Sizzling Gilchrist conquers Bangalore

Adam Gilchrist hit nine sixes during his second IPL hundred

Adrenalin. Violence. And a lot of skill. The Dharamsala sky cracked with lightning and thunder but the real storm was witnessed from the bats of Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh. Gilchrist rolled back the years to produce a delightfully aggressive century and Marsh unfurled a gem of his own as the pair constructed the highest partnership in a Twenty20 game, 206 runs, to help Kings XI Punjab terminate Royal Challengers Bangalore's winning streak. With this massive 111-run victory, Punjab are level on points with Kolkata Knight Riders and also, racked up their net run rate.

There are many big-hitting batsmen but most of them tend to club, bludgeon, tonk, heave and thump. Gilchrist, though, rarely plays an "ugly" shot. He makes eye-pleasing classical arcs with the bat and tonight was no different. Marsh captured the mood best: "It was a privilege to watch it from the other end," Marsh said.

Gilchrist made his presence felt in the chase too, diving to his left to take a stunner to dismiss Chris Gayle and derail the chase. Ryan Harris removed both Gayle and Virat Kohli, Praveen Kumar bowled his fifth maiden of the tournament, and Piyush Chawla bamboozled the lower-middle order with his googlies and legbreaks to grab four wickets but the night will be, as it should be, remembered for the carnage unleashed by Gilchrist the batsman.

Match Meter

• 
  KXIP
• Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh hit two sixes and two fours to take 21 runs from the seventh over, bowled by S Aravind

• 
  KXIP
• Gilchrist hit a hat-trick of sixes off Charl Langeveldt, who leaked 22 runs in the 10th over

• 
  KXIP
• Marsh blitzed three sixes and two fours to loot 30 runs in the15th over, bowled by Johan van der Wath

• 
  KXIP
• Gilchrist took a stunning diving catch to his left to dismiss Chris Gayle in the second over to derail the chase

 Advantage Honours even

He didn't start flowing until the seventh over, preferring to let Paul Valthaty play the role of aggressor. Gilchrist was on 2 off 9 deliveries, and Punjab on 30 for 1, when a short ball from Abhimanyu Mithun helped him kickstart his flashback. He swivelled to pull the white ball over the midwicket boundary to signal the beginning of the carnage. He then turned his attention to S Aravind, who had given only a solitary run from seven deliveries. He charged down the track to lift one over long-off and crashed another to the straight boundary. With Marsh collecting a six and a four, S Aravind leaked 21 runs in that eight over. The floodgates were well and truly open.

Kohli tried to the check the Gilchrist flood with the spin of Gayle. No luck, though, as he was swung for two huge sixes. It was in the 10th over, bowled by Charl Langeveldt, that Gilchrist really stepped up the violence in some style. He played the conventional and the short-arm pull to collect two sixes before he produced the longest six (122 metres) to complete the hat-trick. It was a knuckle-ball from Langeveldt but Gilchrist read it early and swung it way beyond the midwicket boundary. Langeveldt winced, Kohli stared into distance and the Punjab camp was agog with utter delight.

Bangalore's woes, though, were only to escalate from that moment as Marsh decided to weigh in with his own brand of aggression. He stamped his presence on the game in the 15th over, looting 30 runs off Johan van der Wath. It went for 6 6 4 4 4 6, as Marsh launched a stunning assault. Three fours sped to the extra-cover boundary, one six flew over midwicket, another sailed over long-off and the final six disappeared over the straight boundary.

By the end it was difficult to keep count of the sixes as the scorecard kept racing ahead as though it was on steroids. It was a violent violent night in the hill-town inhabited by peaceful monks.

BCCI to decide on Warne-Dixit issue

Shane Warne had to travel to Mumbai for his hearing

Shane Warne and Rajasthan Cricket Association secretary Sanjay Dixit, the protagonists of an argument over the changing of pitches in Jaipur during the IPL, are waiting for the BCCI's judgement on the issue after a hearing in Mumbai. They appeared before a panel comprising IPL chairman Chirayu Amin, Ravi Shastri and IMG's legal counsel John Loffhagen, and gave their versions of the incident, which took place after Rajasthan Royals lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

"We had a long meeting and the judgement is awaited," Dixit said. "Our views have been heard by the panel and the hearing was conducted in a very good atmosphere. The proceedings of the hearing are confidential. I am not at liberty to reveal the proceedings."

Dixit said the hearing was only about the complaint he lodged with the IPL regarding Warne's alleged misbehaviour. When asked if the RCA was considering filing a criminal complaint against Warne, Dixit said he would wait for the judgement before making a decision. Warne attended the hearing with Sean Morris, Rajasthan's chief executive, and they left immediately after without speaking to the media.

The RCA had complained to the BCCI and IPL that Warne reportedly abused Dixit after his team's loss to Bangalore in Jaipur. The pitch used for that game, and the previous one against Chennai Super Kings, was different from the one Warne's team had enjoyed a strong home advantage on. The Times of India reported that RCA venue director Narendra Joshi had written to IPL's chief operating officer Sundar Raman, alleging that Warne had publicly abused Dixit by calling him "a liar and egoistic," and demanded action against Warne.

Since the pitch was changed on May 9, Warne and Dixit have engaged in a war of words that has been fought in public, private and through the media. The hearing in Mumbai followed RCA's rejection of an apology offered by the Rajasthan franchise, with the state board also threatening further action if the matter was not resolved to its satisfaction.

Essex drop Tsotsobe

An out-of-sorts Lonwabo Tsotsobe has been left out by Essex

Essex have dropped South Africa fast bowlerLonwabo Tsotsobe from their squad to face Surrey at Whitgift School this week. Tsotsobe has taken just five wickets at 77.60 runs in three Championship games and Essex, who have one win from their five opening matches, have decided he must pay the price for his poor form.

"Quite simply, he's just not bowling well enough," said Essex first team coach Paul Grayson. "We haven't seen enough from him in Championship cricket and the decision comes down purely to form. Whether or not you are an overseas player, it doesn't really matter. If you are not performing then we have to make some changes."

With Tsotsobe sitting out, Graham Napier is set to play his first senior four-day match since sustaining a back injury in the match against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl last June. Michael Comber has also been named but Ravi Bopara is missing due to his involvement with the England Lions against Sri Lanka.

"Maurice Chambers has done pretty well in the second team in the last couple of games and is ready to play and Graham Napier is also back from injury. I thought Chris Wright bowled well last week along with David Masters at Derby, while we also have Michael Comber waiting for his opportunity so we have options.

"We are not scared of making decisions. Tsotsobe's done alright in the one-dayers so far but he's had three Championship games and has not performed to the standard we require in four-day cricket. He has not been good enough."

Surrey have also had to tweak their squad after Jade Dernbach's Lions call-up, but will be able to call upon both Kevin Pietersen and Chris Tremlett, while Mark Ramprakash will also return to a strong 12-man squad after missing the weekend's Clydesdale Bank 40 victory against Scotland.

"With Kevin Pietersen being made available by the ECB for this game, once again we have had to shuffle our batting order," said Surrey Professional Cricket Manager Chris Adams. "This means Jason Roy misses out and Tom Maynard will get the opportunity to open the innings. Whilst it is always preferable to have a settled batting order, in this instance it is a nice problem to have."

Can Jayawardene-less Kochi test Chennai?

Match facts

Wednesday, May 18, Chennai
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)

	Brad Hodge has had a disappointing IPL. Will he come good against Chennai?

Big Picture

Chennai Super Kings' strength is their batting; they have crossed a total of 175 four times and four batsmen have accumulated over 300 runs. They have done just about enough with the ball to keep rolling out the wins. Three bowlers are in the list of top ten wicket-takers this season and the team has gelled as a unit. You might be able to make a criticism of the table-toppers Bangalore that they are heavily dependent on Chris Gayle but you can't pick too many holes in the Chennai campaign.

This could well be the last IPL game of the season for Kochi Tuskers Kerala. They have a mathematical chance of making the top four but to topple Kolkata, the only team they can get ahead on points, they have to beat Chennai by a huge margin. They have to then hope Kolkata lose both their remaining games convincingly. In contrast to Chennai, they have only one batsman, Brendon McCullum, who has tallied over 300 runs. To make things worse, they will be without the services of Mahela Jayawardene; Parthiv Patel will lead the side.

Form guide (most recent first)

Chennai: WWLWW (second in points table)
Kochi: WLLWW (sixth in points table)

Team talk

It will be interesting to see if Chennai continue with Wriddhiman Saha or get in S Anirudha, who can at least belt the ball lower down the order. In Jayawardene's absence, Muttiah Muralitharan might get a game.

In the spotlight

Brad Hodge, who made 33 in the last game against Rajasthan Royals, hasn't had a great IPL season, tallying 234 runs. Much was expected from the man who had the most number of runs in the Twenty20 format but he hasn't sparkled. Will he leave his imprint against Chennai?

Dwayne Bravo has just played two IPL games and has done the job with the ball. With fellow West Indian Gayle firing in style for Bangalore, it will be interesting to track Bravo's progress in the remainder of the tournament. He will slip in the slower yorkers and cutters, and be restrictive with the ball; will he get a chance to showcase his prowess with the bat?

Prime numbers

• With three ducks this season, Kochi's Raiphi Gomez is second on that inglorious list, behind Mithun Manhas' four zeroes. Kochi have three more men on that list: Brendon McCullum, Parthiv Patel and RP Singh have two ducks. 
• With 16 sixes, McCullum is sixth on list of batsmen with most sixes. Chennai's MS Dhoni is seventh on that list with 14. 

The chatter

"We are still disappointed. Every team wants to get to the final four. We had our chances but didn't grab on to them. Like I said we lacked consistency in the tournament."
Mahela Jayawardene looks back on the season 

"To be honest, Twenty20 is a game of luck. There is a lot of luck in it because the risk is more for a batsman, for a bowler or for that matter, even for a fielder. And when the risk is more, you need luck."
S Badrinath makes a frank assessment of this format

New SA coach likely to be named on June 6

Will Gary Kirsten be South Africa's next coach?

Cricket South Africa (CSA) is likely to announce the new national coach on June 6. A specially appointed CSA panel met the candidates in Johannesburg on Monday and will discuss the appointment on Tuesday.

The interview committee includes CSA chief executive Gerald Majola, outgoing coach Corrie van Zyl, cricket committee chairperson Andy O'Connor, players' association representative Boeta Dippenaar, convenor of selectors Andrew Hudson and Professor Johann Coetzee, a human development expert. "The panel will meet today [Tuesday] to have a discussion around the interviews that were conducted," a source told ESPNCricinfo.

CSA has not revealed the names on the shortlist, which it had initially said consisted of six names. The only clues as to who might be in the running came from the interview venue, a hotel in the upmarket suburb of Sandton. Gary Kirsten, widely considered to be the frontrunner for the job, and former Pakistan coach Richard Pybus were seen there. According to the source, all interviews were conducted in person.

Kirsten has just returned from a two-year stint in India, during which India climbed to the top of the Test rankings, and culminated in the winning of the World Cup. He has indicated that he would like to spend more time with his family in South Africa and with a third child due in November, it remains to be seen how much travel Kirsten would be willing to do.

Pybus is currently in charge of the Cape Town based Cobras franchise and was previously involved with the Titans. He has been involved with South African cricket since 2003 and is widely acclaimed for his innovative and creative coaching methods.

Duncan Fletcher and John Buchanan, who were believed to be on the shortlist, accepted positions in India and New Zealand respectively, before the interview process began. Others reportedly in contention for the job are Tom Moody, Stephen Fleming and Vincent Barnes.

Should be fit for England - Sehwag

Virender Sehwag expects to be back playing for India when they tour England later this year

India batsman Virender Sehwag, who underwent surgery on his injured shoulder in London last week, is likely to be fit for India's upcoming tour of England.

"I think I will able to play the series in England," Sehwag told Mid-Day. "That's the reason why I stopped playing the Indian Premier League for Delhi Daredevils and rushed to London to get my shoulder operated."

Sehwag picked up the injury, a slap lesion or labrum (shoulder blade) tear, during the 2009 IPL, and did not play a single game during the World Twenty20 in England. He also missed the one-day series in South Africa in January this year on account of the injury. He was declared fit in time for the World Cup but did not bowl during India's victorious campaign. Sehwag played 11 games captaining Delhi Daredevils during the current IPL season but took the decision towithdraw from the tournament to undergo shoulder surgery in England after his side's loss to Mumbai Indians on May 7.

The 32-year-old Sehwag was operated upon by Dr Andrew Wallace, whom he had consulted earlier in 2009. The London-based surgeon Wallace had also worked on Sachin Tendulkar's tennis elbow. "I will return to London after six weeks for a check-up," Sehwag said. "I should be fit in six to eight weeks. Going by the rehabilitation programme designed for me I should be okay. I am already feeling the difference each day."

Sehwag was expected to return to India late on Monday night. He has already been ruled out of India's tour of West Indies that begins on June 4. India then go on to play four Tests and five ODIs in England, with the first Test beginning at Lord's on July 21.