The proposed 10-million-dollar Twenty20 Champions League was thrown into turmoil on Sunday after India rejected the participation of English counties that field 'rebel' players.

Indian cricket chiefs said they will host the League in September-October featuring the top two Twenty20 club teams from Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, England and India.

But English counties can take part only provided they do not include those players who had signed up with the rebel Indian Cricket League, a cricket India board statement said.

"Clubs from England who qualify can play provided the teams do not include players who are with ICL," said the statement signed by BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah.

At least 25 ICL players play in English domestic cricket and only three of the 18 counties do not have any 'rebel' players.

The BCCI does not recognise the ICL, which was started last year by Zee Telefilms, India's leading listed media house, under the chairmanship of former World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev.

Indian cricket official Lalit Modi, who organised a BCCI-backed domestic Twenty20 league over the last two months, said Australia was drawing up the details of the Champions League.

A final decision on the schedule, venues and teams is expected to be announced on the sidelines of the International Cricket Council's annual meetings in Dubai from June 29-July 4.

Kevin Pietersen will be allowed to carry on playing his extraordinary 'reverse slog-sweep' after MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club), cricket's rule-makers, announced they would not be outlawing the 'switch-hit'.

"MCC believes that the 'switch-hit' stroke is exciting for the game of cricket," said a statement issued by MCC following a meeting at it's Lord's headquarters in London on Tuesday.

"Indeed, the stroke conforms to the Laws of Cricket and will not be legislated against."

Pietersen, who effectively became a left rather than right-handed batsman when using the shot to twice hit New Zealand medium-pacer Scott Styris for six during an unbeaten century in England's opening one-day international win at the Riverside on Sunday, welcomed the ruling.

"I am very pleased by the MCC's decision and I think it's the right one not just for me or England but the game as a whole.

"It's important that we as players are innovative and if this shot helps make cricket more exciting and entertaining for spectators then that has to be good for the sport."

Some critics branded Pietersen's shot 'unfair' because bowlers, unlike batsmen, have to inform the umpire with which hand they will be delivering the ball and from which side of the wicket or risk being penalised.

"I don't agree with the argument that it is unfair on the bowlers," Pietersen, training at Edgbaston where the second one-day international of a five-match series takes place on Wednesday, said in an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) statement.

"It's an extremely high risk shot and there will be plenty of bowlers out there who will think that it gives them a great opportunity to get me out," added Pietersen whose reverse sixes were the highlights of an innings of 110 not out, which propelled England to a 114-run victory.

His view was backed up by MCC which said: "MCC acknowledges that while bowlers must inform umpires and batsmen of their mode of delivery, they do not provide a warning of the type of delivery that they will bowl (for example, an off-cutter or a slower ball).

"It therefore concludes that the batsman should have the opportunity - should they wish - of executing the 'switch-hit' stroke."

However, MCC accepted that consequences remained for both the interpretation of the lbw and wide rules by a batsman attempting a 'switch-hit', saying that they would "continue to research and discuss these implications".

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori did his best Friday to allay growing security concerns about staging the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy in Pakistan this year.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has said he doesn't yet know if his side will travel to Pakistan for the September 11-28 event and raised the prospect of individual withdrawals even if the title-holders do decide to send a team.

"We don't know if we're going. And if we do go, we don't know if individuals are going to pull out," Ponting was quoted as saying in Australian newspapers.

"It just won't be Australian players. There will be a few other teams who will be thinking long and hard if the tour does go ahead.

"I'm sure a lot of the New Zealand players who have been confronted with this stuff before, in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, will have some pretty serious concerns."

Australia put off a March-April tour of Pakistan after several of their players hesitated after a series of suicide bombings in the run-up to Pakistan's national elections.

Vettori toured Pakistan in 2002 when a bomb exploded opposite New Zealand's hotel in Karachi.

But the left-arm spinner said that if the security arrangements in place when he returned to Pakistan in 2003 were introduced for the Champions Trophy this would calm a lot of fears.

"I was there when the bomb went off outside our hotel and I went back a year later on tour and the security they put forward that time was immense and overwhelming," Vettori said.

"I did feel safe so if they could promise that level of security it would appease a lot of guys," he added ahead of the third one-day international against England here Saturday.

New Zealand are set to discuss the security situation in Pakistan with their board chief executive, Justin Vaughan, when he arrives in London, where the final two one-dayers of this five-match series take place, next week.

England coach Peter Moores, in contrast to Ponting's very public concerns, said his team would take their cue from the England and Wales Cricket Board.

"At the moment we haven't discussed it and we'll wait to see what pans out," Moores said. "We've had other things to discuss so it's not been on the agenda at all at the moment.

"We'll wait and see what is said and if that's where we're going and we'll take our advice from the ECB."

ICC acting chief executive Dave Richardson said on Wednesday that Pakistan would host the Champions Trophy in September provided there were no safety and security fears.

But the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations chief executive Tim May was reported on Monday as saying "absolutely nothing" had changed in Pakistan since Australia abandoned its tour three months ago.

The Champions Trophy, this year's leading international 50 overs per side event, is due to start on the seventh anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks on the United States.

And former Australia off-spinner May said security risks to players and officials had also been "compounded" by the decision to hold the event during the Muslim religious festival of Ramadan "in such a landscape of unrest and volatility and opposition to western countries."

Shane Warne said Paul Collingwood would be known as the man who "did not show the right sportsmanship" after his failure to withdraw a run-out appeal against New Zealand.

England one-day captain Collingwood's decision to persist with an appeal against Grant Elliott, following the New Zealand all-rounder's failure to make his ground after being knocked over accidentally by bowler Ryan Sidebottom, sparked an angry response from the furious Black Caps.

Fortunately for New Zealand, Elliott's exit at The Oval on Wednesday did not prove decisive as they fought back to win a thrilling match by one wicket off the last ball and so take a 2-1 lead heading into Saturday's finale at Lord's.

Tempers were further calmed by mutual post-match apologies from Collingwood and New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori.

But Collingwood was widely criticised for a failure to uphold 'the spirit of cricket'. And his insistence afterwards he'd only had a "split-second" to make up his mind was contradicted by Elliott needing at least two minutes of on-field treatment.

Collingwood, who was asked by English umpire Mark Benson if he wanted to go through with the appeal, could have recalled Elliott any time before the batsman crossed the boundary rope.

Things got worse for Collingwood when he was banned for four matches after England, for the second occasion under his leadership in the last 12 months, failed to bowl their overs in the required time.

Warne, who until last season was the captain of English county Hampshire and who recently led Rajasthan to victory in the inaugural Indian Premier League, said the fact Collingwood made the 'wrong' decision when given time to make up his mind would be held against the all-rounder.

"We all make mistakes on the field when things are tight and a decision is needed in seconds," Warne wrote in his column for Saturday's edition of Britain's Times newspaper.

"But what disappointed me was that he (Collingwood) had time to weigh up the options. Unfortunately it is something that he will have to live with.

"He will be known as the man who who did not show the right sportsmanship when he had the opportunity.

"I want to be constructive, not slaughter the guy. Yes, we have had the odd difference on the field, but he has my respect as a cricketer and a person.

"The big thing is that the captain runs the show. He is the one - not the coach - who determines how a team are remembered.

"Wins and losses are important, but so is the way you play the game."

An expert said Saturday that security in Pakistan for the biennial Champions Trophy needed to be fine-tuned, with several foreign players expressing concerns about touring the troubled nation.

Reg Dickason, a security expert hired by Cricket Australia (CA), completed his assessment of southern port city Karachi following the strong reaction of Australian players about competing in Pakistan.

"It's a reasonable start," Dickason said of his inquiry." Some fine tuning needs to be done and everyone acknowledges that. In time, the security situation will be enhanced."

Pakistan hosts the elite eight-nation event from September 11-28. Sri Lanka is the alternate if the International Cricket Council (ICC) deems Pakistan unsuitable to host the event.

With Sri Lanka in the midst of heavy fighting between government forces and rebels, South Africa was also selected as possible hosts, an ICC source told AFP on Friday.

The ICC will discuss an independent security assessment -- done last month -- during its meetings in Dubai starting Sunday, before making a final decision.

It was on Dickason's advice that Cricket Australia (CA) called off their national team's tour to Pakistan for one-dayers and Tests in March and April following a series of bomb blasts earlier this year.

CA agreed to reschedule the tour split into two visits -- one-dayers in 2009 and Tests in 2010 -- after improvement in security in Pakistan following February's general elections.

But renewed fears have put the Champions Trophy in doubt despite ICC giving an all-clear to Pakistan during last week's Trophy launch.

"You don't have to be Einstein to figure there will be some concern among our team," Australian skipper Ricky Ponting was quoted as saying in the Australian media. "We'll know a lot more about it after a security assessment."

Players from New Zealand and England have also said they were worried about safety in Pakistan, where government forces on Saturday launched an offensive against militants in the northwest and the country's top Taliban chief halted talks with the government.

Dickason, who said he met the Pakistan Cricket Board and some independent security consultants, said the board and others were working to improve security.

"I think everybody would like to play here and it is why Pakistan Cricket Board and others have put in so much work here.

"The Trophy is still two-three months away. There is still work in progress," he added.

Earlier, Malik added 90 for the opening wicket with Salman Butt (35) and another 129 for the second wicket with Younus Khan (59) to propel Pakistan who won the toss and decided to bat.

Butt and Pakistan were slow off the mark, managing just 58 runs off the first 15 overs. Once Butt went, caught off leg-spinner Piyush Chawla in the 22nd over, Younus and Malik upped the tempo.

Malik reached his sixth century, third against India, in one-day internationals off 104 balls. His last one-day century came against India at Lahore two years ago.

The Indians were scrappy in the field as they let off Malik twice in one over from Yusuf Pathan, first when Chawla grassed one with the batsman on 116 and then Gautam Gambhir five runs later.

Malik finally retired hurt after suffering cramp in his leg. He hit 16 boundaries and a six during his 119-ball knock.

Younus followed him in the next over when he holed out off Yusuf in the deep. He hit five boundaries during his 60-ball knock.

Virendar Sehwag punished Pakistan's bowling with an aggressive hundred to lead India to a comfortable six-wicket win in the final Group B Asia Cup match here on Thursday.

Sehwag smashed a 95-ball 119 and Suresh Raina hit a 68-ball 84 during their 198-run second wicket stand to help India overhaul Pakistan's 299-4 with 7.5 overs to spare.

Earlier, Shoaib Malik hit his first century as captain to help Pakistan post a challenging target.

However it proved a cake walk for India who were indebted to some lusty batting by Sehwag and Raina as the duo tore apart the home bowling which lost its bite after frontline paceman Umar Gul broke down with a side strain.

Without Gul, who limped off in the third over, the Pakistani bowling looked a shadow of the side which beat India by 25 runs in the final of the tri-series held in Bangladesh earlier this month.

Sehwag hit five boundaries and five towering sixes in his ninth one-day century before he holed out at long-off with just 68 runs left. Yuvraj Singh with a 47-ball 48 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni with unbeaten 26 saw the home team through in the 43rd over.

Raina was as ruthless as Sehwag, hitting 10 boundaries and three sixes during his 69-ball innings before he miscued a drive off paceman Rao Iftikhar and was caught at covers. The duo took just 149 balls for their partnership.

Raina made his maiden hundred in India's 256-run win over Hong Kong on Wednesday.

Both India and Pakistan reached the Super League stages of the tournament but India carry two points into the next stage by virtue of this win.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also qualified from Group A. The Super Leage starts from Saturday with India taking on Bangladesh.

Indian captain Dhoni said his batsmen clicked on "world's flatest track."

"It was a big total but the wicket was very placid and there was nothing for the bowlers. We were quite optimistic about chasing and Pakistan lost Gul and after that had not much to do," said Dhoni.

Malik agreed the loss of Gul was a blow.

"A target of 300 was defendable and we could have defended that but it was hard to come back after losing Gul," said Malik.

Left-hander Suresh Raina continued his rich vein of form, notching a hundred to steer India to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in an Asia Cup Super League match here Saturday.

Raina followed his maiden hundred against Hong Kong and 84 against Pakistan with an unbeaten 116 to help India overhaul Bangladesh's 283-6 with 6.4 overs to spare at the National Stadium.

For Bangladesh, Alok Kapali hit a maiden century but his brilliant work was spoiled by shoddy fielding, with three vital catches going down.

The 21-year-old Raina, dropped by Mashrafe Mortaza off Mahmudullah Riyad when on 16, took full advantage of the lapse, adding 139 runs for the second wicket with Gautum Gambhir (90) and then another 89 for the unbroken fourth wicket with Yuvraj Singh, who made 36 not out.

Gambhir, dropped on 56 by Farhad Reza off Mortaza, also punished the sloppy Bangladeshis with aggressive strokeplay.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni praised his team for another clinical win.

"Most of the time we are chasing and it's good that we have done it again. The wicket was flat once again," said Dhoni. "We must keep up the good work and play every game with this rhythm because it's never easy."

Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful blamed his fielders for the defeat.

"It (dropping catches) is part and parcel of the game but had we taken those catches we would have been in a better position. Raina and Gambhir played well."

The win boosted India's chances of qualifying for the July 6 final. They now have four points after carrying over two points from the first round.

Sri Lanka meet Pakistan in the second match of the Super League on Sunday.

The four remaining teams in the Asia Cup all play each other once at the Super League stage to decide the finalists.

Raina and Gambhir came together after Bangladesh paceman Shahadat Hossain dismissed Robin Uthappa (2) and Rohit Sharman (22) and they took the attack to the Bangladeshi bowlers.

Gambhir hit Mahmudullah over long-on for a six to reach his fifty off just 36 balls. He looked set for his hundred before miscuing a drive off Farhad Reza and was caught at mid-wicket.

Raina took 93 balls for his second one-day hundred. In all he hit eleven boundaries and three sixes during his 107-ball knock.

Earlier, Kapali lifted Bangladesh following a sluggish start after they had won the toss, putting on 112 runs for the sixth wicket with Mahmudullah (26 not out).

Opener Tamim Iqbal, with 55, made an early impression in an otherwise unimpressive start in which Bangladesh lost Nazimuddin (six) and Ashraful (20).

Iqbal kept one end intact and hit seven boundaries during his 67-ball knock, leaving the rest of the work to Kapali.

Kapali added 49 runs for the fifth wicket with Mushfiqur Rahim (22) and then lifted the innings during his 96-ball stand with Mahmudullah.

The 24-year-old Kapali, recalled after a gap of two years earlier this month, smashed Manpreet Gony for two sixes before taking a single to bring up his hundred off just 86 balls.

He smashed ten boundaries and five sixes during his entertaining 96-ball knock before he was caught in the final over.

His previous best one-day score of 89 not out came against the West Indies at Dhaka in 2002.

This was Bangladesh's highest score against India in all one-day matches, beating the previous best of 257-9 at Dhaka in 2004.

Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Ozias Bvute said he could not understand why the likes of South Africa and England had frozen ties with his organisation while Zimbabweans continued to compete at international level in other leading sports.

Cricket South Africa's action last week in cutting bilateral links with its neighbour, after Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out of a presidential election in order to prevent his supporters being subject to fresh attacks by Robert Mugabe's regime, set off a chain of cricket events.

Ray Mali, the South African president of the International Cricket Council (ICC), moved to have the whole issue of Zimbabwe's status added to the agenda of next week's meeting of the global governing body in Dubai.

Meanwhile English officials, with the backing of the British Government, called off Zimbabwe's planned tour of England next year.

Government ministers also called for Zimbabwe to be excluded from the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup in England.

But Bvute, writing in a letter sent to all members of the ICC executive, said it was wrong to impose sporting sanctions for political reasons.

However critics, including former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower, have repeatedly argued that ZC's close ties with the ruling ZANU-PF party mean it is not an independent sporting body.

"We (Zimbabwe) are a full member of FIFA and are currently participating in a World Cup qualifying campaign," Bvute told BBC Radio on Saturday.

"We have a swimming programme which has produced Kirsty Coventry, a recent winner in the world championships, so it would be strange that the only sport to take action on so-called current worries is cricket when all the other world sporting bodies have not taken that stance."

Looking ahead to Wednesday's meeting, Bvute said: "I cannot speculate on the outcome but we have obviously noted the actions of others.

"Over the last few years there have been problems between England and Zimbabwe. This is not a new phenomena."

And as for the social turmoil within Zimbabwe, Bvute said: "I think at the end of the day that's a matter for the politicians to speak and decide on. We are not politicians and we are not qualified to speak on these issues."

Zimbabwe, which effectively suspended itself from Test cricket because of a collapse in playing standards brought about by a race row over selection remains an active one-day international side.

They have long enjoyed the support of India, cricket's financial powerhouse, and the Asian giant's stance in Dubai is likely to be critical in shaping Zimbabwe's immediate cricket future on the world stage.

LONDON (Reuters) - Stand-in captain Kevin Pietersen on Saturday blamed England's batsmen for their 3-1 defeat to New Zealand in the one-day series, which ended with a meek 51-run loss in the fifth match at Lord's on Saturday.

England, who won the test series convincingly 2-0, started the one-day matches strongly with a 114-run victory when Pietersen scored a match-winning century and grabbed the headlines with his unique switch-hitting.

Two weeks on and New Zealand were able to turn the series around with wins at Bristol, The Oval and Lord's after a no result at Edgbaston when they seemed to be heading for a win before he rain prevented a finish.

"It all started alright with the toss and then we did a great job with the ball," Pietersen, skipper in place of the suspended Paul Collingwood, told reporters. "We just didn't bat well enough, not only today but throughout the series.

"Too many players have got in and not gone on and been the hero. The consistency in the batting has not been there and it's an area where we need to have a look at."

New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori, who led from the front with figures of three for 32, was pleased with how his team came back after the test series disappointment.

"From the second match at Edgbaston onwards we have played some really good cricket," Vettori told reporters. "To win any series is pleasing but to win against a pretty good team away from home and in convincing style means we have a very happy dressing room."

Although Pietersen has not yet been confirmed as England skipper for the next three matches of Collingwood's ban, he is keen to take on the role again.

"Today was great fun and if I get the opportunity (again) hopefully I will do a good enough job," he said. "I'm a perfectionist and I strive on doing things really well and to the best of my ability and being successful.

"So finishing today without a victory gives me more of an incentive to get the stripes back again for the next game and to try and get a victory under our belts. I don't want to be an England captain who captains one game and loses it."

TAUNTON, England (Reuters) - South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn has soared towards the top of the world rankings in the last year and is relishing the prospect of facing England and Australia over the next few months.

"I have done well but we are coming up against two big teams of world cricket who will be difficult to knock over," Steyn told Reuters in an interview ahead of the first match of their England tour in Somerset on Sunday.

"They are big challenges but I like challenges."

Steyn, who sampled English conditions with Essex in 2005 and Warwickshire last season, is due to face the world's top-ranked side at the end of the year.

"We are in England now, then we go to Australia after the Champions Trophy (in Pakistan) and Bangladesh at home so this is a time where I have to stand up and be counted," he said.

Steyn was 31st in the test bowling rankings a year ago but is now second after briefly holding top place ahead of Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

It demonstrates the success he has enjoyed since South Africa's tour to Pakistan in October, a spell in which he has claimed 78 wickets in 12 tests to make it a total of 120 in 23 matches.

"It's all happened quickly but although I have had a fantastic season I know I have to continue this throughout my career to be considered a world great," Steyn said.

"It was fantastic to be rated number one but my average and number of wickets over an extended period, when I retire, is more important to me. Consistency is a big thing."

Steyn, who turned 25 on Friday, said he was trying to combine the sort of accuracy and movement Shaun Pollock used to display with the searing pace of Allan Donald.



TEST DEBUT

The paceman showed evidence of this on his test debut in December 2004 when he bowled England captain Michael Vaughan, who shaped to play towards mid-on only to lose his off stump after the ball swung late and left him.

Steyn is well aware of the qualities that set him apart.

"Everybody can bowl at 135kph and put it in the right areas. You can get a school kid to do that," he said.

"But anyone who can run in and bowl at 150kph (90mph) is something special, especially if you can swing the ball at the same time. Pace is definitely my biggest weapon but pace combined with swing is deadly."

England beat visiting New Zealand 2-0 in their recent test series though the home team's batsmen were rarely tested against an under-strength side devoid of the fastest Kiwi bowler, Shane Bond.

South Africa will be a bigger test.

"We have a few guys who can bowl fast and swing it, like Makhaya (Ntini) and Morne Morkel," Steyn said.

"It's important to me I am always outwitting the guy next to me ... because it raises the bar all the time. It's healthy competition within the team.

"The more they are pushing the better I have to become so it doesn't allow you to relax. It means I am always fighting for a spot."

Mahendra Singh Dhoni lost the toss but everything else went right for his team, beginning with some tight bowling, as the Chennai Super Kings won the match against the Deccan Chargers and a spot in the semi-finals at the expense of the Mumbai Indians. Chennai will face Kings XI Punjab, whom they have defeated twice, in one semi-final, while Rajasthan Royals take on Delhi Daredevils in the other.

Chennai had conceded 211 against Rajasthan in their previous game but the bowlers were up to the task this time as Deccan’s final attempt to win at home win went awry. Chennai’s opening bowlers were on the mark from the start: Makhaya Ntini bowled with pace and got good bounce and carry, while Manpreet Gony, the team’s leading wicket-taker, stuck to an impeccable length on off-stump and bowled through his four overs for 21. And they reaped the rewards soon, as both Herschelle Gibbs and Adam Gilchrist found the fielder at third man - Gibbs with a slash, Gilchrist with a thick outside-edge.

Deccan’s early runs came mainly in singles and Scott Styris, who’s had a terrible tournament, looked to be getting into rhythm with boundaries in the arc between midwicket and mid-on till he was bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan while trying to hit one across. At 57 for 3 after 10.1 overs, Deccan needed a partnership and Venugopal Rao and Ravi Teja came up with a 76-run stand that lent respectability to the eventual total. Muralitharan was hard to get away but the two went after Balaji in the 14th over, which cost 14.

They managed to up the run-rate with a boundary every over, and Rao, often at the centre of Deccan’s rearguard actions, hit one to bring up the 100 in the 16th over. There was a flurry of runs, Teja slashing one high into the stands off Ntini in an over where he was taken for 15 runs. That he ended with figures of 1 for 24 off his four told the full story.

That burst was followed by a flurry of wickets, including three - one of them a run-out - in three balls in the 19th over. The crowd had chanted Shahid Afridi’s name but he lasted two balls as Deccan limped to 147.

Deccan, and Mumbai, needed a wicket early and RP Singh nearly got the breakthrough as Stephen Fleming fended at one that swung away, but both Gilchrist and Styris were late to react. Fleming and his fellow left-hand opener Parthiv Patel cashed in when the bowlers erred: short and wide deliveries were dispatched for fours. P Vijaykumar then decided to go round the wicket, and it worked, as Fleming got a thick outside-edge while trying to force a drive through the covers.

In came Suresh Raina and he soon found his rhythm, slapping one riskily in the air through the covers, before punching one through the same region. Afridi was brought into the attack as early as the fifth over, and he put a brake on the scoring. At the other end, Raina got consecutive boundaries in Sarvesh Kumar’s first over, but the pressure applied from Afridi worked as Parthiv played straight to cover in Sarvesh’s next, Afridi taking the catch.

Raina was joined by Dhoni, and the 55-run stand between the two put Chennai on course for victory. Dhoni started with two streaky boundaries - he hit one straight to Sarvesh first-up, who fluffed a chance, and a thick outside-edge flew to the third-man boundary. With left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and Styris managing to curb the runs, Dhoni decided to take a few risks. He stepped out to deposit Ojha over long-on, and after a miscued pull nearly landed in Gibbs’ hands at midwicket, he cut Styris for four. Afridi came back with 52 needed off 42 balls, and Dhoni hit one dead-straight for four, before Raina powered a shorter delivery over midwicket for six.

Chennai were cruising towards the target, but had a brief wobble after Dhoni found Gibbs at long-on. That Ojha over, the 16th, went just for three, and when Styris conceded the same in the next, Chennai were left needing 28 off 18. Another tight over and Deccan could have still been in the hunt, but Raina found the gap at midwicket as Ojha bowled a full toss. He was dropped by RP in the 19th over, and hit the winning six - which brought up his fifty - as Chennai reached their target with four balls to spare.

While Dhoni and Co were relieved and celebrated the win, Gilchrist looked ahead after a disastrous first season, in which last-placed Deccan won just two of their 14 games. “I do not have any excuses. It depends which way you look it.,” he said. “It’s not end of the world. We should settle down, make a self-assessment and think over where we went wrong and plan for the future.”

Kings XI Punjab may start as overwhelming favourites to meet Rajasthan Royals in the final but if there’s one team they might have wanted to avoid in the semi-finals it would probably have been Chennai Super Kings. Punjab have been nearly unstoppable in the competition but Chennai have found a way to get past them twice - first on the back of Michael Hussey’s century in Mohali and later thanks to L Balaji’s five-wicket haul in Chennai.

However, it would require a special effort for Chennai to make it three in three. A fine mix of foreign batsmen and Indian bowlers makes Punjab the most balanced side in the tournament. Shaun Marsh has consistently set up launch pads and Yuvraj Singh couldn’t have regained his touch at a better time - as he did with a ballistic 16-ball 49 in the final league match against Rajasthan.

Chennai’s batting has been a worry ever since Matthew Hayden and Hussey left and things have got trickier with the departure of Stephen Fleming. Albie Morkel has provided much needed stability but it may ultimately require Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni to guide them to a winning total.

Tournament position
Kings XI Punjab: P14, W10, L4, NRR +0.509
Chennai Super Kings: P14, W8, L6, NRR -0.192

Form (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Kings XI Punjab: WLWWW
Chennai Super Kings: WLLWL

Watch out for …

Muttiah Muralitharan against Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Murali has dismissed both at crucial stages of earlier games.

Chennai’s new opening pair with Fleming missing in action.

How Dhoni uses Balaji - especially after his hat-trick while bowling at the death in the previous match.

Team news

At the end of Punjab’s previous game, out of touch Yuvraj had claimed that they had found the “right combination”. James Hopes, who was with the bat, came good and he along with Irfan Pathan offer flexibility. Mahela Jayawardene missed the last game but he could return, especially given the threat Murali poses. Luke Pomersbach may have to make way but he, in his defence, can point to the half-century he made on this ground a few weeks ago.

Kings XI Punjab (likely) 1 Shaun Marsh, 2 James Hopes, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Yuvraj Singh (capt), 5 Mahela Jayawardene, 6 Tanmay Srivatsava, 7 Irfan Pathan, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Ramesh Powar, 10 VRV Singh, 11 Sreesanth.

Fleming’s absence may provide an opening for S Vidyut or S Anirudha (the son of former Indian opener Kris Srikkanth) unless Chennai decide to push Abhinav Mukund to the top of the order. Chamara Kapugedera would be expected to beef up the middle order. The rest of the line-up is likely to be unchanged from the one that won comprehensively against Deccan Chargers.

Chennai Super Kings (likely) 1 Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 S Vidyut, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), 5 Chamara Kapugedera, 6 S Badrinath, 7 Albie Morkel, 8 Manpreet Gony, 9 L Balaji, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Makhaya Ntini.

Stats and trivia

Punjab have the best run-rate in the tournament (9.05). Chennai are third on the list with 8.50.

Chennai have struck the least sixes in the Powerplay (9). Punjab have a whopping 26 sixes in comparison.

Murali has spells of 1 for 33 and 1 for 32 in the two games against Punjab, both important efforts in the context of the games.

Quotes

“We had beaten them early in the tournament when we had our strongest team and later on even without the overseas players we still managed to win. It’s an advantage to go into the semi-finals against them with this record.”
Kepler Wessels, the Chennai coach, talks up his team’s prospects.

“It’s a different ground and circumstances are different. We are coming into the game with greater confidence and will be looking to do our best with ball, bat and on the field.”
Tom Moody, the Punjab coach, isn’t reading too much into his side’s previous losses against Chennai.

Shane Watson did the star turn as Rajasthan Royals stormed into the final of the Indian Premier League, beating Delhi Daredevils by 105 runs in the first semi-final at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Friday night.

The Australia all-rounder first hit a breezy 52 as the Royals put up a challenging 192 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs and then destroyed the Delhi top order.

In a triple strike he had the top three Delhi batsmen — Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Shikhar Dhawan — dismissed cheaply.

Reduced to 24 for 3, Delhi never recovered and lost wickets at regular intervals. Watson finished with figures of 3 for 10 in three overs as Delhi Daredevils were dismissed for a paltry 87 in 16.2 overs.

Munaf Patel, who was omitted from the ODI squads for Bangladesh and Pakistan tours, claimed 3 for 16 and Shane Warne 2 for 21 to hasten Rajasthan’s passage to the final.

Rajasthan Royals take on the winners of Saturday’s second semi-final between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings.

Delhi began their run-chase on a poor note as Sehwag (3) pulled a ball wide of the stumps from Watson and was caught by Sohail Tanvir at deep mid-wicket in the second over.

Gambhir (11) and left-handed Dhawan (5), who both showed good form earlier in the tournament, perished in quick succession after enabling Delhi make a partial recovery.

Gambhir slashed Watson off backfoot and was caught at cover point while Dhawan pulled the Aussie straight to short mid-wicket to leave Delhi gasping at 24 for three.

Watson’s first three-over spell read a superb three for 10 and if Delhi had hopes of staging a fight-back they were thwarted by the dismissal of Manoj Tiwary (0), four runs later, off Munaf Patel.

It was a regular procession of batsmen thereafter.

Tillakratne Dilshan top-scored with 33 in 22 balls — inclusive of a six and five fours — before being seventh out at 76 in the 13th over.

Earlier, Yusuf Pathan celebrated his Team India inclusion with a whirlwind 45. The hard-hitting Pathan, named in the Indian 15 for next month’s tri-series in Bangladesh and Asia Cup in Pakistan earlier in the day, creamed the hapless Delhi attack, which included Glenn McGrath, hitting four sixes and three fours in his 21-ball knock.

The 25-year-old Baroda all-rounder took over the attacking reins from all-rounder Watson, who stroked his way to a fine half century in 29 balls, including four sixes and three fours, after openers Graeme Smith (25 in 21 balls) and Swapnil Asnodkar (39 in 21 balls) launched the innings on a sound note.

Watson and Pathan’s efforts helped Rajasthan Royals add 109 runs in the last 10 overs after Smith and the pint-sized Asnodkar put on 65 runs in 40 balls at the start.

Watson was involved in a breezy 52 runs partnership off 29 balls with Mohd Kaif (12) after Rajasthan Royals suddenly slipped to 76 for 3 from 65 without loss.

The innings started slowly as Smith was hampered by a pulled muscle while going for a run. But Asnodkar, who often took the aerial route and hit a six and six fours, boosted the run-rate.

The right-hander, after edging McGrath for his first four in the third over, struck Mohd Asif for three fours in the fourth over — a slash, a lofted off drive and a hook � to give the innings the much-needed push.

Smith then took over and slammed McGrath for three consecutive fours as the score raced to 43 for no loss in five overs.

Asnodkar had a lucky escape off the first ball of V Yo Mahesh’s spell when Farveez Maharoof dropped a sitter at long leg. He celebrated the escape by swinging the same bowler to the same area for a six to raise the 50 of the innings in only 33 balls.

Maharoof made amends by sending back both the Rajasthan openers with the last three balls of his first over.

Smith was caught flicking at deep square leg by a diving Shikhar Dhawan and then Asnodkar was dismissed at the same score of 65, caught at backward point off the Sri Lankan.

Maharoof also accounted for Sohail Tanvir, promoted up the order by his skipper, Shane Warne, as a pinch-hitter, when he miscued a swing to leg and the ball ballooned behind to stumper Dinesh Karthik.

From 65 for no loss, Rajasthan were reduced to 76 for three in the space of 14 balls. But the arrival of Watson brought about another run-spree as the Aussie slammed Yo Mahesh for a four and two sixes in his third over after change of ends to raise the 100 in 65 balls after the first ten overs had yielded 83 runs.

Watson then lofted leg spinner Amit Mishra for a six over long on to keep the scoring on a healthy note by adding 52 runs in 29 balls for the fourth wicket with Kaif to take the total past 125.

Kaif looked out of touch and was clean bowled when he tried a leg side heave off Mishra and missed the ball completely.

Pathan commenced his innings in whirlwind fashion by hoisting Mishra for successive sixes. Later he hit McGrath for a flat six over long on before being run out while going for the second run.

The track did not offer the pace bowlers the same sort of bounce and pace that was evident in previous matches held at the same stadium. Asif was carted around for 21 runs in his first two overs while McGrath gave away 22 in his first three.

Yo Mahesh proved very expensive and gave away 50 runs for two late wickets in his four overs.

Maharoof took three for 34 to emerge as the most successful bowler while Mishra claimed 2 for 37.