Collingwood powers Delhi towards semi-finals

Throughout the IPL, I have written how my adopted team Delhi Daredevils possess a similar trait to my beloved Liverpool football club. That of flattering to deceive.

Earlier in the competition Delhi deserved this tag plus the other one I had been warned about when I declared my allegiance to Gautam Gambhir and his side. Despite containing players of the quality of Sehwag, Gambhir, De Villiers and Nannes, Delhi, or so I was warned, were the perennial underachievers of the IPL.

So it was hardly surprising when after winning their first two matches, the next three were lost. A disappointing season looked likely just as it did for Liverpool despite predictions at its start that this was the year that they were going to win their first title for 20 years. Delhi too had been heavily backed.

But since then the comparisons are less deserving. Liverpool have carried on stumbling from match to match and yesterday's draw with Birmingham now means that they now need a miracle to even qualify for next season's Champions League.

Delhi on the other hand have taken off. First, they stopped the rot by beating Bangalorewho up to that point had been the standout team in the competition. Then Paul Collingwood arrived from Bangladesh and unlike last season was not just going to be carrying the drinks. Replacing De Villiers in the side, Collingwood immediately made an impact scoring a fifty against Kolkata whilst David Warner massacred bowlers at the other end. Rajasthan were then beaten, which led up to yesterday's return match with Bangalore.

As so often is the case for Collingwood, he had to first retrieve a delicate situation when he came to the crease. He moved his way to 15 from 16 balls and then tucked into Cameron White in the 12th over taking 18 to accelerate his innings. After that he upstaged the rest of the glittering batsmen on show by reaching 75 not out off only 46 balls with seven sixes - including 31 off the last nine balls he faced.

In Bangalore's reply, Delhi's bowling was tight with Pradeep Sangwan and Amit Mishra the standouts with three wickets apiece, and despite another fifty from Jacques Kallis and a blazing cameo from the newly arrived Ross Taylor, the hosts eased to a 37 run victory.

England's World T20 hopes and Delhi's IPL hopes are both looking better and better. Shame I can't say the same about Liverpool.

Comments

[MeikoElektra (The MG)]

Ah, Colly's awesome (in a very ginger, everyman kinda way). The only batsman I'd put up with replacing AB in a team :)

[The Reverse Sweep]

It kind of shows how ridiculously strong Delhi are when they can leave out AB, Dilshan, Nannes (although I think he is injured) and even Andrew McDonald. Dilshan and AB are worth a place for their fielding alone!