Balaji bajjis Punjab with a fiver....

What an inspiring spell of bowling form the local lad of the Chennai super kings. Laxmipati Balaji performed the first hat-trick of the Indian Premier League to help Chennai Super Kings make a double for the season by beating them by 18 runs. Balaji had a fiver, including a hat-trick in the death over of the match, and gave away just 24 runs in his four overs to stamp the authority of the CSK.

Earlier Yuvraj won the toss and decided to chase, His decision was proving to be apt when Sreeshanth promptly removed both the opener in his first two overs. But the Chennai team piled up a competitive 181 for four, thanks to the scintillating and responsible knock by Badrinath and Mahi.

Mahi especially was in a devastating mood and gave his own team man Chawla a taste of the Chennai heat when he carted him for 2 sixes in an over. With Chawla going for plenty, Yuvraj went back to his strike bowler Irfan Pathan but he was taken to the cleaners by Badri when pulled him of for 2 more sixes in an over. But again an inspiring spell from Sreeshanth and Hopes restored the hope for the visiting Kings with the last 5 overs yielding only 37 runs, With Chennai finishing with 181.

In response to the super king’s total, the compatriot kings threatened to run away with the game when Hopes started off from where he left in their home game with 6 over third man and boundary through the covers. In the next over crowd favorite Albie Morkel fortunately got rid of Hopes when edged to Dhoni. In the next over Gony removed Goel.

From then on it was Balaji show altogether. He provided crucial breakthroughs early with Sarwan and Marsh in one over and then got his hat-trick in the last over, in which the visitors required 27 runs for the victory.

Left hander Marsh hit a quick fire half-century but that was not enough to earn a victory for his team. Marsh's innings came off just 38-balls with three boundaries and 4 sixes including a towering one, which landed on the roof of the stadium, off Murali.

Once Marsh was gone it was down to he captain to get the Punjab through. But more disaster was waiting for the Punjab team as skipper Yuvraj too started his walk back to pavilion when he found Stephen Fleming in the point off Amarnath.

The Punjab Kings lost three wickets in space of seven deliveries and that wrote the fate of the Punjab team. Irfan and Chawla hit some lusty blows towards the end but that just helped in reducing the defeat margin.

In the last over Balaji deservedly took his hat trick by removing Pathan, Chawla and VRV in successive deliveries for which he was duly rewarded the Man of the Match as expected made him emotional as he was coming back after 2 years in the international scene from a career threatening injury.

Paanchi...Pass ya Fail...?

'Kya aap paanchvi pass se tez hain' heard of it...? It’s the new show where the King Khan is the host. The Show has failed to captivate the audiences and the sponsors have expressed their bleakness to the broadcaster about how the show has turned out, and have asked Star to reframe the whole show.

The Sponsors find the format is so diluted compared to the original ‘Are you a fifth grader’ on which Paanchvi Pass has been framed. They have also alleged that Shah Rukh Khan’s star quotient is overplayed in the show. The TRPs have not helped either. Paanchvi Pass has delivered ratings significantly lower than the ongoing Indian Premier League which is being aired on Sony Max, is the hot cake at the moment.

The head of a sponsor said: “The way the questions are structured is not very engaging and it’s quite different from the original show.” A member of the production team added that internationally the show has a lot of focus on education which is not seen in its Indian version and even the look and feel of the show is lot different.

Having 30% of Paanchvi Pass completed, Star is now making desperate amends to keep its sponsors happy. And hook the audience to the show than the IPL. The Star has thus offered its sponsor’s free advertising on the show’s re-runs on weekdays and a back-to-back three hour show on Sunday afternoons. Sources say Star has made Rs 140 crore through ad revenues and it end up making about Rs 150-160 crore in all from of the show.

The Final Frontier

What should have been a walk over victory for Manchester United 3 weeks ago has now gone down to the wire. The Defending Champions were held to a series of stalemates and the slip up at Stamford Bridge has brought back Chelsea into the contention for the title. United were leading Chelsea by 5 points but now both are on locked on to same amount of points with united sniffing ahead on goal differential. United are in this position courtesy of themselves for having led the lead slip up and allowing Chelsea to come breathing down their neck.

The draws against Boro, Spurs coupled with a poor start to the season with a series of 3 stalemates with low profile team have resulted in this nervy time. But its once again due to the number of 4-0, 4-1, 3-0 wins have put United ahead on the goal difference.

Also both are in the Champions league final in Moscow on 21st. Who ever wins the league can go with a bit of confidence over the other.

Both teams play on 11th of May with their respective opponents and if United win its all over for Chelsea. But there is catch, United play away against Wigan in JJB, where the visitors can have a torrid time because of the state of the pitch. Where as Chelsea play home against struggling Bolton aiding to the fact is that Chelsea are unbeaten for more than 100 home games.

United have shown the best attacking skill and flamboyance in the whole season and rightly deserve to retain the title. I fully support United to go and win the league...Go red devils!!!