Young guns hold key for Mumbai

PANCHKULA: When Magicbricks.com Mumbai Champs take to the field on Thursday, all they will have in the mind will be a comprehensive win to salvage the sagging morale, and of course, something to cheer about in the points table.
After their miserable loss to Timesjobs.com Chennai Superstars, Champs would be looking to redeem their failure with an emphatic win over Hyderabad Heroes.
The team had a forgettable outing against the Chennai team as they gave away the highest total of the ICL Season 2. Champs failed in every department of the game and Johan van der Wath was the only bowler who showed spark in his craft.
While Avinash Yadav has tasted some success with the ball, he too has been stranded due to the lack of adequate support from the other end. Kasprowicz, once famous for his reverse swing, has not been able to rediscover his form of the past.
If Champs need to lift their morale, bowlers will have to play a major role in their last match. This is not all, the team has been marred by repeated batting failures, with local lads giving inonsistent performances.
Captain Nathan Astle crossed the half-century mark for the first time in the tournament but in vain. Somehow, he has not been able to justify his talent in ICL, and that has adversely affected the team's morale.
With their backs against the wall, Champs can only expect their young guns to fire and hope to perform better in the next edition.
Young players like Ranjit Khirid and Anupam Sanklecha can help Champs lift their motivation level by few notches.
One lesson that the Champs can take from the recent defeat is to cut down runs conceded in extras. On the other hand, Hyderabad Heroes are a buoyant side.
With four wins out of six matches played, the team needs just one win to make the semifinals. If the Heroes had won the thriller against Delhi Giants, they would have been on the top of the table.
Hyderabad are reaping the benefits of playing a number of allrounders in their side. Captain Chris Harris, Justin Kemp, Nicky Boje and Abdul Razzaq have all come good. At present, they look the most balanced team in the tournament.