IPL Aussie Wrap - Week One

Australian cricketers have already made an impression on the Indian Premier League in the first few days of competition, with Matthew Hayden leading the competition's run scorers after seven matches have been completed.

Hayden's international days may be behind him but the big Queenslander has relished his time at the Chennai Super Kings with a brutal 65 off 43 balls against Bangalore in Port Elizabeth after hitting 44 off 35 balls against Mumbai in the very first match of the new IPL season. It's been a bright start for Hayden averaging 54.50 with a strike rate of 155.71

It means Hayden is the current orange cap bearer, the award reserved for the IPL's leading run scorer. His team has won one match and lost one match.

With much of Australia's best talent either in the UAE taking on Pakistan or at home resting before the Ashes, there has not been much other Australian action in the opening week.

Brad Hodge put in a solid turn in Kolkata's opening match of the season, grafting out 31 to top score in a total of 101 against Deccan at Cape Town. The Knight Riders, who also feature young gun Moises Henriques, who made six in that match, would end up losing the game easily, but did bounce back in a rain-affected game against Kings Xi Punjab in Durban. Hodge was 10 not out when the rain came, leaving the Knight Riders at 1/79 and in front on Duckworth Lewis.

Adam Gilchrist has played just one game for Deccan, making 13 in its win over Kolkata, caught by Henriques, while the keeper he took a catch and affected two stumpings.

Shane Warne's Rajasthan's Royals had a horrible start to their title defence, with Warne taking 2-18 before his team was dismissed for 58 with the all-rounder out for three. Warne's Royals were set to take on Mumbai on Tuesday night, but the rain ruined a clash between the legendary leg-spinner and Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar.

The only other Aussie to take a wicket in the IPL so far is Henriques, who dismissed Yuvraj Singh for 38 in Tuesday night's clash between the Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab.

Victorian paceman Dirk Nannes, who is set to represent the Netherlands in the upcoming World Twenty20, failed to get a wicket in his IPL debut for Delhi against King Punjab XI, but did take a catch.