14 Tuesday 24th May, 2011

grabs to the winner of the clash at the The Indian skipper blasted six sixes and MS Chinnaswamy Stadium. three fours in his 40-ball stay, taking 19 The importance of the game was not runs off the final over to push Chennai lost on Bangalore who were back at full up to 128 for eight. strength with skipper Daniel Vettori and In reply Bangalore lost AB de Villiers bowling kingpin returing - used at the top of the order as Gayle’s against an unchanged Chennai line-up. opening partner - in the first over as the It was Vettori who won the toss and South African was stumped off the bowl- the his decision to bowl first was vindi- ing of Ravichandran Ashwin. The West cated by his opening pair of Khan (2 for Indian however was unperturbed and 19) and the impressive Sreenath Aravind showed characteristic contempt for the (2 for 20) with the left-arm duo reducing opposition bowling attack as he launched the visitors to 22 for four inside the open- an unbeaten 75 from just 50 deliveries - ing six overs. including four fours and six sixes - to Mike Hussey was first to go as he was power Bangalore to victory. bowled by Khan in the third over, and Virat Kohli hit a useful 31 from 29 Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina followed balls in a second-wicket stand of 79, and

in quick succession as Saurabh Tiwary finished Aravind joined in the unbeaten on 13 as the act. Royal Challengers Another left-armer, reached the 129 for two Chris Gayle and Virat Vettori, underlined his in 18 overs. Kohli celebrate Bangalore’s win, importance to the RCB The result means Royal Challengers Bangalore attack with his four that RCB finish top of Vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL overs returning fig- the IPL4 standings while 2011, Bangalore, May 22, 2011. ures of two for 15. Chennai will have to (AP Photo) Batting at num- wait on the outcome of ber six CSK Sunday’s second game Dhoni was to fight between Kolkata and unassisted apart Mumbai to see if they he Royal Challengers from Wriddhiman sneak into sec- secured top spot on the Saha’s brief stay of ond place virtue TIPL table and landed an 22, with no other of a superior net important pschological blow CSK batsman man- run-rate. ahead of the play-offs with an aging double figures. eight-wicket win over Chennai in Bangalore. Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni waged a lone battle with his unbeaten 70 staving off total disaster for the visi- Skipper Daniel Vettori reacts tors who limped to 128 for eight. after dismissing Dwayne The meagre total proved no Bravo, Royal Challengers match for Bangalore who Bangalore Vs Chennai Super cruised home with two overs to Kings, IPL 2011, Bangalore, spare as Chris Gayle whalloped May 22, 2011. (AP Photo) another unbeaten half-century. Despite both teams having MS Dhoni smashed 70 off 40 balls, Royal already secured their play-off place, Challengers Bangalore Vs Chennai Super there was still plenty at stake with top Kings, IPL 2011, Bangalore, May 22, 2011. (AP spot on the final IPL standings up for Photo)

olkata calamity Lakshmipathy consecutive boundaries and a scam- Manoj Tiwary had done the initial Man of the Match Franklin was the reaching the 190-plus score demanded Balaji coughed up the worst over pered single, which left Ambati Rayudu work for the hosts, whose loss of the pick of the Mumbai bowlers with fig- by a batsmen-friendly Kimaginable to hand the Mumbai to spoon the fifth full bunger of the toss didn’t bug them too much as they ures of two for 35 alongside Abu pitch. Indians victory across Sunday’s crucial over beyond square-leg for six to win amassed a formidable total of 178 for Nechim’s two for 32, which collectively The visiting side’s reply was riddled clash. the match. five. largely stopped the opposition from with rogue choices as the use of pinch- Requiring 21 runs off the final over Jacques Kallis’ 59 hitters and for triumph, James Franklin (45 not and complementary Harbhajan out) welcomed a quartet of sorry full knocks of 36 and 35 Singh (30) and tosses and a weak short ball for four from and (18) up the order hindered rather than helped their cause. Thankfully for them, ground out a fitting 38 at more than a run a ball. Whereas Harbhajan, Pollard and (10) were not able to go enough of the distance for their side, New Zealand recruit Franklin well and truly came to the party for his adapted side and Rayudu’s demotion down the order ultimately worked a treat for Mumbai. Asked to bowl the last six deliver- ies of the match ahead of slow bowler Yusuf, who arguably would’ve been the better bet on a flat track, seamer Balaji failed entirely. Hopelessly errant in his bid for a consistent yorker length, he was far too wayward and for his fodder fetched four through cover, over the wicketkeeper’s head, past thirdman and across extra cover. A token single availed the diminu- tive Rayudu the strike, and with four required off the last ball of an utter humdinger, right-armer Balaji sent down another full toss for the right- hander to plank over the on-side for six triumphant runs. The result denied the Knight Riders a top-two finish in the 2011 IPL stand- ings, leaving Chennai and Bangalore to lock horns in Tuesday’s first qualifier James Franklin celebrates Mumbai’s win, Vs , Sachin Tendulkar picks a gap on the leg side, Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2011, May 22, 2011. (AP Photo) and Kolkata to face Mumbai again Vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2011, May 22, 2011. (AP Photo) come Wednesday’s eliminator.