PANCHKULA: Watching the Delhi Giants during a ‘nets’ session ahead of their last league match of the Indian Cricket League (ICL) 20s Challenge, one could not see any perceptible change in intensity. They went about their paces, working hard on batting, bowling and fielding just the way they would had they been in the race for a place in the semifinals.
Coach Madan Lal could be seen helping the bowlers around and cricket manager Ashok Malhotra having a talk with batsmen. The former India players tried to instill some purpose in the practice session despite the fact that the team could only hope for a miracle, having just three wins (six points) thus far. Three teams are already on eight points each with either one or two matches to go, while Chennai Super Stars are on top with 10 after just six outings.
“I think we have not got the kind of starts we would have liked to, either in batting or bowling. The opening partnerships have not worked too well for us, nor have we managed to get some quick wickets early on,” conceded Madan Lal.
Captain Marvan Atapattu, Avishka Gunawardene and Mohnish Mishra have been tried as openers but the different combinations have yielded little results. Atapattu himself has been unable to shoulder any responsibility.
