Clarke looks to make IPL impact under Ganguly

Roseau, Apr 28: Michael Clarke headed for his first stint in the Indian Premier League on Friday, insisting that he was looking forward to playing under former India skipper Sourav Ganguly. Clarke masterminded Australia's 2-0 Test series win in the West Indies, taking his record as national team captain since succeeding Ricky Ponting last year to nine wins, three draws and two defeats.
But at the Pune Warriors, he will have to play under Ganguly whose international career featured a number of fierce, competitive clashes with the Australians.

"I think that Sourav's always been a nice guy. I've always got along with him well and I look forward to playing under him," said Clarke, after Australia beat West Indies by 75 runs in the third and final Test.

"It seems like he's doing a really good job as captain-coach over there and I've spoken to a couple of the boys and they seem to be really happy about how things are so for me it's an eye-opener."

Clarke will have to reacquaint himself with the Twenty20 cricket in India having already quit the shorter international form of the game to concentrate on his Test and ODI career with Australia.

"I've never been to the IPL. I've said for a long time that when the opportunity comes up and I feel that it's right for me that I'd love to get over there and have a crack and see what it's like," he said.

Dominating batting led by Sehwag seals Delhi win over Mumbai

New Delhi, Apr 28 : Skipper Virender Sehwag slammed an explosive 73 and shared a scintillating 135-run opening stand with Mahela Jayawardene (55) to lead Delhi Daredevils to a crushing 37-run win over Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League match, here today.

Delhi put on board a mammoth 207 for five after electing to bat and then restricted Mumbai to 170 for nine to become the only team in the current edition to have scored wins against the same rival both at home and away.

If Delhi out-bowled them in the first leg, the troika of Sehwag, Jayawardene and Pietersen out-batted them in this encounter to help the hosts continue their domination at the top with 12 points eight games.

Mumbai lost their batting mainstay Sachin Tendulkar (7) in the very third over off Morne Morkel’s bowling, offering an easy catch to mid-off.

Rohit Sharma (12) was out in the next over and it became a tall-order for MI batsmen although Ambati Rayudu (62 off 39) and Dinesh Karthik (40 off 28 balls) tried their best with a 95-run fourth wicket partnership.

Once Shahbaz Nadeem (2/35) removed Rayudu and Kieron Pollard (16) in the 16th over, the match was over as a contest.

The day however belonged to the trio of Sehwag, Jayawardene and Pietersen who pulverized MI bowlers with some real power-hitting.

Sehwag who hit eight fours and four sixes added 135 runs for the opening stand with Jayawardene (55 off 42 balls as Mumbai Indian bowlers were sent on a leatherhunt.

Pietersen smashed an unbeaten 50 off 26 balls (6x4, 3x6) towards the end to beef up the total.