JOIN USDC shock for Royal Challengers
Chargers could not recover adequately from the early jolts, struggling to a well below par 151 or it appeared so. The Challengers faltered at crucial moments to end up with 138 all out in 19.4 overs.
The defeat left RCB stagnated on 12 points with two matches to go, and a win against the Rajasthan Royals in their next assignment at Jaipur and the Mumbai Indians in their last league match in Bangalore are mandatory for them to make it to the last four stage.
A tough task indeed, but it’s a situation entirely of their own creation.
On the other hand, Chargers now have 12 points and but they also need to win the remaining two matches to reach the semifinals of IPL III. After Steyn (4-0-18-3) came up with an exceptional burst with the new ball, Challengers batsmen failed to mount a meaningful chase, confining them to a very frustrating defeat.
At various stages they appeared to cruise home, but a combination of Jacques Kallis’ inability to force the pace initially and the untimely dismissals of Rahul Dravid (49, 35b, 8x4) and then Robin Uthappa (34, 20b, 3x6), at the closing stages of the match, thwarted their ambitions of a victory.
The turning point of the match was the 19th over bowled by Harmeet Singh.
RCB still had a chance to make the 18 runs off 12 balls with Uthappa still at the crease, but Harmeet’s gentle leg-cutter rattled his timber, dashing the Challengers’ hopes once and forever.
Earlier, having asked to bat first, Chargers needed a blazing knock from Adam Gilchrist but that desire had life only for four balls; Steyn induced a thin edge from the Australian that nestled safely in the hands of Robin Uthappa behind the stumps.
T Suman’s dismissal was a well-charted out one. On a pitch that offered good bounce, Steyn dug one short and Suman, who had scored two fifties in the last two matches, nervously fended the ball away only to see Ross Taylor taking an easy catch at backward short leg.
If the first two dismissals were the results of excellent planning, Herschelle Gibbs’ wicket showed the wild beauty of fast bowling. Steyn pitched one full and straight leaving Gibbs a helpless spectator as the ball rearranged the woodwork.
At 14 for three in 2.4 overs, it was always going to be an uphill climb for the defending champions, but Mohnish Mishra and Rohit Sharma added 82 runs in 10 overs to give a glimmer of hope for the Chargers. It was an alliance based on caution blended in right proportions with aggression. Just when it seemed that the partnership will bloom into something more substantial, Mishra threw his wicket away through a needless run out.
However, Rohit went on to make a fifty (51, 46b, 7x4) that guided Chargers past the 150-run mark.
Challengers were expected to mow down the opposition primarily because of their batting might but the first ball dismissal of Manish Pandey instilled fresh life into the Chargers’ rank and from thereon they were a totally changed outfit. What an effort!
Score Board
DECCAN CHARGERS: Herschelle Gibbs b Steyn 12 (10b, 1x4, 1x6), Adam Gilchrist c Uthappa b Steyn 0 (1b), T Suman c Taylor b Steyn 0 (1b), Rohit Sharma c Pandey b Vinay 51 (46b, 7x4), Mohnish Mishra (run out) 41 (30b, 1x4, 3x6), Andrew Symonds st Uthappa b Kumble 19 (20b, 2x4), Ryan Harris (not out) 13 (9b, 1x6), B Sumanth (not out) 6 (4b). Extras (LB-4, W-4, NB-1) 9. Total (for 6 wkts, 20 overs) 151.
Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Gilchrist), 2-1 (Suman), 3-14 (Gibbs), 4-96 (Mishra), 5-131 (Symonds), 6-133 (Rohit).
Bowling: Dale Steyn 4-0-18-3 (w-2), Vinay Kumar 3-0-19-1, Jacques Kallis 4-0-40-0, Anil Kumble 4-0-27-1 (nb-1), Virat Kohli 2-0-16-0, KP Appanna 3-0-27-0 (w-2).
Scoring Pattern: 5 overs: 28/3, 10: 71/3, 15: 111/4, End of Innings: 151/6 in 20 overs.
Runs during Power Play: 1-6: 35/3.
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE: Manish Pandey c Gilchrist b Harris 0 (1b), Jacques Kallis c Sumanth b Ojha 27 (37b, 1x4), Rahul Dravid c Sumanth b Symonds 49 (35b, 8x4), Robin Uthappa b Harmeet 34 (20b, 3x6), Ross Taylor b RP Singh 1 (5b), Virat Kohli c Sumanth b Ojha 3 (4b), Cameron White c Symonds b RP Singh 4 (3b), R Vinay Kumar b Harris 4 (7b), D Steyn b Harmeet 0 (1b), Anil Kumble (not out) 2 (4), KP Appanna (run out) 1 (1b), Extras (LB-4, W-9) 13. Total (all out, 19.4 overs) 138.
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Pandey), 2-74 (Dravid), 3-95 (Kallis), 4-101 (Taylor), 5-105 (Kohli), 6-110 (White), 7-134 (Uthappa), 8-134 (Steyn), 9-137 (Vinay).
Bowling: Ryan Harris 3.4-0-34-2 (w-3), RP Singh 4-0-21-2 (w-2), Andrew Symonds 4-0-33-1, Pragyan Ojha 4-0-22-2, Harmeet Singh 4-0-24-2 (w-2).
Scoring Pattern: 5 overs: 32/1, 10: 72/1, 15: 102/4, End of Innings: 138 all out in 19.4 overs.
Runs during Power Play: 1-6: 38/1.