MATCH TURNS DEW TO SPIN

Pacers rely on slow bouncers early on but spinners steal the show on a dewless night

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN

THE multiple smoke machines around the MA Chidambaram Stadium had just let out smoke for a third time in the Rajasthan innings. At some level, it also seemed poetic. Their innings was seemingly going up in flames. Chasing 176 against Hyderabad to earn the right to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final against Kolkata on Sunday, they were in a jam. Sanju Samson, who had got off to a sedate start, tried to take on the part-time spin of Abhishek Sharma.

The end result was a sliding catch by Aiden Markram at long on for a 11-ball 10. An acceptable 1/66 off 7.3 overs had become 3/66 in a five-ball stretch thanks to the exploits of two genteel left-arm finger spinners — Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek.

While Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin had returned wicketless (none for 77 in eight overs), Ahmed and Sharma were getting the ball to grip and turn off the surface. If the pitch was relatively docile for the spinners in the opening stanza, it had decidedly become a slightly venomous snake within the next hour or so. The much advertised dew — one of the main reasons Samson had no hesitation in opting to field first in the second qualifier on Friday night — was largely absent for vast swathes of the chase.