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Collins Obuya’s blistering 79 not out helped Kenya to victory over a spirited Uganda side in the fourth match of the Keyna Tri-series in Nairobi

Cricinfo staff02-Feb-2010
Scorecard
Collins Obuya’s blistering 79 helped Kenya to victory over a spirited Uganda side in the fourth match of the Keyna Tri-series in Nairobi. Following their heavy defeat to Kenya in the opening match of the tournament, Uganda have competed well, tying with Scotland on January 31 and rallying to 172 here.Alex Obanda got Kenya’s innings off to a flyer after the hosts were put in by Davis Arinaitwe, the Uganda captain. Obanda struck three sixes and three fours on his way to a 24-ball 45 before he was bowled by Ronald Ssemanda. The innings set the tone for Obuya, who bludgeoned seven sixes in his 45-ball innings. Maurice Ouma, the Kenya captain, proved a useful foil on his way to 39 from 32 deliveries and lifted his side’s total to a 186, comfortably the highest score of the tournament so far. Arinaitwe was the only bowler to exert any control, as his offspin went for a miserly 12 from four overs.Elijah Otieno removed Uganda opener Arthur Kyobe in the second over for 10 before Roger Musaka joined wicketkeeper Lawrence Sematimba in a 47-run stand. Sematimba’s run out for 12 sparked a minor collapse but, as wickets fell around him, Musaka continued to strike the ball well. He made his first Twenty20 fifty, before falling to the impressive Nelson Odhiambo.Odhiambo, playing his first Twenty20 International, finished with 4 for 25 and reduced Uganda to 116 for 6. It was left to Raymond Otim to rally the tail and his 25 from 18 balls, alongside a scampering 16 from 9 balls from Arinaitwe, threatened to cause an upset, but it wasn’t to be.

Arsenal remain interested in Bruno Guimaraes but they may have to wait until the summer to sign him…

What’s the word?

Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano delivered a series of updates over the Gunners’ interest in the Lyon midfielder over the weekend. He first claimed that the north Londoners had been “following him since long time” before later adding:

“Arsenal are working to sign a new midfielder. Bruno Guimarães appreciated but currently not discussed as January target – deal too complicated, €45m fee.”

Goal linked Arsenal with a move for the Brazil international back in July, also suggesting that they tried to sign him in January 2020, so clearly, he’s a long-term target for Mikel Arteta and co.

Sign him up

A number of circumstances this month have seen Arsenal’s priorities change in the transfer market.

Both Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny are unavailable for selection due to their involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations, whilst the club have sanctioned the exit of Ainsley Maitland-Niles to AS Roma.

It makes Arteta very light on midfield options, leaving him with only livewire Granit Xhaka and Albert Sambi Lokonga for the two deeper roles in the engine room.

Therefore, it would be wise to consider Guimaraes now, rather than waiting for the end of the season.

The £27m-rated midfielder has excelled for Lyon in recent seasons, and last term he rated out as one of their most consistent performers – as per WhoScored, he averaged 2.3 tackles per game and an impressive 90.5% passing accuracy, earning a seasonal rating of 6.81.

His form has gone up a notch this season as he rates out as the French outfit’s second-best performer, averaging a WhoScored rating of 7.04.

The 24-year-old enforcer, who stands at 6-foot, has a similar playing style to that of Wolves’ Ruben Neves and former Gunners target Manuel Locatelli.

Meanwhile, football talent scout Jacek Kulig believes the Brazilian is an “elite talent” with “world-class potential”, so it’s no wonder Arsenal have been keen on him for quite some time.

On the above evidence, he would be a fine addition to the squad and one that Arteta badly needs this month. Edu Gaspar must make a U-turn and consider making his move, sooner rather than later.

AND in other news, Arteta could finally axe Arsenal’s £110k-p/w flop by signing £16.2m-rated “big talent”…

كشف الدولي الألماني أنطونيو روديجر، لاعب فريق ريال مدريد الإسباني، عن جانب آخر لمدربه الإيطالي كارلو أنشيلوتي.

روديجر انضم إلى ريال مدريد في الصيف الماضي، قادمًا من تشيلسي في صفقة انتقال حر، وحقق مع الملكي بطولة السوبر الأوروبي في أول مباراة له.

وقال روديجر في تصريحات لشبكة “Sport1” الألمانية: “لقد تكيفت بشكل جيد للغاية في ريال مدريد، لم يسبق لأي فريق أن جعل طريقي سهلًا معه مثل هذا النادي”.

وكشف: “كنت في منزلنا الجديد أنا وعائلتي، وبعد ساعات قليلة من انتقالنا، كنا نقيم حفلة شواء، وفجأة رن جرس الباب، وإذ بـ كارلو أنشيلوتي أمامي، جعلني ذلك مذهولًا للغاية”.

وأكمل: “لقد جلس كارلو معنا في المنزل، تناول الطعام معنا والتقى بأسرتي، كان طبيعيًا للغاية وواقعي جدًا، مكث معنا لمدة ساعتين وتحدثنا عن كل شيء”.

وأشار: “لم أعش شيئًا كهذا أبدًا، لم يفعل أي مدرب ذلك من أجلي، وبعد بضعة أشهر معه، يجب أن أقول إنه عندما يتعلق الأمر بالتعامل مع اللاعبين، فإن أنشيلوتي هو الأفضل”.

وواصل: “كارلو أنشيلوتي أسطورة في التدريب، لقد حصل على دوري أبطال أوروبا أكثر من مرة عندما كنت طفلًا، العمل معه كل يوم مع أنجح نادٍ في العالم، شيء رائع للغاية”.

طالع أيضًا.. روديجر: بيبي مثلي الأعلى قبل الانضمام لـ ريال مدريد.. وأردت أن أكون قاسيًا مثله

وأردف بالحديث عن اسمه المستعار الجديد في ريال مدريد: “توني كروس هو توني بالنسبة لنا، والجهاز يناديني أنطونيو، ولكن زملائي في الفريق أصبحوا ينادونني رودي، لقد أدركوا بالفعل أنني رجل مجنون”.

وعن علاقته بـ كريم بنزيما: “في تشيلسي كنت أشغل الموسيقى لزملائي بغرف تغيير الملابس، بينما في ريال مدريد بنزيما هو الرئيس (يضحك)، لكن يمكنني العيش بموسيقاه، الكثير من الأغاني الإفريقية والهيب هوب قليلًا”.

وعاد بالحديث عن توني كروس: “كنا نتعاون بشكل جيد في المنتخب الوطني، لكن الأمر لم يتخط 3 كلمات، مثل مرحبًا وكيف حالك وإلى اللقاء، لكن في ريال مدريد قابلت توني كروس آخر، يتحدث الإسبانية بشكل جيد، ومنفتح تمامًا ومفيد للغاية بالنسبة لي في الملعب أو خارجه، لقد عرض علي المساعدة منذ اليوم الأول للتعامل مع الآخرين”.

وعن التوقيع لـ ريال مدريد، قال روديجر: “لم تكن ألمانيا خيارًا جادًا في ذلك الوقت، كان أمامي خيارين إما البقاء في تشيلسي أو الذهاب إلى ريال مدريد، وفي نهاية أبريل أصبح الأمر ملموسًا، بعد خسارة مباراتنا أمام ريال مدريد في ذلك الوقت، قررت التحدث مع أخي”.

واستكمل: “سانتياجو بيرنابيو ملعب مرعب، قد يبدو صامتًا لفترة طويلة، ولكن بعد ذلك تأتي تلك اللحظة التي تهز الملعب وتجمد الخصم. الجميع هنا لديهم معرفة جيدة بكرة القدم، ويعرفون متى يجب أن يكونوا داعم كبير للفريق”.

وأكمل الحديث عن مباراة تشيلسي: “بعد هدف تيمو فيرنر، قلنا إن الأمر انتهى، لم يكن هناك فريق آخر يفعل ذلك مثل ريال مدريد، ولم يكن هناك وقتًا لأمزح مع نفسي، المشجعون كانوا يصرخون لأن ريال مدريد سيسجل وليس نحن، وبعد ذلك بـ 4 دقائق، تمريرة مودريتش جعلت حلمهم يتحقق”.

واختتم بالحديث عن الضغط الذي يسببه قميص ريال مدريد: “قوة النادي هائلة، يمكنك تخيلها بشكل أو بآخر، لكن تجربة الأمر بنفسك شيء مختلف، الفوز هنا هو الأهم، لا يوجد خيار آخر، وعندما أنظر إلى لاعبين مثل لوكا مودريتش وتوني كروس وكريم بنزيما، أشهر إنهم مرتاحون للغاية، لدرجة أن المباراة النهائية بالنسبة لهم مثلها مثل أي مباراة طبيعية أخرى”.

Lots of Everton fans have been lauding a transfer link to former Liverpool midfielder Gini Wijnaldum.

As per a report from earlier in the week by 90min, which has since been shared by EFC Daily on their Twitter feed, Rafael Benitez is now ready to battle his former club Newcastle United to sign the Paris Saint-Germain player, of whom he is a ‘big fan’.

Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Leicester City and Aston Villa are other Premier League clubs believed to be interested in signing Wijnaldum in the January transfer window, should he be made available by the Ligue 1 leaders.

Even though he is a former Liverpool player, the Netherlands international would likely improve Benitez’s team given his pedigree in the game, having won both the Premier League and Champions League with the Reds and earned 85 caps for his country.

He has shown that he is more than capable of adding goals and assists from midfield in the English top flight, with 43 such contributions in 217 games in the division (Transfermarkt), and he could be a very shrewd addition at Goodison Park.

Everton fans on Wijnaldum transfer news

These Everton supporters lauded the transfer news as it was shared on Twitter, with one of them hailing the Dutchman as a “proper player”:

“DU DU DU DU DU DU GINI WIJNALDUM”

Credit: @EFC_Martin1

“He would be perfect for Everton tbh. A shame he played for Big Red but his legs and energy with Doucoure would be class”

Credit: @gregofallgregs

“Who knows, I think he would be a good signing if the interest is genuine”

Credit: @AidyDews

“He’s quality mate, it’s a no-brainer on loan”

Credit: @Richlloyd1984

“Finally, a proper player to add to the team”

Credit: @chefmainia

“Job for the boys”

Credit: @askEvertonian08

In other news, find out which official club post has left these Toffees fans buzzing

Many Wolves fans have been enjoying comments made by Joao Moutinho before they play Liverpool in the Premier League this afternoon.

Speaking to the club’s official website, the Portuguese midfielder was asked about his good form so far this season, replying: “I try to do my best, I hope they [the fans] enjoy my football, I’m enjoying a lot playing for Wolverhampton and I’ll do my best with quality, experience, ability to show and to give them something to appreciate.”

Indeed, Moutinho has been one of Wolves’ best performers so far this season, ranking highly among his teammates in terms of average tackles (1.8), interceptions (1.1), clearances (1.1) and key passes (1.4) per game in the Premier League, while he also has the highest pass success percentage (89.1%) out of any of his teammates (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, it is great for the supporters to hear how much he is enjoying playing for the club and indeed in front of them, as he looks to put in a stellar performance against Jurgen Klopp’s team this afternoon.

Wolves fans on Moutinho comments

These Wolves fans loved the comments from Moutinho as they were shared on Twitter:

“Extend the deal”

Credit: @cal_wolvesfc

“Legend man.”

Credit: @XXXTANNERTACION

“Unreal player”

Credit: @Reecey_21

“One of, if not the best, to have ever worn the Old Gold and Black.”

Credit: @dmarsden1988

“Love to watch you playing for Wolves, you and Ruben in the centre of the park are phenomenal!!”

Credit: @cope_vanessa

“Best player in my time to put on the Old Gold and Black”

Credit: @wolfmatt97

In other news, find out which ‘incredible’ star Wolves almost signed

Some West Brom fans have been blasting the performance of Robert Snodgrass in their 3-0 loss at Fulham in the Championship on Saturday.

The Scotland international produced a slack back-pass which allowed Aleksandar Mitrovic to score his second goal of the game, and the striker eventually netted a hat-trick to give the home side all three points.

Snodgrass was also shown a yellow card with just under 15 minutes to go in the game, and some Baggies fans thought that he should have been sent off.

For such an experienced player, he seemed to lose his head on Saturday, as he lost out on four of his duels and failed to record a single shot on goal, dribble, interception. He also lost possession of the ball on 14 separate occasions in the match, the joint-fifth most out of any of his teammates (SofaScore).

West Brom fans on Snodgrass display

These West Brom fans on Twitter blasted the 34-year-old’s performance, with one Albion supporter even going as far as to claim that Snodgrass was ’embarrassing’:

“Particularly given his experience, Snodgrass has been disgraceful and embarrassing today”

Credit: @pennwba

“I’d have Sawyers back if it meant Snodgrass didn’t get a game again”

Credit: @electricelery1

“Snodgrass has had a mare there”

Credit: @Woz_gog

“Pathetic from Snodgrass!!! What was he even thinking about and why is he always so deep? Garbage Albion and virtually game over with our poor forward play.”

Credit: @Stevotop

“Snodgrass shocking. Ajayi shocking. The front three are ghosts. Not sure our wing-backs are playing either. Shocking.”

Credit: @wookiedacookie

“Horrible….horrible play by Snodgrass.”

Credit: @Kilrah01

In other news, find out whose display against Fulham was also slammed by numerous West Brom fans

Player approached in team hotel by man suspected of links to illegal bookmaking

Alex Brown18-Aug-2009Cricket’s recent trysts with bookmakersFebruary 2007: Nagpur Police accuses Marlon Samuels of giving out team information to an alleged bookie, Mukesh Kochar. Police releases a transcript of the conversation between Samuels and Kochar, and the ICC bans Samuels for two years.October 2008: Two ICL players are suspended from the league amid widespread speculation over match-fixing, though the ICL says they are suspended on “disciplinary grounds”.July 2009: Pakistan players complain of the presence of “suspicious characters” in their team hotel in Colombo during a Test series. The team management gets their rooms changed, and the ICC’s ACSU clears Pakistan of any contact with bookies.August 2009: An audio tape of a phone conversation between Mohammad Illyas, a Pakistan senior selector, and Salim Altaf, the PCB’s chief operating officer, alludes to match-fixing in the ICL. Illyas, father-in-law of Imran Farhat who played in the ICL, accuses senior Lahore Badshahs players of having fixed matches.The Australian team management has filed a report with the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit after a player was approached by a man suspected of links to illegal bookmaking. Cricinfo has learned the approach was made in the bar of the team’s London hotel, the Royal Kensington Garden, following Australia’s Ashes defeat at Lord’s in July.The player alerted senior officials immediately and, following ICC protocol, team manager Steve Bernard filed a report with the ACSU. The matter is currently under investigation. The player is not suspected of wrongdoing, and has been praised by a senior ICC official for his prompt reporting of the approach in line with the ACSU’s player education programme.Sources within the ICC and the Australian team, when contacted by Cricinfo, described the approach as “concerning” and part of a worrying resurgence in the presence of illegal bookmakers around major events. Sir Paul Condon, the chairman of the ACSU, told ICC meetings in Dubai and London over the past year that Twenty20 cricket posed the greatest corruption threat to the game since the dark days of Sharjah in the 1990s; a notion supported by recent media and anecdotal reports.Cricinfo understands the ACSU is investigating additional approaches made to players by illegal bookmakers, or conduits acting on their behalf, during the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in England earlier this summer. One source said the ACSU was “well advanced” in several lines of inquiry, at least one of which also involved approaches made to players at a team hotel.Senior officials are concerned that illegal bookmakers, emboldened by the new betting possibilities opened up by the Twenty20 game, are becoming increasingly prevalent around match venues and team hotels. After the inception of the ACSU in 2000 – in direct response to the match-fixing scandals involving international captains Hansie Cronje, Mohammed Azharuddin and Salim Malik – barriers were established to block bookmakers and their intermediaries from direct contact with players. But the approach to an Australian player during an Ashes series, coupled with those allegedly made to other international cricketers at the World Twenty20, have raised concerns that a new wave of corrupting influences is attempting to infiltrate the game.”This shows that our education programme is working,” an ICC spokesman told the . “The player who was approached reported it straight away. We have the policies in place to try to ensure that we never go back to the times we were at a decade or so ago.” The spokesman was also quoted by as saying that the ACSU “was content that all the World Twenty20 matches were clean”.A report in the Sunday Telegraph earlier this week, quoting an anonymous ICC source, warned that cricket was under renewed threat from illegal bookmakers. “Those in charge in the ICC understand that Twenty20 cricket has the danger of going back to the bad old days,” the source said.The report suggested that the apparent resurgence in contact from illegal bookmakers was in part attributable to the second IPL, a tournament at which the ACSU was not in operation, due to its $1.2 million operational bill. Lalit Modi, the IPL’s commissioner, told Cricinfo last month the ACSU would be involved in future IPL tournaments, and an agreement in principle has been reached for the unit to police the Champions League Twenty20, scheduled to be played in India this October. “They have expanded their services and going ahead, all the tournaments, including Champions League and the IPL would have the presence of ICC’s anti-corruption unit,” Modi said, in a move welcomed by the ICC’s chief executive Haroon Lorgat.Lorgat last week announced there was “absolutely no substance” to reports that Pakistan players had been approached by illegal bookmakers at their team hotel in Colombo during the recent series against Sri Lanka. The matter was investigated by the ACSU.”The ICC and its members have a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and rightly so because the integrity of our sport with its spirit is one of its greatest assets,” Lorgat said. “On that basis it is entirely appropriate that any suggestions in relation to that subject are always reported to and properly investigated by the ACSU. I am pleased those investigations have indicated nothing untoward has taken place on this occasion but it is a reminder that all of us – players, officials and supporters – must maintain our vigilance to ensure we remain on top of the issue of corruption.”

Manchester United have not contacted former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane over possibly replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

And, as to be expected, a number of United fans have been reacting to the update on social media.

Rumours emerged in recent days from Duncan Castles of The Times claiming United have stepped up their attempts to lure the Frenchman to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils hierarchy are reportedly ‘hopeful’ that his close relationships with Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane can help to convince him to join, however, Romano has a different take.

He claimed that United are yet to contact Zidane, who is enjoying his private life and isn’t desperate to work again during the current campaign without a pre-season under his belt.

This is of course not the news fans wanted to hear, given the former Real Madrid boss won a remarkable two league titles and three Champions Leagues during his time in the Spanish capital.

United fans react

@utdreport shared Romano’s update on Zidane on Twitter on Sunday lunchtime.

This is what these United fans had to say in reply, with many making their views known.

“Fabrizio hype. Di Marzio is the only Italian journo we trust these days soz”

Credit: @LaPiochey

“Make it happen @Cristiano”

Credit: @lenh0ff

“I knew it. We are getting Rodgers.”

Credit: @andromedaUtd

“All I know is pain”

Credit: @LethuTheLegend

“Ah sigh we can never have good things”

Credit: @UTDTrey

“Fabrizio is behind the curve he’s tier 5 these days”

Credit: @OIeOutNow

A round-up from the first day of the latest County Championship matches as Andrew Flintoff makes his Lancashire comeback and Andre Nel takes six wickets for Surrey

Cricinfo staff11-Jun-2009Division OneAndrew Flintoff was back in action after his knee injury•PA PhotosAll eyes were on Andrew Flintoff as he made his latest comeback from injury for Lancashire as they took on Durham Chester-le-Street, but his team-mates helped shoulder the burden as the visitors took the honours. Flintoff, of course, had to make his mark and had Michael Di Venuto caught behind second ball then took a sharp catch at second slip to remove Mark Stoneman. That gave Sajid Mahmood his first wicket and he added another when Gordon Muchall managed to slap a long hop to cover when Francois du Plessis took a good catch. Glen Chapple moved the ball both ways to trouble the middle order as he wiped out three, but it seemed inevitable that Flintoff would have the final say and he shifted a stubborn Mitchell Claydon shortly before the close on a day where 34 overs were lost to rain.Ben Smith and Ashley Noffke rescued Worcestershire after early batting problems against Sussex at New Road. They fell to 118 for 5 as the quicks did the early damage before Piyush Chawla made a mark on his county debut when he had Steven Davies taken at slip. Smith and Noffke then added 58 for the sixth wicket in 12 overs until Smith was run-out from mid-on for 80. Noffke, though, found useful support from the lower order as hauled the total upwards, striking two sixes in his 137-ball innings, before he was last-man out coming down the pitch at Chawla. The Sussex openers survived four overs before the close to reach 17 without loss.For a report from the first day at The Rose Bowl between Nottinghamshire and Hampshire, click here.Click here for John Ward’s report on the first day at Headingley, where Yorkshire took on Somerset.Division TwoGarry Park stroked a battling 76 for Derbyshire on a seesawing first day against Glamorgan, who held the honours by taking nine wickets at Derby. Derbyshire held the honours in the first session, as Chris Rogers (27) and Steve Stubbings (43) put on 56 for the opening wicket. Rogers fell to Mark Cosgrove, but Park and Stubbings then stood firm in a second-wicket stand of 73. Glamorgan didn’t lose heart, however, and chipped away in the afternoon session – Robert Croft and Cosgrove each bagged three apiece – as Park fell to another spinner, Dean Cosker, for Derbyshire’s top-score of 76. Tim Groenewald dug deep at No.10, spending nearly an hour compiling 10, as Derbyshire closed on 261 for 9.David Wigley bowled Mark Ramprakash for 17 as Northamptonshire’s bowlers fought back after being dismissed for 209 on the first day against Surrey at Northampton. Surrey lost their openers cheaply, shortly followed by Ramprakash, before Mark Butcher steadied their reply (32) but, at stumps, Surrey had lost four wickets with 117 on the board, still trailing by 92. It was a former Northamptonshire bowler who hurt the hosts earlier in the day, however, as Andre Nel stormed haunted their lineup with 6 for 36. Stephen Peters top-scored with 59, and the only other innings of substance came from the most unlikely of figures at No.10: Monty Panesar, who scorched 38 from 48 balls.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outSourav Ganguly took two wickets in three balls in his first over to set Punjab back•Getty Images

Sourav Ganguly made yet another comeback, this time with the ball, to help Kolkata Knight Riders keep Kings XI Punjab down to 158 for 6. Thereafter, Chris Gayle made the most of two dropped chances to dishearten Punjab and take Kolkata 11 ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis par-score when heavy rain ended the match in the 10th over.Ganguly had been quiet in the lead-up to this tournament; he had lost his captaincy and looked out of sorts in scoring 1 in 12 balls against Deccan Chargers. Today, though, he made his statement with the ball, taking two wickets in his first over and pulling Punjab back from a solid-yet-unspectacular start.When Ganguly came on to bowl, Irfan Pathan, promoted to No. 3, had just taken Ishant Sharma for 14 in his third over, and Punjab had moved along to 46 for 1 at the end of six overs. Thirty-two of those had come from Irfan’s bat, in 17 deliveries.And then Ganguly struck, fortuitously at first. Irfan went for a six to the deep midwicket area and was caught smartly by Murali Kartik at the boundary. Two balls later, Ganguly got Ravi Bopara, the opener, to edge to the new captain, Brendon McCullum. Both men were elated, the captain with his bowling change, the bowler having proved a point, and both ran in different directions to celebrate and eventually hugged each other.Punjab moved from 46 for 1 in six to 67 for 3 in ten overs before a rain interruption. Following that, Punjab enjoyed two of the best overs of their innings. Yuvraj Singh hit a six off Ganguly to take 14 off his third over. Yet, Ganguly ended with figures of 24 for 2 off his four. And just after the rain break, in perhaps a poor tactical move, McCullum brought Chris Gayle on, who had trouble gripping the wet ball and bowled three wides in his 14-run over.Yuvraj couldn’t quite manage a reprise of his six sixes in an over at the same venue, during the inaugural ICC World Twenty20. And once he top-edged Moises Henriques in the 16th over, falling for 38 off 28, caught by Yashpal, Punjab were always struggling.Thirty-six came off 26 balls after Yuvraj’s fall, thanks largely to Mahela Jayawardene, who scored 31 in 19, and took the last over, bowled by Ashok Dinda, for 16, the biggest over of the innings.But the hitting from Irfan, Yuvraj and Jayawardene paled in comparison with Gayle’s. He played the first two overs quietly, and enjoyed a dropped sitter by Karan Goel at short midwicket off Yusuf Abdulla. It was a forgettable day for Goel, who had earlier scored a seven-ball duck.Once Gayle carved Irfan over cover-point in the third over of the innings, the floodgates opened. From 4 off 8 balls, he reached 31 off 15 through a calculated assault on the left-arm opening bowlers. And then, in the fifth over of the innings, the game breaker came. Irfan was spanked straight and pulled square off the first two balls, and then Gayle showed him the greens, teeing off to over wide long-on.By the time Gayle was dropped again, by Kumar Sangakkara, off a Piyush Chawla googly, he had taken the match out of Punjab’s reach as the dark clouds gathered.For the second game in succession, Punjab have been curtailed by rain, but this time they succumbed to Ganguly and Gayle, as opposed to their first match, when Delhi’s chase was reduced to a six-over hit-out.