In what really is a fairytale ending, Shane Warne, the mercurial leg spinner from Victoria stuck two fingers up at the Australian cricketing authorities with a magnificent last ball victory over the Chennai Super Kings. Why two fingers I hear you ask ? Easy.
Warne should have captained Australia years ago and probably would have had it not been for his off-field antics, diet pills and his love for Mobile phone contracts ! He is arguable, well for me anyway, the greatest tactician international cricket has seen in the last decade and runs rings around the current captain Ricky Ponting. I’m not saying Punter is doing or has done a bad job – Warne and team Australia could have been so much better – that’s the scary thought!
Warne’s Rajasthan Royals snatched a dramatic victory off the last ball in the Indian Premier League final on Sunday night, pocketing the $1,2-million (about R9,12-million) first prize and ensuring the IPL will be even bigger next time around.
Needing eight runs off the last over bowled by Lakshmipathy Balaji, Warne, together with Sohail Tanvir, maintained their cool taking four singles early in the over and being helped out by a wide.
Needing a single off the final ball, Tanvir smashed Balaji through midwicket for four to set off some raucous celebrating by the Royals.
While walking to the press conference after the presentation ceremony, Warne stopped briefly in the middle to reprise the cover drive off Ntini with a sweep of his arm. When asked about it, his grin was as broad as any he sported when Australia regained the Ashes in 2006. “We knew we didn’t want to leave ourselves with too many to get in the final over,” he said. “Eight off six balls – we thought we could do that. IPL Cheerleaders prove a controversial hit !
“It was just one of those things that was meant to be. After all, we are the entertainers of the IPL. No one could have written a script like that, a last-ball finish to win.” And when asked how it compared to the balls that flummoxed Gibbs and Kirsten, he said, “It’s right up there.
“I’m 40 next year, a bit too old for these sort of finishes. But the players, they make me feel young. I’ll come back as long as my body will hold up.”
When someone remarked that Dhoni had spoken of Twenty20 being a young man’s game, Warne quipped, “In that case, I’ll be back with a walking stick next year.” Telegraph Match Report
The face of international one day cricket is changing, some say for the worst but most agree it’s for the better. I certainly side with those who are positive about not only the future but the entertainment on offer at some of these games!
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