NSW Blues takes on Trinidad and Tobago in day game
Champions League T20 action shifts to the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here with a doubleheader scheduled for Wednesday. Teams coming off defeats — New South Wales Blues and Trinidad and Tobago — collide in the day game, followed by the showcase evening face-off between Chennai Super Kings and Cape Cobras.

Having surrendered its prolonged winning streak on home turf to a loss against Mumbai Indians this past week, Super Kings will be keen to register its first points in the tournament. The pattern of batting first and letting spin and a vociferous crowd support overwhelm the opposition looked good to go against Mumbai, before Malinga's freakish cameo knocked the host out.

Temporary setback
Coach Stephen Fleming said on Tuesday that the derailment of proven tactics was but a temporary setback.

“After we dominated 95 per cent of the game against Mumbai, one player took it away from us. We're not going to go back to the drawing board just because we lost a match. But I wasn't particularly happy with how we bowled in the first six overs, especially the length,” said Fleming.

The New Zealander felt there were not going to be any easy games for any team.

“There have been some close games in the past few days and we have no idea how many wins it will take to qualify (for the semifinals) or what a good run-rate will be. The tournament has come alive,” he said

For Cape Cobras, it will be a chance to rack up its second win on the trot after defeating NSW Blues in the first game. Although the margin of victory on that occasion – seven wickets – was comfortable,
Cobras dropped a few catches and missed a run-out in the Power Play overs.

All-rounder Vernon Philander took two wickets for 21 in four overs, but dropped Shane Watson.
He attributed the rustiness in the field to lack of outdoor training back home in South Africa. “We haven't practiced outdoors too much in Cape Town because it's been raining.

It's not the same if you've been working indoors and haven't had enough outdoor sessions. We will try to be on the money in the next game,” Philander said.

The 26-year-old acquitted himself with a tidy performance with the ball – the result of sticking to the basics. “I thought the wicket was pretty slow and I tried to mix up my pace and keep it pretty simple,” he said.

Meanwhile, NSW Blues and Trinidad and Tobago search for their first wins when they take on each other. NSW made a hash of a great start against Cobras as none of the batsmen hung around long enough to build on the initial thrust.

One positive for NSW was the pace and carry generated by its young quick Pat Cummins. However, the logic of playing two green pace bowlers – Cummins and Mitchell Starc – and keeping the experienced Stuart Clark out came under scrutiny on Tuesday.

Clark may play
Clark had starred for NSW in its victorious 2009 CLT20 campaign with nine wickets in six games at an economy rate of 4.90.

“He's obviously a very experienced bowler and he was a good part of our campaign here in 2009 when he played a pretty key role. I'm sure if the selectors see it fit to bring him back in for this next game tomorrow, they will do so,” said all-rounder Steve Smith.

Trinidad and Tobago, apparently, was still reeling under the after-effects of its last-ball loss to Mumbai in Bangalore.

“It's very disappointing to have lost that game, but the boys are still pumped. Since the wicket at Chepauk is a bit slow, it should favour us.

“Hopefully we can restrict NSW to 120-140 and chase it down,” said wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin, who contributed to the loss to Mumbai with a golden duck and a botched relay-throw to the stumps on the last ball of the match.