting will be donned by the Intl. players., bowling by rookies...

Highlights

Masterful captaincy in holding back Yusuf Pathan when RR were 3/3 , RR went on to win the match against DC..
Jakati 4-for spinning CSK to win against DD, when DD were cruising to a win..
Kallis and Uthappa hitting MI to the cleanest and posting a 9 wicket win for RCB..
Another Jakati special 4-for , against DC !!
first ever 200+ scorein IPL09.. RR vs KXIP
The bizarre match in which Ganguly, icon player, did not bat..
Rohit Sharma hattrick, 4wkts in 5balls..

Spell of the week : Rohit Sharma.. Batsmen are making it to this award more thatn the bowlers, Jakati would have given him a close run but a hattrick seals it doesn't it? 4wkts in 5 balls to hand MI a defeat..

Sidelined players: Glenn McGrath, Mortaza, Ashraful ,Ntini, Vettori..

Player of the week :Jakati or Hayden.. Consistent wickets and Consistent runs.. On all occasions the team has won...

Funny play : Ganguly not getting to bat... Icon, Maharaj of Kolkata and doesn't feature in Kolkata's batting..

Worst Commentary: Sixes which were DLF maximums have now become DLFers... "Thats another DLFer"-so goes the commentary.. More interested in spelling out a DLFer, searching for a CTI moment of success and what not.. Commentary has lost its colour...

Over of the week : Yet another 19th over features here, this time from Raina.. After all the main bowlers were hit for runs and the match well poised MSD comes up with the idea of bowling Raina.. How on earth can you think of such a weird idea!! It paid off and CSK won a thriller...

Partnership of the week: If Smith and Ojha's opening stand of 135 in 15overs was special , MSD and Hayden's against KXIP was better... The array of shots that the two portrayed were amazing, 2 of the most well-built batsmen, the 4s went like a lightning and 6s way back into the stands..

Pathan of the week: Both.. Irfan for getting back his swing and Yusuf for his match winning abilities..

Comebacks : Sreesanth and Ramiz Raja .. ??!!??!! and the 3 aussies - Symmo, D.Hussey and Lee..

Quote of the week : MSD admitting in the press that he was not hitting the ball well and is in poor form.. Who does that in these days ! Usually, it will be "I am hitting the ball well its just that I am not able to score big".. MSD promotes himself to No.3 and a fifty !!