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Daredevils posts decent total

G. Viswanath

Maharoof slams four sixes off Warne in one over

— Photo: Sandeep Saxena

CRUCIAL STRIKE: In-form Gautam Gambhir played on to his stumps off Siddarth Trivedi.

JAIPUR: A dominant team in the DLF-Indian Premier League, Rajasthan Royals depended on its seamers to deliver the goods. They responded in an admirable manner and restricted Delhi Daredevils to 156 in their clash here on Sunday.

Invited to bat, the Daredevils openers looked nervous. The top scorer in the league, Gautam Gambhir, edged the first ball he faced dangerously to the fine leg fence.

Dimitri Mascarenhas’s first over cost a dozen runs. However, runs did not come easily to the visitor. The openers had to earn every run and risk singles. Royals’ fielders, manning strategic positions, too played their parts well.

Some of the shots played by the aggressive openers in the power play overs fell short or were a few metres away from the fielders. Gambhir and Sehwag had to take a chance, but survived. Neither the highest run-getter Gambhir, with a tally of 305, nor Sehwag was given the leeway to cut and pull.

Shane Warne, though punished by Farveez Mahraoof at the end, had once again outwitted his opponent in pursuit of posting a formidable target.

Under pressure

Although Delhi progressed at almost eight runs an over, pressure was building and the fall of a wicket looked imminent with Sehwag struggling to dictate terms. He punched Watson to point and Mohammad Kaif, without moving an inch, gladly accepted the catch.

Thereafter, wickets tumbled at regular intervals. When Warne’s direct hit broke the stumps, Shikhar Dhawan had reached his ground safely, but minutes later, the left-hander decided to sacrifice his wicket although it was not his mistake.

Gambhir darted for a non-existent run and Munaf Patel had a lot of time to take a few steps and pull out a stump at the bowler’s end. Cramped by the wicket-to-wicket line of the seamers, Gambhir tried to cut Siddharth Trivedi and edged the ball on to his off-stump.

Utility player

Mascarenhas, hit for 12 runs in his opening over, proved his worth as a utility player. When Warne tossed the ball to him a second time, the England all-rounder sent back A.B. de Villiers and Dinesh Karthik.

After slipping to 100 for six, Daredevils’ fate hinged on the two Sri Lankans — Tillakaratne Dilshan and Farveez Maharoof. Fortunately, the seventh-wicket pair clicked and made runs through fours and sixes.

Thanks to the four sixes Maharoof struck off Warne in the 19th over — the leg-spinner went for 27 in that over — Delhi finished with a competitive score.

The scores:

Delhi Daredevils: G. Gambhir b Trivedi 31, V. Sehwag c Kaif b Watson 17, S. Dhawan (run out) 3, A.B. de Villiers c Warne b Mascarenhas 20, D. Karthik c Rawat b Mascarenhas 13, A. Mishra b Trivedi 4, T. Dilshan (not out) 18, F. Maharoof c N. Patel b Watson 39, V. Yomahesh (not out) 0; Extras (b-1,lb-6, w-4): 11; Total (for seven wkts. in 20 overs): 156.

Fall of wickets: 1-47, 2-52, 3-68, 4-92, 5-94, 6-100,7-154

Rajasthan Royals bowling: Mascarenhas 4-0-29-2, Watson 4-0-21-2, Munaf 4-0-24-0, Trivedi 4-0-28-2, Warne 4-0-47-0.

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