Kohli bats RCB into semis

Right-hander hits breezy 49 as Kumbles side mows down Lions

In a virtual quarterfinal, Royals first restricted the Lions to 159 for six and then achieved the target with six balls to spare to become the first IPL team to reach the last four stage of the T20 tournament.

Openers Manish Pandey (44) and Rahul Dravid (33) set the tone for a successful run-chase with the former India skipper turning out to be the main aggressor. Virat Kohli then hit a whirlwind 29-ball 49 not out in a pressure-cooker situation to see the team through.

Earlier, Alviro Petersen smashed a 29-ball 45 while Robert Frylinck provided the late charge to help Lions post a competitive 159 after they decided to bat first.
Pandey started the proceedings for RCB, hitting Deacon for the first boundary. Soon Dravid got into the act and blasted consecutive boundaries off O’Reilly in the second over.

O’Reilly was treated with equal disdain in the next over by Dravid, who slashed him across the point boundary, before sending Frylinck on a leather hunt past mid-on.
Pandey then smashed O’Reilly through the covers to pick up another four, while Dravid sent Richard Cameron across the deep backward point boundary.

Looking for a boundary on the off-side in the eighth over off Aaron Phangiso, Dravid saw his stumps crashed as RCB lost their first wicket with 53 on the board. Pandey then took the responsibility and picked up a boundary off Cameron, before smashing Phangiso for a four and a six in the 10th over.

The Karnataka batsman smashed Frylinck for another boundary at square leg but holed out to O’Reilly at long-off in the 12th over off Cameron as RCB slumped to 85 for two in 11.3 overs.

Out-of-form Ross Taylor (5) was the next to go. Robin Uthappa (7) also got out cheaply while trying to steal a run as Lions clawed back into the game, reducing RCB to 112 for four in 15 overs.

Needing 48 off 30 balls, Kohli flicked O’Reilly for a six at deep square leg, before lofting one over the bowler’s head for another six and then smashed a four through cover to bring RCB back in the contest.

Cameron White then put one across the square boundary, before Kohli flicked a de Bruyn ball for another four. White then whacked one over mid-wicket fence to level the score and then picked up a single to bring up the winning run for the Royal Challengers.

Earlier, Skipper Petersen clubbed three fours and two sixes and added 44 runs in 26 balls with Vaughn van Jaarsveld (24) for the third wicket after electing to bat.  Neil McKenzie (39) also played his part in the middle order but it was Frylinck’s 22 runs in nine balls which took Lions across the 150-mark at the New Wanderers here. Frylinck hit one boundary and two sixes in his cameo, adding 19 runs in seven deliveries with Thami Tsolekile (5) in the slog overs.

Score Board

HIGHVELD LIONS: Johnathan Vandiar c Uthappa b Vinay 11, Alviro Petersen b Kumble 45, Richard Cameron c Uthappa b Vinay 0, Vaughan van Jaarsveld (run out) 24, Neil McKenzie (run out) 39, Zander de Bruyn c Kohli b du Preez 7, Robert Frylinck (not out)22, Thami Tsolekile (not out) 5. Extras (LB-2, W-4) 6. Total (for 6 wkts; 20 overs) 159.

Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-29, 3-73, 4-100, 5-128, 6-140.

Bowling: Praveen Kumar 3-0-34-0, Vinay Kumar 3-0-23-2, Anil Kumble 4-0-13-1, Dale Steyn 4-0-31-0, Dillon du Preez 3-0-32-1, Virat Kohli 3-0-24-0.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE: Manish Pandey c O'Reilly b Cameron 44, Rahul Dravid b Phangiso 33, Virat Kohli (not out) 49, Ross Taylor c Petersen b Deacon 5, Robin Uthappa (run out) 7, Cameron White (not out) 19. Extras (LB-1, W-1, NB-1) 3. Total (for 4 wkts, 19 overs) 160.

Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-85, 3-98, 4-112.

Bowling: Cliff Deacon 4-0-21-1, Ethan O'Reilly 4-0-41-0, Robert Frylinck 3-0-22-0, Richard Cameron 4-0-35-1, Aaron Phangiso 3-0-27-1, Zander de Bruyn 1-0-13-0.