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[poondu]

Kolkata aim to bow out on a high

Big picture

At long last, we have a dead rubber in IPL 3.0. Unless, of course, Kolkata Knight Riders beat Mumbai Indians, and by a margin so huge that they move from their current net run-rate of -0.456 to higher than Royal Challengers Bangalore's 0.219. This match will be of more interest to Mumbai, though, who will want to enter knockouts on a winning note.

Form guide

Kolkata WLLWL
Mumbai WWWLL

Team talk

Mumbai made an interesting move by opening with Ryan McLaren against Bangalore. McLaren scored a 42-ball 40 and took 1 for 21 in a Man-of-the-Match performance. They could give that opening combination another chance.

Dilhara Fernando, given two chances after Lasith Malinga was rested, has created a headache too: his split-finger slower ball hasn't been picked at all, and his eight overs have gone for 56 runs and four wickets.

The third team issue for Mumbai is the wicketkeeper: neither of Aditya Tare, Ambati Rayudu or Chandan Madan has been good with the big gloves. For the Bangalore match, Tare came back, and wasn't great. In the same game, Abhishek Nayar returned to fitness and played ahead of Ali Murtaza and R Sathish. Monday's match will be one final opportunity for Mumbai to sort out the combinations before the knockout stage.

Kolkata could decide to draft in those who haven't had many opportunities this year.

Previously

Mumbai 4, Kolkata 1

In their first match this season, Mumbai managed to subdue Kolkata with yorkers and low full tosses: Chris Gayle scored 75 off 60, and Kolkata 155 with only three wickets down. Mumbai chased it down with ease.

In the spotlight

Who knows where Sourav Ganguly will be in next year's IPL. Will Kolkata want to retain him? On paper there is no reason why they shouldn't: Ganguly has been their most consistent, and perhaps the best, batsman this year. That their best batsman has struck at 118 per 100 balls tells the season's story. If Kolkata don't, who will buy him at the next draft? And will Ganguly, who turns 38 in July, want to play anyway? Given all these considerations, it might just be Ganguly's last effort for Kolkata.

The last time Sachin Tendulkar played at the Eden Gardens, he scored a Test century against South Africa in a famous series-levelling, No.1-retaining win for India. The Eden crowds have been the most partisan in the IPL: when Virender Sehwag scored a half-century for Delhi Daredevils, he met with a hush from the same crowd he had sent into delirium in that Test match. If Tendulkar gets going, though, it will be the biggest test of how partisan the crowd can be.

Prime numbers and trivia

# Of the 20 bowlers who have taken 10 wickets or more, none comes from Kolkata. Four Mumbai bowlers, including Kieron Pollard, feature on that list.

# Kolkata haven't had regular specialist bowlers: neither of them has played more than nine matches.

# If Mumbai win, they will have won 11 matches; in the last two seasons put together they won 12.

The chatter
"A lot of people are also surprised by my fielding. I am not, because it is just a reflection of the hard work put in throughout the year. That's what makes it more frustrating. We were not that bad a team to have to depend on others to know our fate."
Sourav Ganguly sums up a disappointing season.

Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo

http://www.cricinfo.com/ipl2010/content/story/456558.html

[ramshorns]

They should call this match off and bring in some school kids to play a few 10 over a side matches and entertain the crowd instead. Ganguly should be the umpire.

[keep-it-cool]

I hope all players are not travelling to Kolkata. There is no point in all that exertion with a SF to play in a couple of days.

I would probably get Malinga back for this match to make sure that he is not rusty for the semis. He has been resting for a while now. I would also look to get Bravo into the mix to see whether he can get some form with the bat and ball.

I would rest SRT and Zaheer. The youngsters can all play, as this is the time for them to play as much as they can.

My team - the idea should be to give Duminy & Bravo as much time with the bat as possible.

Duminy
Dhawan
Tare
Bravo
Tiwary
Rayudu
Nayar
Malinga
Fernando
Harbhajan
Murtuza

[justforkix]

If KKR score 250 batting 1st and bundle out MI for 75, KKR will qualify ahead of RCB 

[LosingNow]

How about 300 and 125

[keep-it-cool]

It may be easier the other way round.

If KKR dismiss MI for 100, they need to get the runs in how many overs?

[keep-it-cool]

Ok. Forget I asked that.

[dextrous]

It may be easier the other way round.

If KKR dismiss MI for 100, they need to get the runs in how many overs?

8 i think

[LosingNow]

Exactly to kic

[dextrous]

If KKR score 250 batting 1st and bundle out MI for 75, KKR will qualify ahead of RCB 

Considering the other team is full of Ganguly's men, perhaps it can happen

[keep-it-cool]

It may be easier the other way round.

If KKR dismiss MI for 100, they need to get the runs in how many overs?

8 i think

nope. they need to get it in -1 over or something like that.

[justforkix]

It may be easier the other way round.

If KKR dismiss MI for 100, they need to get the runs in how many overs?

8 i think

nope. they need to get it in -1 over or something like that.

yeah, chasing is almost impossible. Even if they get MI to 50, KKR needs to get that in 8 balls 

which is why the above margin of 175 margins is at least possible on paper 

[keep-it-cool]

It may be easier the other way round.

If KKR dismiss MI for 100, they need to get the runs in how many overs?

8 i think

nope. they need to get it in -1 over or something like that.

yeah, chasing is almost impossible. Even if they get MI to 50, KKR needs to get that in 8 balls 

which is why the above margin of 175 margins is at least possible on paper 

50 in 8 balls also wont do. Why 8 balls, 50 in 0 balls will also get them to 0.198 only

[keep-it-cool]

Hmmm ...so should MI allow KKR in, so that they get an easier opponent in the SFs?

[justforkix]

Hmmm ...so should MI allow KKR in, so that they get an easier opponent in the SFs?

what if KKR unleash Agarkar and Ishant - does MI have any answer to that

[keep-it-cool]

Hmmm ...so should MI allow KKR in, so that they get an easier opponent in the SFs?

what if KKR unleash Agarkar and Ishant - does MI have any answer to that

Fernando. He has not achieved his potential so far ...but when he does ....

[justforkix]

All teams have only 1 Balaji. But KKR has 2 - Aggy and IS and KXIP has 3 - IP, SS, PC 

[keep-it-cool]

I am sure Aggy has better figures than Vinay Kumar and Praveen Kumar

PC actually started doing reasonably well after being picked for the Indian team.

[dextrous]

ah, i will jump the MI bandwagon for sachin and the other langotiya yaar.

unless dhoni drops hayden, then i may reconsider my support.

[dextrous]

I am sure Aggy has better figures than Vinay Kumar and Praveen Kumar

PC actually started doing reasonably well after being picked for the Indian team.

isn't this vinay guy in the indian team now? woh hindi mai kya kehte hai...lolly pop balls se wicket pe wicket mil raha hai usko

[keep-it-cool]

If KKR score 250 batting 1st and bundle out MI for 75, KKR will qualify ahead of RCB 

May be more interesting to figure out by what margin should KKR not lose so that they finish above RR

[keep-it-cool]

For KKR to finish above RR (even if they lose)

Batting first - make sure that MI takes more than 17 overs to cross its score

Batting second - make sure they do not lose by more than c24-26 runs

[dhruvdeepak]

For KKR to finish above RR (even if they lose)

Batting first - make sure that MI takes more than 17 overs to cross its score

Batting second - make sure they do not lose by more than c24-26 runs

does it actually matter?

bottom four is bottom four.

there is no relegation here!

[keep-it-cool]

For KKR to finish above RR (even if they lose)

Batting first - make sure that MI takes more than 17 overs to cross its score

Batting second - make sure they do not lose by more than c24-26 runs

does it actually matter?

bottom four is bottom four.

there is no relegation here!

if we can spend a lot of time figuring out whether a 150 run or 175 run margin will take them to the top 4, isme bhi thoda dimaag laga dete hain

[justforkix]

while we are at this, how much do they have to win by to go past DD

[keep-it-cool]

while we are at this, how much do they have to win by to go past DD

Chasing - need to overhaul target in approx 6 overs

Defending - need to win by around 120 runs

[keep-it-cool]

Basically even CSK losing would not have done it for KKR. They needed CSK to lose AND DD to win in order to have a realistic chance.

[justforkix]

well, KKRh ad to have overhauled RR's total in the prev game in 10-11 overs - their best chance to improve NRR big time was in the rpevious game after they restricted RR to 130.

[keep-it-cool]

well, KKRh ad to have overhauled RR's total in the prev game in 10-11 overs - their best chance to improve NRR big time was in the rpevious game after they restricted RR to 130.

Plus in their second game against RCB, they had reached a stage where they needed 30 odd in 8 overs with 8 wickets in hand and ended up dragging it all the way into the 19th or 20th over. That also hurts on hindsight.

[Sakshi]

I really enjoy watching MI and KKR. Sachin Rocks.... I dont really care about KKR or RCB.... I just want Mumbai to win. MI Rocks... Let me guess who will win the man os the match.. Guys even you'll can guess and win exciting prizes...

[keep-it-cool]

Mumbai have decided to bat first. That rules out Kolkata mathematically as well, and we have a large enough crowd.

Wriddhiman Saha and David Hussey have been called in for Kolkata, Laxmi Shukla and Chris Gayle have been left out because of injury issues. Several changes for Mumbai: Shikhar Dhawan for Sachin Tendulkar, Dwayne Bravo for Kieron Pollard, R Sathish for Abhishek Nayar, Ali Murtaza for Harbhajan Singh and Stuart Binny for Zaheer Khan. Bravo is the captain for Mumbai.

[keep-it-cool]

Not playing Malinga may be a mistake. He could be rusty in the SFs after such a long break.

[keep-it-cool]

Mumbai's bowling looks really weak: Mclaren, Fernando, Murtuza, Stuart Binny & Bravo.

[keep-it-cool]

Bond takes Tare (makeshift opener) out. 3/1 in one over.

Great chance for KKR to get another victory under its belt against the Mumbai B/C team.

[ganavk]

I am sure Aggy has better figures than Vinay Kumar and Praveen Kumar

PC actually started doing reasonably well after being picked for the Indian team.

I would be surprised if that is the case. How about some data ? I remember someone also talking as if Vinay did not deserve his place but he was the go to guy for Kumble ( Bowling death overs normally 18th and 20th) in most of the matches and as you can see BRC did not give too many runs in last 5-6 overs except in few matches

[adhunikbarbarian]

low total by MI....

[vincent]

One can see the absence of Tendulkar in Mumbai's score.

[LosingNow]

A Ganguly match becoming a non-event on this DG.. never thought that day would come

[LosingNow]

Anyway, nice score in a dead match..

This may be the last time one sees him bat !!

[vincent]

After all they can claim a 9 wickets victory over Mumbai who may be (I hope just may be) the future champions.