IPL: Disaster for Smith, triumph for Kallis Print E-mail
Category: Indian Premier League
Written by Luke Tagg   
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 00:32
It was a day of contrasting fortunes for South Africans in the IPL on Tuesday, as Graeme Smith was ruled out of the tournament due to a finger injury before Jacques Kallis kissed it better with a sensational knock to win the game for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The day began in doom and gloom as the news of Smith's injury broke. He injured it when taking the catch that dismissed Virender Sehwag in the Royals' loss to the Delhi Daredevils on Monday night.

When he landed his right middle finger dug into the ground and fractured in two places, ending his season in the IPL and putting his place in the World Twenty20 in jeopardy.

Rather alarmingly, he tweeted that he's "gonna try get fit for 20/20 world cup with south africa", which means it isn't guaranteed that he'll be fit.

Fix him, okes. Do it.

Here's a picture of the damage:

Pls don't be offended this was the doctors doing ;) on Twitpic

Last I heard he was heading for Dubai before his flight back home to South Africa. Huge blow for the Rajasthan Royals, but an even bigger blow for the Proteas.

The day was rescued somewhat by a sensational innings of 89* off 55 balls from Jacques Kallis in the game between the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Kings XI Punjab in Bangalore, chasing a massive 203/3 set by the Kings XI batting first.

So fearsome was his hitting the target was overhauled with seven balls to spare, as Bangalore scored 204/2 to win with consummate ease.

There were blistering contributions from Manish Pandey (38 off 26) and Robin Uthappa (51 off 21), but it was Kallis who once again highlighted why he is one of the top opening batsmen in the world in T20 cricket.

Had I written that last bit two years ago you'd have hounded me off the interwebs, beating me with sticks and jibes. I challenge you to find fault with it today.

He's scored two unbeaten half centuries in the two games he's played this year, with a strike rate over 140. He's also proving that the way to go for openers isn't necessarily in a blaze of glory, but rather with a measured build-up which increases in tempo as the overs roll by.

If you're still there in the last five overs you can go absolutely ballistic, as Kallis did.

Still - as ballistic as he went, he didn't thrash. A lot of his sixes and fours were brilliant cricket shots, with a bit of extra muscle for effect.

He also took the orange cap as current leading runscorer in the IPL this year, with his 154 runs from two games. His measured game plan is backed up by consistency. Coincidence?

All of which bodes well for South Africa in the World Twenty20. Let's hope the IPL doesn't kill him first.
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