Hayden, Gilchrist, Warne, and little else

Seventeen games into the IPL, and the Australian influence in the tournament hasn't been a whole lot. Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist have been outstanding at the top of the order for their sides - though the teams themselves have had widely contrasting fortunes - while Shane Warne has been superb as bowler and captain, but with many of the stars involved in the series against Pakistan, there hasn't been a lot else for Australians to cheer.

Overall so far, the seven Australians have scored 506 runs out of 3961, with Hayden and Gilchrist contributing 378 of those. The batting average and strike rates are impressive, but the bowlers have only managed seven wickets so far out of the 171 wickets that have been taken by bowlers. Warne has taken four of those, but the Australian cause has been hurt by the absence of Glenn McGrath, who hasn't played a single game for Delhi Daredevils so far.

While Hayden and Gilchrist have shone, Brad Hodge has been a huge disappointment for Kolkata Knight Riders. His 70 runs have consumed 77 deliveries, and his run-rate of 5.45 per over is well below what you'd expect from one of the best batsmen in the team in this format. Rob Quiney has done little in the two matches he has played so far, while among the bowlers, Dirk Nannes has only taken one wicket in three games.

The one area where the Australian contribution has been significant has been in the opening gambit, where Hayden and Gilchrist have stamped their authority on proceedings in no uncertain manner. (It's also helped Deccan Chargers that they have an outstanding partner for Gilchrist in Herschelle Gibbs, who has scored two half-centuries in four innings, continuing the glorious form he displayed in the last two innings of the ODI series against Australia.)

Conditions haven't been easy for batting at the top of the order - eight times the first wicket has fallen without a run on the board, while a further eight times teams have been one down before the total has reached double-digits, but Hayden and Gilchrist have weathered the new ball better than most of their mates. The shocker so far at the top of the order has been Graeme Smith, who has scored only 19 runs from three innings at a strike rate of 50 runs per 100 balls. Jesse Ryder is another much-hyped name who hasn't done much, scoring 32 in three innings, including two ducks.

Among the teams, Mumbai, Deccan and Chennai have been the best in terms of opening partnerships. Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya have been outstanding, and were involved in the highest opening stand of the tournament so far - 127 against Kolkata on Monday. Deccan have been extremely consistent, with stands of 24, 46, 63 and 67 in four innings, while Chennai have the only other century partnership of the IPL - 106 against Bangalore - though they've also lost their first without a run on the board on two occasions.