Matchday 21
Yesterday's games: Delhi vs Chennai (Chennai won by 4 wickets)
Kolkata vs Bangalore (Kolkata won by 5 runs)
Today's game: Jaipur vs Hyderabad
The biggest update of the morning is that Delhi prices have crashed over-night (or, well, over-evening) from the lofty 2200+ heights they roamed in yesterday to the 1100's that they float in now.
This may not necessarily be a bad thing for new investors, and perhaps even for those with shares in Delhi because it may have just acted as a good levelling agent preventing the stock from over-heating. The 1000 rupee fall could be an over-reaction to the defeat against Chennai yesterday where they did fight well, and for a good part of the game, were favourites to win.
If you are willing to bet on a Delhi resurgence, which is more in favour of than against the odds, this might be a good time to look at it. It is a HUGE opportunity for new investors fresh in the market.
The other news is that Kolkata has picked up significantly, as expected, after yesterday's win. The heavy activity in Kolkata yesterday prior to the game came as a predictable precursor to the battle of the bottom-rung teams, with Kolkata having the best opportunity to pick up a win and get some momentum.
Chennai hsn't risen significantly to yesterday's win, possibly on account of the fact that it was their first win in four games. But it might be worth looking into the stock, since the win may just mark a return to the earlier glory track that they set.
Another big mover yesterday was Mohali rising by over 500 rupees to reach 2600. A bit surprising, given that they have a game against the strong Chennai unit coming soon. A game that will also be interesting for the Chennai stock.
For an adventurous investor, a good punt will be to off load some Jaipur shares and invest in Hyderabad, since a win for Hyderabad today is likely to see a higher spiral and a bigger jump in prices than a win for Jaipur, who stand close to 3000 now, and therefore, close to overheating.
The risk, of course, is always there since the Jaipur are the stronger side on form, and Hyderabad have flattered to deceive in the past.
Matchday 20
Completed game: Mumbai vs Jaipur (Mumbai won by 7 wickets)
Today's games: Chennai vs Delhi
Bangalore vs Kolkata
Mumbai prices had seen a steady and significant rise which had taken their value across the 1000 rupee mark even before yesterday's match. There were a few concerns that it was rising too fast too soon because they had only two wins after all. In that regard it was important for them to win yesterday to prevent the pre-emptive growth to backfire and for the stock to crash.
That they did win and won it comfortably is an indication that Mumbai investments may be safe, for the time being atleast.
Jaipur lost but it was their first loss in six games so it is not surprising that their prices haven't taken a major beating. There may not be a need yet to press the panic button since their overall standards of performance are not likely to drop, but the question you need to ask yourself is with rates spiralling to and beyond the 2000 rupee region, is it getting overheated? How much is it going to rise? There is still half the tournament to go, of course.
With Delhi playing Chennai today, attention will be on the team from Tamil Nadu. Its fairly expensive stock is beginning to slip down, and a win or a loss today against one of the strongest teams in the tournament could either send it back on a very quick climb, or could turn the slow slide to a tumbling crash. So, think about what you want to do with your Chennai shares today.
The other interesting punt for the day is the battle of the bottom-rungers, Kolkata and Bangalore. Both are priced fairly cheaply, although the good start shown earlier and Shoaib's comeback, along with the general high-profile nature of the team has pegged Kolkata a couple of hundred rupees higher than trouble-ridden Bangalore. A gamble in Bangalore may not necessarily yield high returns, since even if they win today it won't necessarily send waves of optimism for the rest of the tournament through the markets.
Unless they win big and either White or Misbah thrown in a huge performance, of course. That will help the book values. If the rates stay in the 600 region they are in now, you could consider a little punt there.
Matchday 19
Hyderabad vs Chennai
Brief Scores
Chennai 144 for 7 (Raina 32 off 21 balls, Morkel 29 off 19, R.P.Singh 2 for 12 off 3 overs) lost to Hyderabad 148 for 3 in 18 overs (Gilchrist 54 off 36 balls, Styris 36 off 41, Sharma 23 off 17, Murali 1 for 24)
It is going all upside down in the tournament with yet another bottom-ranked team beating a side from the top of the charts. Hyderabad finally look like they are going to come close to their hefty pre-tournament billing. It is something that will suit the booming markets as Hyderabad prices will also get into the upward-bound elevator like most of the others.
Chennai
1) It is not something you should mention to Dhoni but it is beginning to look like Hayden and Hussey's absence is proving to be a difficult space to fill. Well, Hayden's, in any case. The last time the top order fired T-Rexes roamed the earth, and Goni had a thick, intimidating beard. It has been a long time since.
2) Morkel and Raina are still knocking it around well so it may not be a total failure. But most others, including Dhoni, are not just failing but also generally looking uncomfortable. So it is very close to a total failure.
3) Makhaya Ntini has maintained his dubious T20 records by conceding a truckload of runs and having an economy rate that seems to keep wanting to sneak into double figures when you aren't looking. The wheels are beginning to come off the bowling, and with the Beard also gone, there is nothing that really threatens anymore.
Hyderabad
1) How many games Hyderabad will win depends on how many games their bowling will cost them. Their batting is almost a given, so each time the bowlers do a good job, as they have done today, you can expect a successful game.
2) Pragyan Ojha shows some good promise for the games coming ahead. Although it needs to be borne in mind that he did show similar promise in Hyderabad's first game after which he seemed embarassed with the attention and slinked into nothingness for a bit.
3) Gilchrist will come up with a little gem like this every now and then so you are assured of returns on that count. Even if he doesn't there are enough batsmen in the Hyderabad line up who will.
Matchday 18
Bangalore vs Mohali
Brief Scores
Bangalore 126 all out (Dravid 66 off 51 balls, Kohli 34 off 36, Chawla 3 for 25, Sreesanth 2 for 16) lost to Mohali 127 for 4 in 18.2 overs (Marsh 39 off 34, Sarwan 31 off 29, Kumar 2 for 22, Khan 2 for 29)
Just when it looked like Bangalore was going to stage a comeback and things would get exciting, they have gone ahead and batted themselves out of the game again. Mohali are beginning to look almost certain to make it to the semis. Let's take a look at some of the nitty-gritties of today's game, though most of it may be kind of obvious already.
Bangalore
1) The opening bowling would be a bigger disappointment than the batting because with the batting, you kind of know this is what you are in for. The bowling is the team's real asset, and if Bangalore are going to give spectacular returns, it will be through their bowling.
Today was a great opportunity to do that, and it didn't happen. That may be enough reason for you to think about off-loading some Bangalore stocks now.
2) There may be a small point of speculation here, though. Cameroon White and Misbah-Ul-haq are clearly capable of doing better than what they have done so far. So as the stocks prices look set to plummet, the punter in you might want to wager on these two potential tide-turners.
Of course, it will be a Glorious Hero-or-Laughing stock call.
Mohali
1) A major plus from this game for Mohali is the fantastic bowling performance. There wasn't too much doubt about their batting, and now the bowling has shown signs that it can turn the team into a well-rounded points machine.
Of course, you have to bear in mind that this was a wicket that provided help to the bowlers, and that Sreesanth has bowled well today can be taken as an indication that he isn't going to do that for the next few games.
2) I am trying hard to find some interesting, secret, hidden insight but I suspect it can't be done without being a pseduo expert. It is fairly obvious that the Mohali batting, now steeled by Shaun Marsh, is going to be regular performer and so, possible worth buying.
All that can be added is that it may be worth booking some stocks quickly now before the rates spiral and reach the levels that Delhi and Jaipur are operating on now.
Matchday 17
Mumbai vs Delhi
Brief Scores
Mumbai 162 for 8 (Jayasuriya 34 off 16 balls, Pollock 33 off 15, Thornely 30 off 24, Yomahesh 3 for 33, Sangwan 1 for 21) beat Delhi 133 all out (Sehwag 40 off 20, Karthik 28 off 23, Nehra 3 for 25)
So, FINALLY, you won't be laughed at anymore for holding on to some Mumbai shares. And yes, you can reveal that little secret of yours and gloat at those who paid over 950 T20 rupees for those Delhi shares. But is this really as big a deal as it seems? Let's figure it out.
Delhi
1) The lurking suspicion that the Delhi batting is a Top 3-or-nothing set up is beginning to grow. The middle order, on paper, has some good names but it has no anchor, and it has no one capable of taking a game by force like any of the top order can.
2) There is no need to press the panic button yet, though. The bowling is as good as ever, so you are always going to get fair returns on investment. The batting has had just what can be soothingly described as an 'off-day'.
3) Mohammad Asif has had yet another expensive 11-per-over outing, the regularity of which ought to be worrying now.
Mumbai
1) Ahh, what a good day. The top order has finally fired and that is a welcome relief.
2) The biggest plus though out to be the air of positivity that has now come to the team. They finally look like they are being asked to play cricket and earn millions of dollars and not stuck with the task of negotiating with a hungry tiger and convince it to go on a diet. This general air of confidence ought to augur well for the future games.
3) Nehra has struck a good note today, but the key will be to see if he can keep it up. If he can the share values are set to spiral, since he is one of those win-all-or-lose-all bowlers.
Matchday 16
Bangalore vs Hyderabad
Brief Scores
Bangalore 156 for 8 (Jaffar 44 off 37 balls, Kohli 38 off 29, R.P.Singh 3 for 41) beat Hyderabad (153 for 6, Sharma 57 off 42 balls, Laxman 52 off 44, Kumar 3 for 23, Khan 2 for 24)
The battle of the bottom rungs ended with Bangalore pulling a win from under Hyderabad's nose. But is it necessarily a sign of an upward swing for Bangalore? Let's see
Bangalore
1) The template that a Bangalore performance fits into is becoming fairly obvious now. The batting will, as mentioned several times earlier, deliver a regular 150-160 performance almost every time. Or well, let me pull my neck back in and rephrase that as most times. Whether they win or not will depend on whether the bowling can hold the opposition in or not.
So in that regard, while it may not be the most rewarding stock, Bangalore is becoming one of the most steady and consistent shares to hold, with the only variable being their own bowling and the opposition's batting.
2) The question is can Bangalore break the 150-160 tier that their batting seems to have gotten stuck in and give a big 190-200+ score? The positive sign in that direction is that Jaffar and Dravid, not one of the usual suspects, are beginning to score regularly. If Misbah or the elusive White can provide a burst of runs it could happen. But we would suggest don't hold your breath....you are likely to suffocate.
3) Steyn continues his upward climb and that is a very encouraging sign. The bowling has been a positive.
Hyderabad
1) The defeat would be demoralizing, they should have won this, given that their strength is supposed to be their batting. Not good for the book values, which may not have fallen too much on account of the close game but would certainly haven't grown. Your Hyderabad shares aren't going to take you to Sri Lanka as yet..
2) There is a concern that the batting is being increasingly polarized towards Laxman and Sharma with no one else coming to the party. It is unlikely that the two will pull off another 40+ score in the next game (that would be three back-to-back 40+ scores, what are the odds?).
How much you invest in them now depends on what you think are the chances of Gibbs, Gilly and Afridi exploding next time around. If they do you could be in for a big jackpot.
Kolkata vs Mohali
Brief Scores
Mohali 178 for 6 (Marsh 40 off 32 balls, Sangakkara 28 off 21, Gul 2 for 27) beat Kolkata 169 for 6 (Hussey 71 off 46, Saha 59 off 32, Pathan 2 for 18, Sreesanth 2 for 25)
Mohali are now where Kolkata were in the first few days of the tournament - not the strongest side around but beginning to look increasingly capable of staging a pirate act in a knockout game to leapfrog over Delhi or Chennai.
Kolkata are, well, down in the dumps. Though not entirely out.....
Kolkata
1) Another depressing scorecard. The top order is a big concern, and there seems to be little to look forward to.
2) A reason to hold on to some of those stocks, however, is the possibility of hidden strength in the middle/lower middle order. Hussey is pure gold, of couse, but more importantly Saha and Shukla have shown some consistent promise over the past few games.
As the last, sudden lunge in the final few overs symbolized yesterday, Kolkata are never as far from a big score as it looks.
3) The bowling is in general strong but more depends on Ishant than is apparent. This is demonstrated further by the impact his bad day had on the bowling in general, conceding a 170+ score.
Mohali
1) The team is consolidating well and have graduated from digging themselves out of a hole to picking up a steady rhythm to their run.
2) The batting looks rich and assuring. A key point that guarantees decent returns is that the batting has several players capable of single-handedly taking the team to a decent score. With the team looking settled mentally, a complete overall collapse is unlikely.
3) However the bowling still conceded 169 to a Kolkata side who had lost their top 5 batsman for 50. It is difficult to see them pinning down a mighty Delhi or Chennai line up.
Matchday 15
Delhi vs Chennai
Brief Scores
Chennai 169 for 6 (Vidyut 54 off 37 balls, Dhoni 32 off 27, Morkel 28 off 16, McGrath 1 for 21) lost to Delhi 172 for 2 in 19 overs (Sehwag 71 of 41, Gambhir 50 off 37, Gony 1 for 39)
So after the battle of the top two, Delhi has clearly emerged as the biggest stock to hold. Chennai have suffered a defeat and come out a clear second best, but there is enough reason to not worry about a potential slump/decline that many seem to predict.
Chennai
1) Investors need not be scared. This defeat does not necessarily mark a decline because of key players having left.
This is because those who replaced Hayden and Hussey - Vidyut and Morkel - did fairly well themselves. The batting slump has come more on account of some good bowling and some unfortunate run outs in the middle overs, which are not going to be factors in all the games as such.
2) Overall the bowling deserves credit for coming back despite a Sehwag mauling, not something many have done.
3) The support swing bowling after Gony and Ntini is a worry. Morkel and Joginder don't inspire confidence. Might be worth looking at Balaji, but overall, there is a concern when they play strong batting sides.
Delhi
1) Th most encouraging sign of the day has been the bowling. To come back and keep a strong Chennai side down to under 170 on such a pitch is a great sign for the future. McGrath's consistent excellence is great for the book values.
2) Sending De Villiers up the order to allow him to get a few runs under his belt when there was comparitively less pressure was a good idea and could go some way in making the batting, and therefore the side, almost impregnable.
Matchday 14
Rajasthan vs Kolkata
Brief Scores
Rajasthan 196 for 7 (Asanodkar 60 off 34 balls, Pathan 55 off 33, Gul 3 for 31) beat Kolkata 151 all out (Ganguly 51 off 39, Hussey 42 off 30, Watson 2 for 22 off 2.1 overs, Tanvir 2 for 30)
It is difficult to say which is steeper, the free-fall of Kolkata or the ascendency of Rajasthan. Easier to point a few other things out, though
Kolkata
1) It is clear that Kolkata now have one of the weakest batting line-ups in the tournament. You are not likely to get a lot of value for your money from there. So that is a decent reason to off-load some of those Kolkata shares now.
2) There is a small reason to buy some Kolkata stock now too. Because their bowling still is really good. You will observe that the 196 they conceded was more on account of abysmal support bowling. The crux is still strong enough to earn returns.
3) Ganguly has finally delivered a 50, and a decent strike rate of 130. It will help salvage the fall a little bit, and hopefully, set him off on a run of good scores.
Rajasthan
1) It has just been a rise and rise. The batting strength and consistency is remarkable, and promises further riches. YET another local star has come to the fore.
2) The bowling has been controlled and consistent too. But you have to consider if they can do as well against a stronger batting line up.
3) An important point is that Rajasthan have gotten through most of the 'tough' teams like Delhi, and the only team against whom they start off as underdogs in their forthcoming games of the first leg is Chennai. So, there is promise of further riches to come.
Matchday 13
Delhi vs Bangalore
Brief scores
Delhi 191 for 5 (Gambhir 86 off 54 balls, Dhawan 50 off 33, Kallis 2 for 39, Steyn 1 fo 29) beat Bangalore 181 for 5 (Kallis 54 off 44, Dravid 38 off 30, Boucher 31 off 17, McGrath 4 for 29, Vettori 1 for 19)
So Bangalore have joined Mumbai at the bottom and have become one of two sides to almost certainly not make it to the semis, barring an exceptional run of wins. But there still are a few positives that can be taken out of their game tonight, and there a few things for those investing in Delhi to be careful about.
Delhi
1) It is another win, so another boost to the book values. Certain strengths have been reconfirmed - Gambhir, McGrath, Dhawan look like they are going be consistent performers with almost guaranteed returns.
2) An area of concern is the fact that their core asset, the bowling, has conceded 181 runs. It gets worse when you consider the fact that Vettori, without whom they would possibly have lost the game, is unlikely to take further part in the tournament.
3) We still haven't seen a strong, convincing performance from the middle order, although that is partly on account of lack of opportunity.
Bangalore
1) Despite the defeat, a commendable batting show should keep the book values from collapsing. Dravid and Kallis getting some runs under their belt is also a positive sign.
2) Like in the previous games, the bowling continues to look incapable of propping the batting up or supporting it.
3) Dale Steyn coming back after a pummeling last time is also a good sign. If his graph continues the upward motion initiated in this game it could indicate that Bangalore might be heading for a few wins after all.
Matchday 12
Mumbai vs Kolkata
Brief Scores
Kolkata 137 for 8 (LR Shukla 40* off 22 balls, D Das 29 off 20, Jayasuriya 3 for 14) lost to Mumbai 138 for 3 in 18.4 overs (Bravo 64* off 53 balls, Uthappa 37 off 37, Dinda 1 for 12)
A big day for Mumbai on paper, but it isn't such a big surprise really. Mumbai, abysmal as they have been so far, had the law of averages dragging them towards a win while Kolkata clearly seem to be on their way down. A few interesting revelations have come through today
Kolkata
1) A little fear that stayed hid in a corner as McCullum breached the skies on day one has proven true today. When it comes to life beyond McCullum the Kolkata batting is seriously lacking muscle.Without too many noted reinforcements waiting on the bench things may not improve too much.
Mumbai
1) Mumbai has finally registered a win and the biggest take-away from the game will be decent, restrictive bowling performance. Though investors must note that it has come against a weak-ish batting line up.
2) Mumbai continue to struggle to find a few consistent local performers aside of Nayar. They continue treading on thin ice because it is the same players performing in each game.
3) A corollary of that is that Mumbai's book value is likely to pick up in the next game because Sachin will play. He is likely to replace one of the local players, and you can bet on him to do better than them. There is no guarantee of course, but the odds are worth considering.
Matchday 11
Bangalore vs Chennai
Brief scores
Chennai 178 for 5 (Dhoni 65 off 30 balls, Hussey 47 off 37, Kumar 1 for 29) beat Bangalore 165 all out (Taylor 53 off 34, Jaffar 50 off 33, Gony 3 for 34)
Chennai become the only team to have not lost a single game in the IPL (Mumbai are one up on them, though, they haven't won a single game. Ha, take that!) while Bangalore continue to struggle to put the ball past the ropes towards the end of the innings. Let us consider a few points of interest that have emerged from this game.
Chennai
1) It helps the company a great deal that all the batsmen are contributing and chipping in. Dhoni and Raina's rich form is importantbecause Hussey and Hayden will leave a huge gap when they leave (so will Oram but he hasn't batted much anyway).
2) It might have helped to give Morkel a bat because he will have to play an important role once the above-mentioned three are off on their international commitments.
3) The Murali-less bowling attack has done well to secure a win. But how well it would have done/will do against a stronger top order, like say Delhi or Hyderabad (or Mumbai..hahahaha) is up for debate.
Bangalore
1) Ross Taylor's absence is likely to hurt a lot. Given his pure, clean, majestic and absolutely delightful hitting it is almost a pity that he will have to leave the tournament mid-way. But hey, international cricket is still the real thing.
2) It is about time Misbah and Cameroon White come into the picture. Taylor is out. Jaffar has hit two sixes in this game which means he is not going to hit another one for the next 10. IPL tournaments, not matches. He appeared to play a Ashraful-like scoop over short fine leg so clearly he is not in the pink of mental health. So they will need someone to hit the sixes.
3) All the bowlers, including Steyn, have had a bad game, which is a dangerous sign given that they came into the tournament as one of the best bowling sides in the mix.
Matchday 10
Delhi vs Mohali
Brief Scores
Delhi 158 for 8 (Tiwari 39 off 34 balls, VRV Singh 3 for 29, Irfan Pathan 2 for 26) lost to Mohali 162 for 6 (Katich 75 off 52 balls, Yuvraj 40 off 29 balls, Asif 2 for 39)
Delhi's run of power has been cracked and a few chinks have been exposed. The Mohali side look like they are finally ready to live up to their big billing. Let's take a closer look
Delhi
Positives
This was actually a pretty unnerving game for Delhi because it has opened a few loose tiles on the floor. The only major positive can be said to be Tiwari's batting, which showed some competence in the middle order.
Negatives
There was little or no rearguard once the top order had been breached, batting wise. There is a suspicion that for Delhi, as far as batting is concerned, it is either the top order or nothing, a theory which will need a few more games before it can ruled out or confirmed.
Asif and Mahroof, their 2nd and 3rd first-choice bowlers, have gone for 9 and 10 runs per over respectively which is a bit worrying.
Why Vettori is not being used before he flies off to England is a mystery.
Mohali
Positives
The biggest positive for Mohali is that their bowling has looked good for two matches in a row now. Given that this was their weak link, the new-found success suddenly makes them look like a complete unit.
VRV Singh's good performance will come as some special good news because A) He is a new player and therefore a 'true asset' who hasn't been evaluated before and b) Brett Lee is scheduled to leave for the West Indies soon and Mohali will be looking for someone to step into his shoes.
Negatives
Nothing much to knock on, really, though had they lost fewer wickets and chased the target in fewer overs it would done the book values a lot of good.
Mumbai vs Hyderabad
Brief scores
Mumbai 154 for 7 (Nayar 34 off 19, Bravo 34 off 18, R.P.Singh 2 for 17) lost to Hyderabad 155 for 0 (Gilchrist 109 off 48, Laxman 36 off 29)
It was on the cards, wasn't it? You couldn't have 14 Hyderabad games without Gilchrist exploding atleast once. Let's see what it has done to shake up the markets...
Hyderabad
Positives
A win of this magnitude will do wonders for the book values, which will be soaring now. It would have possibly done a lot more than just nullify the impact of the previous defeats.
A big positive is that finally the bowling has kicked in and netted some points. Afridi might prove to be a useful campaigner in this regard, and could carry on the good work for a bit longer.
Negatives
Nothing of note to worry about. Except maybe for the fact that now that the Gilchrist whirlwind has come and gone it may not come again for a bit. But you can hardly complain about things like that.
Mumbai
Positives
Well. It's over, and it can't possibly get worse. Maybe....
Negatives
The top order is too brittle, and there are just too many innings being constructed by rescue acts. Perhaps it might be worth considering bringing Loots Bosman in, replacing either Ronchi or Jayasuriya.
I continue to wait for my now-foolish-looking predictions to come through and for Ronchi to come up with that one big, mighty innings. Ahh well....
The bowling also looks powerless, especially because all the major signings - Fernando, Malinga and Harbhajan - are out without any clear idea of when they will get back in, if at all. So things don't look like they are going to improve too much.
Matchday 9
Kolkata vs Chennai
Brief Scores
Kolkata 147 for 9 (L.R. Shukla 42 off 33, Saha 27 off 16, Oram 3 for 32, Amarnath 2 for 29) lost to Chennai 152 for 1 in 17 overs (Hayden 70 off 49, Dhoni 43 off 27, Agarkar 1 for 19 off 3 overs)
A match that has exposed several chinks in the Kolkata armory, and allowed Chennai to brush back their hair which was ruffled by Mumbai. An important result for the markets
Kolkata
Positives
Laxmi Ratan Shukla scored a few runs which are good signs coming from a local, non-hyped player.
None of their players slapped anyone else.
That's about it, really.
Negatives
One of Kolkata's biggest strengths, which wouldn't be threatened by McCullum leaving mid-way, was their bowling. That it misfired so horrendously is bad not just for the book values but also for their future prospects.
The batting looks seriously deprived of life and rigour once you get past McCullum. Except for Saha who showed some spunk, the rest seem to be stuck in quicksand.
A lot of the good work done previously has been undone on account of the margin of defeat, and not so much by the defeat itself.
Chennai
Positives
We could just paste the scorecard here and leave it to readers to sort it out, it is that obvious.
Hayden and Dhoni have both managed to repeat their scores from the previous game, which shows signs of consistent form.
An all round bowling effort with just one bowler going for over 8 runs an over, with the team picking up 9 wickets is good for the book value. The all round performance will also nullify the impact of Oram leaving for England.
Negatives
A good chunk of the batting will be leaving for West Indies and England shortly, so perhaps it might have been better for one of the homegrown players- say Badrinath or Raina - to get a bit of time out in the middle, coming in at number 3.
Jaipur vs Bangalore
Brief Scores
Bangalore 135 for 8 (Taylor 44 off 20, Pravin Kumar 34 off 30, Watson 2 for 20, Munaf 2 for 20 in 3 overs) lost to Jaipur 138 for 3 (Smith 49 off 42, Watson 61 off 41, Khan 1 for 24)
Jaipur really is rapidly emerging as a serious semi-final contender. It has gone from fighting and stealing guerilla wins from under Goliath's noses to actually trouncing opponents. Given that it is priced as lowly as it is, they could emerge as the stock of the tournament.
Bangalore
Positives
When you are playing for the Banglore IPL side, whatever your on-field performances may be, there is always a steady, free supply of chilled Kingfishers waiting for you in the dressing room. That ought to come as a positive.
On field, Taylor has now played well in two back-to-back matches now, and looks set to notch up 150-175+ strike rates. But he is beginning to look like a young drummer in a room full of grown, peaceful men singing religious hymns.
Negatives
The batting is shorn of firepower, and it is time White is given a regular run and asked to go ballistic.
It is also time Misbah-Ul-Haq gets in and helps propel the team beyond the 130-150 scorelines that they seem stuck at.
Note that they only just about managed to chase a moderate total set by Mumbai in the one game they have won.
The bowling looks toothless, and they really need Steyn to come in now.
Jaipur
Positives
It has been a remarkable show of strength, and the biggest positive coming out of this run of wins is that Jaipur won't be thinking like a bottom rung underdog anymore. They will go in knowing they can beat anyone, and that should boost performances.
Smith and Watson look comfortable at the top and capable of delivering such scores as they have done on a regular basis.
Trivedi and Warne, both fresh assets since they haven't played T20 international cricket and therefore don't figure in the IPO price evaluations, have also done well consistently and look like a good pressure soaking pair down the middle.
Negatives
The batting still revolves around the top 3. Younis Khan declaring his unavailability ('unless you really need me', as he has put it) on account of personal issues is a blow.
Matchday 7
Jaipur vs Hyderabad
Brief Scores
Hyderabad 214 for 5 (Symonds 117* off 53 balls, Sharma 36 off 30, Yousuf Pathan 2 for 20) lost to Jaipur 217 for 7 (Smith 71 off 45, Yousuf Pathan 61 off 28, Kaif 34 off 16, Afridi 3 for 28)
Ahh...who doesn't love an underdog success? And who doesn't love a Shane Warne success which hasn't come in the bedroom. A great day for those who have bet on and applied for the Jaipur shares, for the demand is bound to soar when the markets open this Sunday.
Jaipur
Positives
Runs from practically everyone is good news. Smith has gotten into his stride very quickly and Yousuf Pathan has finally allowed secret closet believers like yours truly to come out of the cupboard and bounce around telling everyone, "I told you so". Except that I hadn't told them so, afraid of being scoffed at. Well....
Everyone in the top order now has got runs under their belts, except Akmal. And if there comes a day when Mohammad Kaif, of all the big mighty heave-ho-ers, hits three sixes you have to look at your gods and give them a little grateful wave.
Negatives
The bowling is a serious problem. They are getting ridiculously easy to put away. But the coming of Tanvir and Morkel should help things a bit.
The middle order is also a bit fuzzy, and it needed Warne to throw his weight around (no pun intended) to give them a win. The entry of a Younis Khan or a Dimtri Mascrenhas in the middle in place of Akmal should help. But then the above bowlers won't find a place. An in between solution needs to be figured out.
Hyderabad
Positives
Tough to find a positive. And especially so when you realize that lines like the previous one were supposed to figure in your opponent's column.
The 200+ score helps, the batting has been fairly consistent, except for in the Kolkata dustpan.
You can be fairly assured that the batting will keep holding the book values up, or at least will prevent them from plummeting.
Andrew Symonds is another big positive.
Negatives
Fairly ridiculous bowling which looks to keep outdoing itself each time.
Andrew Symonds is another big negative.
Matchday 6
Mumbai vs Chennai
Brief scores
Chennai 208 for 5 (Hayden 81 off 46 balls, Raina 53 off 37 balls) beat Mumbai 202 for 7 (Nayar 45 off 20 balls, Uthappa 43 off 36 balls, Joginder 2 for 29)
Another good day for the tournament from a purely cricketing standpoint, a fantastic game, a close finish and that little bit which everyone loves - the weaker side on paper putting up a fight. Let's see what new learnings it holds for the market.
Chennai
Positives
Another 200+ score, another win. And a different wrecker in chief this time.
Suresh Raina has shown consistency with two powerful, back to back knocks, and Dhoni has also got a bit of power play behind him now.
Albie Morkel is yet to come in, and you can count on him to provide a fair amount of firepower.
Negatives
Both heroes from the previous two games, Hayden and Hussey, are likely to leave for the Windies tour towards the second half of the tournament, while Oram won't be around for the complete length of the tournament either. We all love Fleming, of course, but can he provide a 40-ball 80? Not sure...Morkel will have to shoulder a bit of the big-hitting responsibility then.
The bowling has conceded 200 runs in two matches now which isn't good for the book value, although the nine wickets should help.
Their waiting-in-the-wings bowler, Ntini, isn't known for being very economical either on the T20 field, and his pace can actually go against him.
A line of thought could be to cash in on the Chennai shares now before a possible (just possible, not likely) decline in the future.
Mumbai
Positives
A huge positive that actually sets Mumbai apart from most other teams....the discovery of a local hero, one who no international games, no max-4-players-a-side restrictions can take away. Nayar's knock was a celebration of batting in the way it combined clean hitting and style.
Musavir Khote, the big right hander, hit just one six but showed that he is capable of filling the role of one of those 15-ball-30 men, so crucial in this form of the game.
Pollock has had some good clean hits himself in two back to back games. Another potential 10-ball-25er.
Loots Bosman, a serious hitter in this form of the game, is yet to play.
Bravo looks good for a few more crucial knocks.
Is the losing team coming out with more positives than the team that won?
Negatives
The Mumbai side still miss that 80-90 innings scorer. Ideally you need atleast two batsmen capable of that, to take turns since you can't provide that every game, so the rest of the cameos can revolve around it.
Let's be honest, it is too much to expect Sachin or Jayasuriya to hit 80 off 40 balls regularly across the 13 remaining games. One of the other batsmen will have to grow in to that slot.
The bowling looks a bit worrisome, and capable of conceding runs. How much Dilhara will help is open to speculation.
But all in all a very good game for Mumbai, which will boost their book value, and very importantly, give them a leg to stand on in the coming matches.
Matchday 5
Delhi vs Hyderabad
Brief Scores
Hyderabad 142 for 8 (Sharma 66 off 36 balls, Asif 2 for 19) lost to Delhi 143 for 1 in 13 overs (Sehwag 94 off 41, Dhawan 25 off 28)
A very significant day for the markets because some clear identities have come through. Delhi are clearly the Alpha Males of the pack, the bull elephant which has stamped it's way through to two comprehensive wins. Hyderabad have flattered to deceive, the bowling looks like it is there just to make up the numbers. Let's try and make some sense of the carnage that we saw today.
Delhi
Positives
Both comprehensive wins have come through completely different personnel taking the lead, with bat and ball. So while Gambhir and Mahroof gave them a big win last time it was Sehwag and Asif who came through this time. The team is beginning to compete with itself, and when any side does that it means they are either at the bottom or at the top.
In the meantime, Dhawan and McGrath have snuck in as quiet, common denominators playing a stable support role in both games.
A huge plus is that the batting strength comes almost completely from the local boys alone, so they can afford to play both McGrath and Asif. When you get through the top three you will see Karthik and Tiwary (who is a bit like those fantasy story villians, spoken and hushed about but never really seen). Somewhere in the mix is also one of De Villiers and Malik, who they can in fact replace with Vettori who completes a formidable bowling line up and contributes with the bat.
They are expensive, but are beginning to look like a solid blue chip investment.
Negatives
A high price...that's just about it. Plus the fact that you haven't seen how they would react under a pressure situation, where they either face a pitch like the one at Eden Gardens, or they face a McCullum-like innings and have to chase 200.
Hyderabad
Positives
They lost again, yes, and they lost quiet badly. But the match did show that their batting can pull itself out of a bad situation. Gilchrist, Symonds, Laxman and Afridi all contributing zilch is a very rare situation, and they still got to 142. A massive collapse of that sort is not likely to happen frequently....atleast less frequently that an Afridi or a Gilchrist getting going. They are both due and when they deliver, you would like to have a stake in their performance.
Negatives
It shines in bright, blaring, neon colours with font size 72 : bowling. On an Eden Gardens wicket which seemed to hide the spirits of a Garner, Murali, Warne and Wasim all in itself, they couldn't get more than half the Kolkata side out.
Unless the bowling pulls itself up, the Hyderabad stock may not lose money, but the rate of growth may be slow, save an extraordinary burst from Gilchrist, Afridi, Symonds or Sharma.
Matchday 4
Jaipur vs Mohali
Brief Scores
Mohali 166 for 8 (Yuvraj 57 off 34, Chawla 24 off 11, Warne 3 for 19, Trivedi 2 for 25) lost to Jaipur 168 for 4 in 18.1 overs (Watson 76* off 49 balls, Jadeja 36 off 25 balls, Pathan 1 for 21)
This kind of game is good for the tournament, and also good for the market in that it shakes things up and makes it more interesting. Those who have bid for numerous Mohali shares inspired by Daler Mehendi and Priety Zinta prancing around (though how could that be I cannot see) will grunt in anger, but well, that's how it is.
Jaipur
Positives
There was a smattering of everything there. A great individual batting effort, a great individual bowling effort, very useful support performances, eight wickets and a batting strike rate of 9.28.
The biggest positive is that there is a great deal of reinforcements yet to come. Smith, Younis Khan and Mascrenhas are very lethal with the bat, and Morne Morkel is a demon with the ball.
Two useful performances have come from local Indian lads Jadeja and Trivedi, who wouldn't need to be replaced to accommodate the previous four, although even with Akmal and Lehmann out only two of the above three will play consistently.
Negatives
We could say that the win came through only four major performances, and we could say that if you take away Warne's bowling and Watson's batting, neither of which may come everytime, especially the latter, there are a few shambolic figures around and it would all be true.
But really, for the lowest priced share of all the eight, this would amount of whining too much. Go get those shares if you haven't already.
Mohali
Postives
Yeah, this is the tough bit. Two defeats, and the second is the worse of the lot. Yuvraj's fifty is something that will salvage something in the book value, as will Chawla's little burst in the end. 8.64 is a fair strike rate and all won't be lost
Negatives
The bowling is a serious issue and if they are going to constantly leak runs and more importantly, NOT pick up wickets it is going to undo much of the batting efforts.
Three out of the six bowlers who bowled conceded over 12 runs an over (ok, over 11.99 runs an over if you must be petty, two of them conceded 12 an over).
The big point of concern is that there are no major replacements either to the bowlers who have been on show. So if you hold on to these shares it will be with the hope that Lee, Chawla and (gulp) Sreesanth improve their act.
Matchday 3
Kolkata vs Hyderabad
Brief scores
Hyderabad 110 all out (Symonds 32 off 39, Gilchrist 23 off 22, Kartik 3 for 17 off 3.4 overs) lost to Kolkata 112 for 5 (David Hussey 38 off 43, Ojha 2 for 18, Vaas 2 for 9)
A good game in which both sides were tested. Crucial for investors to see the sides fleshed out like this before open market trading starts.
Hyderabad
Positives
Symonds and Gilchrist look in good touch. Worth holding on to some stocks purely under the hope of a lottery where one day Gilly will stay for longer than his now customary 5-6 overs (though it was 8 today) and do a McCullum. It is on the cards.
Besides there is great batting strength yet to come through Chamara Silva, Shahid Afridi and Gibbs. And better pitches of course.
Vaas is as good as ever but Ojha looks like providing some good returns on a regular basis
Negatives
Too early to call, but the inability to take more than 5 wickets on a pitch like this a telling reflection on their just-about-moderate bowling.
Kolkata
Positives
A good win, and one where someone else aside of McCullum came to the party. Hussey is beginning to look like a good pressure absorber down the middle, though it is yet to be seen if he can deliver the kind of strike rates needed to boost your stock values.
But the big story is the fact that they have taken 10 wickets in two games now. Impressive, and certain to increase the book value through a combination of wickets and low economy rates.
Negatives
Ponting and Ganguly are not performing nearly as well as they could/should. Ponting, particularly, is a worry because he has contributed towards the price of Kolkata's IPO.
It may be too early to take a call, but it does look like if they are to breach 200 regularly, they will be (too) dependent on McCullum.
Mumbai vs Bangalore
Brief scores
Mumbai 165/6 (Uthappa 48 off 38 balls, Pollock 28 off 12 balls, Khan 2 for 17) lost to Bangalore 166/5 (Boucher 39 off 19, Dravid 32 off 33, Kulkarni 1 for 19 off 2.4 overs)
The second of the day's two close games, and possibly with even scoring opportunities as the first. But the rise in book values may not be as much as some of upward spikes of the past two days.
Mumbai
Positives
Well, they aren't worse than they have been reckoned to be. In fact for a fair part of the match they actually looked they would start the tournament off with a win.
Uthappa and Pollock are good but watch out for Ronchi. The man comes with a sixes and a reputation behind him. He is also not valued in Mumbai's current IPO price because of no T20 International experience, so whatever he scores will be a huge bonus. And he could score quite a bit.
Things can get better because Bravo and Fernando haven't played yet.
Negatives
The team seemed to lack the firepower that some of the other 200+ marauders have. It does not look like Mumbai is going to be one of those teams who is going to give you high batting returns, because they don't seem to have too many 22-ball-40 players amongst their non-marquee stars i.e. outside of Sachin, Sanath, Uthappa, Ronchi and Pollock unlike some of the other teams.
And you can only play four internationals so even if Bravo and Fernando come in it will mean Pollock and Ronchi or Jayasuriya going out. The true value of your company lies in its local, Indian players.
The bowling lacked penetration. It may not give you too many wickets, and therefore, book values may not spike too much, even if they stay in the blue.
Bangalore
Positives
A good all-round batting display, with a few 200+ strike rate innings. A sign of some aggressive hitting to come.
In fact the Bangalore side looks like it has the right balance of steady players like Kallis & Dravid and a little array of big hitters like Boucher, Virat Kohli, Cameroon White and Ross Taylor.
Perhaps if they had to chase 222 now, having found their feet and kind of settled in they might have done it. An interesting point to keep in mind when you are investing in the side.
Negatives
The bowling still looks unexceptional, and will depend heavily on Dale Steyn when he comes in.
Matchday 2
Chennai vs Mohali
Brief Scores
Chennai 240 (Hussey 116* off 54 balls, Raina 32 off 13, Badrinath 31 off 14, Pathan 2 for 47) beat Mohali 207/4 (Hopes 71 off 33, Sangakkara 54 off 33, Murali 1 for 33)
All in all a good game for investors. Big runs, big sixes, hefty 10 per over+ scoring rates. The only thing missing was a lot of wickets but that's allright, you would want to save some for the later games.
So while everyone is smiling, let's see who should have the wider smile (aside of Lalit Modi, who was spotted ignoring a few Global News Agencies )
Chennai
Positives
Good, all round batting performance. Everyone seemed as capable of scoring a hundred as the other, it is just that Hussey was the one who did it. So you got a hundred and a few quick 30's, so an all round boost to the team's NAV. With Albie Morkel, Jacob Oram and Dhoni yet to chip in in a big way, an investment here would look safe.
And Mike Hussey was actually entertaining. What bigger positive could there be than that?
Negatives
Kris Srikkanth was spotted wearing the bright yellow jersey and dancing in the aisles (phrase courtesy Tony Grieg). If he is going to do that everytime Chennai do well you really have a bitter aftertaste to any win to put up with.
The bowling was taken apart, with no one looking really dangerous. Besides, only 4 wickets means poor returns.
But still, overall, a positive outing.
Mohali
Positives
You can pretty much copy-paste most of Chennai's positives here.
But the big positive was that they had two fifties, which will boost your stock value.
Negatives
Priety Zinta was NOT spotted dancing or performing an item number.
The 240 seemed to come not just on account of good batting but also on account of some pretty poor bowling. There is no scientific evidence for this but one suspects full tosses, half volleys, short balls outside the off stump may not necessarily be the best way to deal with marauding T20 batsmen.
Overall, growth may be expected, but possibly less than that of Chennai's.
Delhi vs Jaipur
Brief Scores
Jaipur 129 for 8 (Jadeja 29 off 23 balls, Bhatia 2 for 17, Mahroof 2 for 11) lost to Delhi 132/1 (Gambhir 58* off 46, Dhawan 52* off 41)
Delhi
Positives
McGrath looks like McGrath. And happily enough, R Bhatia also looks like McGrath. And best of all, Mahroof looks better than McGrath.
Those not contributing heavily to Delhi's current value have done the scoring. So despite a high IPO price Delhi has shown the first signs of holding steady and delivering returns.
Negatives
Well it was a demolition job, but it was against the presumed minnows after all. Difficult to effectively judge long term performance based on this match alone.
Vettori, one of the primary assets, hasn't had a good day in office while everyone else has, which is rare.
Jaipur
Positives
Umm...they had started the tournament as minnows so they have delivered on expectations.
Clutching on straws?
Negatives
The absence of a fight is disturbing. The bowling looks quite spineless.
It may be worth keeping with you a few shares of Jaipur in the hope that they might suddenly do better once the tournament starts and that their price will rise for you to sell and make a neat profit. But better wait for the second match.
Matchday 1
You didn't read this before because you were busy trying to hog as many Kolkata shares as you possibly could.
Yes, we understand.
There is no doubt that there is an early favourite which will hog all the crowds and the attention. But let's wipe the early euphoria out and see what Kolkata has shown and more importantly, what it hasn't.
And let's also see if there is any hope for those Bangalore shares now
Kolkata
Positives
Sounds silly when we say that, doesn't it?
But with some many positives flying around you might need help sorting them out.
1) The real big positive has been McCullum, right? Err...no.
The positive has been their all round bowling performance, which indicates distribution of strengths and therefore, more chances of a consistent, repeat performance.
2) McCullum of course.
But more than his 150 it is because currently he has been valued at next to nothing in the IPO because of his limited exposure to T20 cricket. So whatever Kolkata is worth in the IPO it is without a significant contribution from McCullum. That is bound to soar after this knock.
Can't be so sure's
1) Kolkata's batting was built entirely on a single man's innings so you haven't really had a chance to look at the rest yet. May make a little sense holding back till their second game before filling the IPOs
That's it really.
Bangalore
Positives
Sounds sillier here.
Umm...ahh...let's see...nice jerseys?
Sorry, possibly not even that.
Had this been the open market there may still have been a case for buying some shares when the prices were low, because they can only go up from here. But that doesn't apply in the IPO, of course.
Negatives
There's a sea of them but let's look at the more relevant ones.
1) No individual contribution or fightback. So an all round fall in the book value. If they had lost with someone scoring a fighting 70-80, there might have been some positives to look for in the book value.
2) General discomfort. The players in general looked out of sorts with the whole set up. This could be because of the sheer impact of the Kolkata blitzkrieg. But if the are going to take time to find their feet the benefit could be that you will already be holding shares when the ascendency starts.
But for now ascendency sounds like the wrong word to be throwing around so just wait back for their next game....