RCB's top six batsmen have to convert the starts: Albie Morkel

By B D Narayankar

Bangalore: Royal Challengers Bangalore allrounder Albie Morkel has said that at least one of their top six batsmen would need to score a big one in Friday's match if they are keen to get the better of indomitable Kings XI Punjab.
"Most of our batsmen got good starts. But we didn't convert. The best innings was of AB (de Villiers) who hit 89. And if you want to win T20 games, out of the top 5-6 batsmen, one has to go out and score a big one.
"30s and 40s can win you games on occasions. From our batting point of view, we are aiming that somebody should score a big one," Morkel told reporters on the eve of the match.

The team needs to win at least five out of the seven remaining games, and the South African allrounder said, "We have seven games to play and have to win five to qualify for semifinals. Certainly, our goal is to play well in the next seven games."

Morkel said RCB would try to take advantage of the home conditions and win three consecutive matches in Bangalore.
"It is a blessing in disguise to play three matches (in Bangalore). If you want to qualify, you have to win home matches. We will go out and try to win all three. We are proud of our record here," said Morkel.
"We are playing Punjab tomorrow. It is going to be a tough contest. They have a few dangerous batsmen. But we are taking things game by game. We haven't yet peaked. Hopefully, that happens tomorrow.
"We all know Virat Kohli is a feisty character and he will be up for it (to win five out of seven games). I think the team will respond very well. It is going to be a good contest. We are prepared like any other game. Hopefully, we recharge ourselves," he said.
Morkel said his team is a very competitive but the batting hasn't clicked as expected.
"We have been doing so many things right and were close to winning games. I think our batting unit probably has not done well as expected," he said.
Replying to a query, Morkel said quite a few niggles were
there, but nothing to worry.
     "There are few niggles. Those are not new injuries. They
have been carrying for a while now. They can play with it.
Just they have to manage it well. For tomorrow's game, I think
everyone is fit. The physio is working overtime. We would
entertain the people and 'Gaylestorm' is around," he said.
     On Mitchell Starc and Kieron Pollard's ugly on-field
spat, Morkel said "both players went wrong and from RCB's
point of view, we don't want this to be repeated".
     "It should not have happened," he said.
     Morkel also said that such incidents always happen in
Mumbai as the crowd gets behind the opposition teams.
     "It always happens when you play in Mumbai. The games I
played for Chennai, the matches in Mumbai were always heated.
The crowd gets behind them," he pointed out. 

Every team has a chance to comeback in India leg of IPL: Yuvraj Singh

B D Narayankar reports

Bangalore, May 2 (PTI) Senior Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh today said though Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings are sitting at top of the table, the seventh edition of IPL is still wide open and there is chance for every team to stage a comeback.

"This is the time when teams leading would like to consolidate, teams like ours` would like to recover the lost ground and sides like Mumbai Indians would like to change their fortunes. As far as my experience says, everything is possible in this game," he said in an article on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) website.

The Punjab southpaw said the Bangalore outfit believe they can be return back to winning ways if they play to their potential and use home conditions to their advantage.

"We know this for a fact, that if we play to our full potential, we can be back to winning ways. Everyone in the group believes this very strongly and are aspiring to make things better. And that`s what we aim to do when we get back to Bangalore," he said.

"Before getting back to Bangalore, we have two days to recharge our batteries and channelise our energies. Hopefully, the familiar surroundings of our home ground can make this recovery a little easier," he added. Yuvraj, who has had a rough time the last couple of matches, said the team need to overcome from their last three defats in the UAE leg of the tournament.
"Losing three matches in a row is definitely a setback, which we need to overcome very quickly. We had one terrible game against Rajasthan Royals and the other two games we just didn`t play the crucial moments well," he said.

Yuvraj said RCB has plenty of positives, including the right set-up and right combination of talents. "Honestly speaking, we have plenty of them. We have the right set-up, right players, great support staff and a very sporting franchise," he said.

"In this format, you lose and win your battles in a very short span and unlike Test cricket or One-Day cricket, you don`t have many chances to make a comeback," the Punjab lad added.

"We started this year`s IPL on a right note with two consecutive wins. Though, by the end of the first leg of the IPL, we somehow couldn`t carry forward that initiative."

Every team has a chance to comeback in India leg of IPL: Yuvraj Singh

B D Narayankar reports

Bangalore, May 1 (PTI) : Senior Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh today said though Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings are sitting at top of the table, the seventh edition of IPL is still wide open and there is chance for every team to stage a comeback.

"This is the time when teams leading would like to consolidate, teams like ours` would like to recover the lost ground and sides like Mumbai Indians would like to change their fortunes. As far as my experience says, everything is possible in this game," he said in an article on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) website.

The Punjab southpaw said the Bangalore outfit believe they can be return back to winning ways if they play to their potential and use home conditions to their advantage.

"We know this for a fact, that if we play to our full potential, we can be back to winning ways. Everyone in the group believes this very strongly and are aspiring to make things better. And that`s what we aim to do when we get back to Bangalore," he said.

"Before getting back to Bangalore, we have two days to recharge our batteries and channelise our energies. Hopefully, the familiar surroundings of our home ground can make this recovery a little easier," he added. Yuvraj, who has had a rough time the last couple of matches, said the team need to overcome from their last three defats in the UAE leg of the tournament.

"Losing three matches in a row is definitely a setback, which we need to overcome very quickly. We had one terrible game against Rajasthan Royals and the other two games we just didn`t play the crucial moments well," he said.

Yuvraj said RCB has plenty of positives, including the right set-up and right combination of talents. "Honestly speaking, we have plenty of them. We have the right set-up, right players, great support staff and a very sporting franchise," he said.

"In this format, you lose and win your battles in a very short span and unlike Test cricket or One-Day cricket, you don`t have many chances to make a comeback," the Punjab lad added.

"We started this year`s IPL on a right note with two consecutive wins. Though, by the end of the first leg of the IPL, we somehow couldn`t carry forward that initiative." 

IPL 7: Rohit Sharma fined for slow over rate

PTI Dubai Bureau

Dubai, May 1 (PTI) Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma has been fined after his team maintained a slow over rate during their Indian Premier League match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Since it was his first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Rohit was fined USD 20,000.

“This was Rohit’s first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, so he has been fined USD 20,000,” an official release stated in the IPL’s official website.

  

Mumbai Indians have failed to win a single match in the first leg of the IPL in UAE that concluded on Wednesday night.

The defending champions slumped to their fifth straight defeat in the cash-rich tournament after losing Wednesday’s contest by 15 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

They now need to win most of their remaining nine matches in the Indian leg to make it to the knockout stage of the IPL 7.

IPL 7: AB de Villers calmed the procedure down, says Parthiv Patel

B D Narayankar writes

Sharjah, April 20 (PTI) Parthiv Patel, who won Man of the Match award for his half-century against Mumbai Indians, showered encomiums on AB de Villiers for calming the roughed up proceedings and guide Rajasthan Royals to a convincing seven-wicket victory.

“I think I couldn’t have asked for any better person to come in at that time (when RCB was struggling at 17 for three). You know AB expectedly is one of the best batsmen in the world. He calmed the procedure down,” Parthiv said in an interview to RCB’s official website.

Parthiv said De Villiers took his time to settle down and asked him to take his time.

“We were in a bit of trouble initially but AB came in and he handled the ship and I just had to take singles and after that I took over,” he said.

“I said (to AB) that we just need to bat 20 overs, and if we can do that we will win. We needn’t worry about the runs, just play 20 overs and that exactly what we did,” he said.

Parthiv said the bowlers set the game for RCB by restricting Mumbai Indians to 115 on a difficult wicket.

“The bowlers set the game for us on that wicket. Obviously it wasn’t easier, but our bowlers did a good job and restricted them to 115,” he said.

After winning the second game against Mumbai Indians, Parthiv said, “It was all in all good start for us in the tournament and hopefully we can continue this.”

Asked what is the key to his success and confidence these days, Parthiv said he has had a good domestic season and is carrying the form into the IPL this year.

However, the Gujarat cricketer said he had worked hard on his game and is glad to get results from it.

“I have worked hard on my game and I am glad that whatever work I have put in, (I am) getting results for it,” he said.

RCB owner Mallya lauds Parthiv, De Villiers

B D Narayankar writes

Sharjah, April 20 (PTI) Royal Challengers Bangalore owner Vijay Mallya today lauded Parthiv Patel and A B de Villiers for guiding the team to victory against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.

"I have always said Parthiv is a gutsy, talented player - he showed it today. He was fantastic, and A B coming in there and calming things down - that was obviously expected from him - walking into a troubled situation. He did his role and performed it perfectly," he said in a post-match interview to RCB's official website.

Both Parthiv and A B stitched a 99-run unbeaten partnership for the fourth wicket after RCB were in a tricky situation, struggling at 17 for three with Nic Maddinson, Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh back into the hut.

Patel mixed caution with aggression to score an unbeaten 57 off 45 deliveries, while hitting seven boundaries. A B played the sheet-anchor's role to perfection, making an unbeaten 48-ball 45 with the help of three fours and two sixes.

Mallya said the depth of RCB batting not only came to the team's rescue but also pulled them out of a hole, paving the way for a convincing victory against Mumbai Indians.

"The depth of Royal Challengers batting came not just to rescue but I think it proved a very, very important point that even if we lose early wickets upfront, as we did - 17 for three - we continue to win the match and didn't lose another wicket," he said.

Mallya also lavished praise on his bowlers for restricting Mumbai Indians to a modest score.

"It was great win. Our bowlers did an outstanding job by restricting Mumbai Indians to 115," he said.