Week 7 - Match 2 - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings

Welcome to Eden Gardens. Home of the Kolkata Knights Riders.

Pitch Conditions: A slow low pitch which will benefit the slower bowlers and those bowlers who can slide the ball on or take pace off the ball. Once a batsmen is in they will start to find batting easier.

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Please post tactics below...

Good conditions for me these, I expect my spinners will be difficult to play, as will the likes of Bravo.

Thankfully, with 2 of Indians finest ODI/T20 batsmen in Raina and Dhoni, I have two guys well adept to playing on such pitches.

Toss:Bat first

Jacques Kallis
Ambati Rayudu
Cheteshwar Pujara
Abhishek Nayar
Eoin Morgan
Shakib Al Hasan
Yusuf Pathan
Zaheer Khan
Devendra Bishoo
Muttiah Muralitharan
Pragyan Ojha

Because of the slow nature of the pitch,I have packed my side with Indian batsmen as they are very good players of spin.Nayar replaces Gayle and he is a very good player of spin.We look to bat first,post a decent score and choke CSK with our spin attack and Zaheer Khan who is adept at bowling even on slow pitches.

Overs Allocation

Zaheer:1,3,18,20
Shakib:2,4,6,8
Murali:5,7,17,19
Ojha:9,11,13,15
Bishoo:10,12,14,16

Chennai Super Kings

Vijay
Mike Hussey
Badrinath
Raina
Dhoni
Dwayne Bravo
Afridi
Jakati
R Ashwin
Theron
Mendis

Toss: bat first and apply scoreboard pressure, though in these conditions I don't think the toss is overly important, so don't really mind.

Given that this pitch favours those that can take pace off and slide the ball on, I have gone with Dwayne Bravo and Theron as my new ball pair. Theron will bowl with his usual bag of tricks and Bravo will look to bowl cutters and slower balls, mix it up. I have also picked my spinners to suit the sliding on conditions. Afridi bowls flat, sliding leg spin as we know, so he should come in useful, and Mendis with his unique style can slide the ball on with those weird fingertip deliveries, a carrom ball I believe they call it. Ashwin, as demonstrated recently in the India vs England ODI's, also bowls this delivery well. Jakati, Raina and Hussey all provide further bowling options should they be required.

Vijay Raina Badrinath and Dhoni are all well adept at playing in such conditions, so alongside Mike Hussey, Bravo and Afridi I feel I have a very strong batting lineup. Jakati and Ashwin can provide lower order hitting if they're required.

take your time mate, they havent gotta be in till tomorrow midnight

Ah cool, cheers.

ah i see you left out albie morkel again then..

Yeah I just can't trust him as a new ball bowler, bravo has a lot more control.

Morkel is someone that I pick on flatter decks that are batsman friendly as he is lethal then, or on a seaming track where my overseas spinners aren't required. I rate Morkel very highly but it's difficult to fit them all in when I need my overseas spinners to take advantage of the conditions.

i am very suprised that Chris Gayle didnt play.