T&T beat Deccan, Somerset squeak through

Deccan Chargers were the champions of the 2nd IPL season.  But they have never won a game at their home stadium.  Now they have been defeated by the West Indian T20 champions, Trinidad & Tobago as well as the English runners up Somerset.

So Somerset go through to the Super 8 and Marcus Trescothick can continue his first overseas cricket since his illness struck.  Sussex’ exit had left English cricket in danger of being embarrassed at this tournament, but the Sabres will now have two matches against the Sharks’ conquerors Diamond Eagles and New South Wales Blues.

Sussex have already returned home speaking of the improvements they need to make to reach the level of these teams, and NSW in particular, next season.  This from the champions of the country which invented T20, now surpassed by all of the leading cricket nations around the world.  This competition at least gives them the opportunity to learn and improve their chances domestically, especially as there is talk of the next installment taking place in England.

T&T boast an excellent team, featuring internationals Lendl Simmonds, Dwayne and Darren Bravo and well led by Daren Ganga.  Their spin bowling attack lends them a weapon that most teams struggle to match – Dave Mohammed, Samuel Badree and Sherwin Ganga each offering a different variation on the theme.

Their fielding is also top notch, and it was this that swung the match, with Keiron Pollard’s outstanding diving catch on the boundary to remove Adam Gilchrist, who seemed to be on the verge of winning the match almost singlehandedly.  From that point, wickets fell at the right times for T&T, until Dwayne Bravo produced an excellent final over to complete the win.

From this point the teams are divided into two further groups of four.  Teams play the two teams they have yet to face, with points being carried forward from the initial group match.  The standings are currently as follows:

League A: New South Wales Blues (2 points), Trinidad & Tobago (2), Somerset (0), Diamond Eagles (0)

League B: Cape Cobras (2 points), Victoria Bushrangers (2), Royal Challengers Bangalore (0), Delhi Daredevils (0)

Semi-final prediction: Cape Cobras v Trinidad & Tobago; NSW Blues v Royal Challengers Bangalore

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