IPL 5: Hopeful Deccan up against inconsistent Chennai

After tasting their second win of IPL 5 in the last match, Deccan Chargers will be confident when they clash with an inconsistent Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday. The game assumes greater importance for both the teams as they find themselves in a must-win situation. The Hyderabad-based franchise is at the bottom on the leaderboard with five points from nine games as opposed to Chennai who are at fifth with nine points after 10 outings.

I am out of form, admits Ross Taylor

New Delhi: Scoring just 91 runs in seven matches, Delhi Daredevils' New Zealand import Ross Taylor on Friday accepted that though the team's batsmen have done well so far in the ongoing Indian Premier League, his own form has been scratchy up to this point.

"The team has batted well, but yes, I am out of form," Taylor said on the sidelines of a function here. Delhi's top order, led by skipper Virender Sehwag, has fired in unison to score in bulk for their side that is leading the tournament's points table. Sehwag has scored 445 runs so far, while England’s Kevin Pietersen amassed 305 before he left for national duty.

IPL 5: Can't afford to lose next two games, says Vettori

Bangalore: Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori said that his team fell short by 50 to 60 runs despite Chris Gayle (71) and Virat Kohli (45) putting on 118-run second wicket stand together and laying a solid platform against Kings XI Punjab in their last IPL match.

"We lost momentum in the last five overs of our innings. The way they [Kings XI Punjab] bowled demoralised us and we could not score 50 or 60 runs in the slog overs," Vettori said at the post-match press conference in Bangalore. Vettori said that the team wasted the advantage that Gayle and Kohli provided by taking the RCB to 122 for 1 by the 15th over on a pitch

Chris Gayle boycotts county contract, will join national team

New Delhi: Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle scrapped his deal with Somerset county and made himself available for the national team and virtually ended his year-long stand-off with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

But Gayle, who is playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB), in a statement said that he is committed to West Indies cricket and told Somerset that he will not be honouring the contract. Gayle told the West Indies selectors that he will be available for the ODI series in England after the IPL.

IPL 5: My wicket was crucial, says Ganguly

Pune: Describing his wicket as the turning point of the match, Pune Warriors captain Sourav Ganguly on Thursday said that his side should have overwhelmed the 121-run target set by Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League match here.

Set to chase Mumbai's modest total of 120 for 9, Pune lost wickets at the top, and it took a 47-run fifth-wicket

stand between Ganguly (16) and Mithun Manhas (42 not out) to keep the home team in the hunt.

IPL 5: Tendulkar advocates free-flowing batting

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Pune: Notwithstanding his perfectionist image, Sachin Tendulkar believes that "surrendering" to the

subconscious mind while batting can be a good idea. "It is good to surrender yourself to the subconscious mind (while batting). The conscious mind can sometimes create problems," he said during an interaction with budding

cricketers of a local club here on Thursday.