Week 1 - Match 4 - Chennai Super Kings vs Pune Warriors - Both teams submitted

Welcome to the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, home of the Chennai Super Kings.

Pitch Conditions = Fast and high bouncing making this pitch a fast bowling heaven. The ball will zip around and carry through high to the keeper. However, the bounce will make the pitch easy to bat on against any bowlers who aren't quick.

-----

Please post tactics below.

-----

Chennai Super Kings Lineup

Vijay
Afridi
Hussey
Raina
Srikkanth
Albie Morkel
Dhoni (c)(wk)
Southee
Joginder Sharma
Nannes
Ashwin

Tactics: Bowl first if we win the toss. My two out and out fast bowlers, Southee and Nannes, will open the bowling with the new ball to make use of the hardness of the ball, and the bounce on offer. Joginder Sharma and Albie Morkel, both capable of good pace will be my two change bowlers, coming on after roughly 2 overs a piece from the openers, who will then be saved for the 'death' bowling. Spin will be provided by Ashwin and Afridi, with Afridi bowling more overs in all probability due to his leggies being fast and making use of the bounce on offer, whereas Ashwin relies more on turn.

I have opened the batting with Afridi, if anyone can take advantage of short balls in the power play overs by clobbering them into the stands it is him, with the ever reliable Mike Hussey coming in at 3. Raina has been placed at number 5, in order to avoid the new ball spell from PW's fastest bowlers, though in T20 the bouncing out doesn't work anywhere near as well as in Tests...with only 1 bouncer allowed per over. I have no worries about the bounce affecting Raina - his enormous baseball bat shots off Stuart Broad bouncers recently have given me confidence! A lower middle order of Morkel Dhoni and Southee offers huge hitting options, and will look to make the most of the last 5 or 6 overs. Joginder Sharma is no slouch with the bat, and will be able to knock a quick few runs at the very end if he is required. If the openers get off to a good start, my batting order is flexible and would see Morkel, Dhoni and Raina coming in sooner than scheduled.

So, in summary: Nannes 4 overs (1, 3, 18, 20)
Southee 4 overs (2, 4, 17, 19)
Sharma 4 overs (5, 7, 9, 16)
Morkel 4 overs (6, 8, 12, 14)
Afridi 2/3 overs (10, 13, 15)
Ashwin 1/2 overs (11, 15)


-----

Pune Warriors

Craig Kieswetter (wk)
Virat Kohli
Paul Valthaty
Yuvraj Singh (captain)
Ajinkya Rahane
JP Duminy
Angelo Mathews
Graeme Swann
Praveen Kumar
Shaun Tait
Jaydev Unadkat


On a quick pitch, Pune have chosen to go in with an attack consisting of three, frontline seamers. Tait, Unadkat and Praveen are my three key players in this game.

Conveniently, as Fists wants to bowl first, I would chose to bat first if I win the toss. As the pitch is offering a bit to the bowlers, Virat Kohli would open instead of Paul Valthaty to negate the new ball with his superior technique. Hopefully Craig Kieswetter would be equipped to cope with quicker pitches due to his South African up bringing. And if we got through the power play with only 1/2 wickets down, it would be the perfect base for Yuvraj, JP and Angelo to fire later on and take advantage of the spinners. I am not looking for too bigger a score here, only a minimum of 160 and if I get a good, solid start then that should be easily within range thanks to my hitters.

I would open the bowling with Tait and Praveen, and Shaun would be in his element in these conditions and with scoreboard pressure CSK would have to tee off as soon as. Even if Tait didn't get wickets, he would not be easy to score off in these conditions, and so CSK would have to attack from the other end and this would play into the hands of the metronomic Praveen Kumar as hitting him off his length would only create chances and wickets. Then after two overs each I would introduce Unadkat and Mathews into the attack and whilst these players are not lightning quick they probing and accurate and would force mistakes due to the scoreboard pressure after Tait and Praveen's immediate bursts. Althought the pitch does not suit spinners, Graeme Swann would adapt and know his role, which would be to bowl darts and keep the scoring rate to a minimum and just rush through his four overs. And I have plenty of options if Swann gets hit as Singh, JP and Virat can all bowl if needed. Then again at the death we have two overs of Tait. With all the batsman expecting the short ball on this fast pitch, the 95mph yorker will be nigh on unplayable.

Tait - Overs 1, 3, 18, 20
Praveen - Overs 2, 4, 17, 19
Mathews - Overs 5, 9, 11, 15
Unadkat - Overs 6, 8, 14, 16
Swann - Overs 7, 10, 12
Kohli/Singh/Duminy - Over 13.

Nice Time for messrs Southee, Nannes and Morkel to do some damage! Will post my tactics and team shortly.

Presumably the bounce will be pretty handy for the spinners too, especially the likes of Afridi with his quick leggies. Not much turn but the bounce can be pretty dangerous.

Yeah the pitch will bounce but not spin much, but the ball might sit up to be hit.

Yeah that is why I'm going with Afridi, due to his flat, fast legbreaks, and leaving the slower spinners in ajmal and mendis out.

Fists before buying your spinners did you know that your home stadium was a fast bowlers paradise? :P

My bowling attack is equipped for any conditions mate. Nannes will be a spiteful bowler on a bouncy surface, as will Southee. Couple of guys that bowl in the mid 80's in Morkel and Sharma to back them up, too.

Morkel would be my worry for you mate, can be wild at times. Agree about Southee and Nannes though

Yeah just need to hope it's one of those times where he gets it right

JUst looked at the Pune side, they've only got one real fast bowler, Tait, and he is just as wild, so all is well (hopefully)!

Few good all-rounders

Thankfully no serious pace from the all-rounders though, might come on to the bat nicely.

Do we PM our line ups to Gregers, or how do we do this!

Post them here, mate

Yeah I'll add them to the main post when you have jdizzle

Craig Kieswetter (wk)
Virat Kohli
Paul Valthaty
Yuvraj Singh (captain)
JP Duminy
Manish Pandey
Angelo Mathews
Graeme Swann
Praveen Kumar
Shaun Tait
Jaydev Unadkat


On a quick pitch, Pune have chosen to go in with an attack consisting of three, frontline seamers. Tait, Unadkat and Praveen are my three key players in this game.

Conveniently, as Fists wants to bowl first, I would chose to bat first if I win the toss. As the pitch is offering a bit to the bowlers, Virat Kohli would open instead of Paul Valthaty to negate the new ball with his superior technique. Hopefully Craig Kieswetter would be equipped to cope with quicker pitches due to his South African up bringing. And if we got through the power play with only 1/2 wickets down, it would be the perfect base for Yuvraj, JP and Angelo to fire later on and take advantage of the spinners. I am not looking for too bigger a score here, only a minimum of 160 and if I get a good, solid start then that should be easily within range thanks to my hitters.

I would open the bowling with Tait and Praveen, and Shaun would be in his element in these conditions and with scoreboard pressure CSK would have to tee off as soon as. Even if Tait didn't get wickets, he would not be easy to score off in these conditions, and so CSK would have to attack from the other end and this would play into the hands of the metronomic Praveen Kumar as hitting him off his length would only create chances and wickets. Then after two overs each I would introduce Unadkat and Mathews into the attack and whilst these players are not lightning quick they probing and accurate and would force mistakes due to the scoreboard pressure after Tait and Praveen's immediate bursts. Althought the pitch does not suit spinners, Graeme Swann would adapt and know his role, which would be to bowl darts and keep the scoring rate to a minimum and just rush through his four overs. And I have plenty of options if Swann gets hit as Singh, JP and Virat can all bowl if needed. Then again at the death we have two overs of Tait. With all the batsman expecting the short ball on this fast pitch, the 95mph yorker will be nigh on unplayable.

Tait - Overs 1, 3, 18, 20
Praveen - Overs 2, 4, 17, 19
Mathews - Overs 5, 9, 11, 15
Unadkat - Overs 6, 8, 14, 16
Swann - Overs 7, 10, 12
Kohli/Singh/Duminy - Over 13

Cheers jdizzle, have added that to the OP.

No worries. Very interesting match up I think. On a spinning pitch Chennai would be favourites, but with the fast conditions makes it a lot more interesting!

Yeah it is an interesting one, both of us have a nasty Aussie fast bowler looking to do some damage!

this is a tight match, can't decide who would win right now, two of the strongest teams in the comp IMO

Mumbai look the strongest side imo

Gregers/Fists, I have traded Manish Pandey away to RCB, so could you put Rahane in my side instead please. In the number 5 slot, with JP at number 6. Cheers guys.

Done