The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Smith’s knock keeps Chargers afloat

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Smith’s knock keeps Chargers afloat

KIMBERLEY: A late charge by Dwayne Smith helped Deccan Chargers to 166 for seven after skipper Adam Gilchrist had elected to bat against Rajasthan Royals here on Monday.

Smith (47, 32b, 4x6) was instrumental in Chargers accumulating 58 in its last five overs after tight bowling by Royals’ slower bowlers in the middle stages.

T.S. Suman (29, 19b, 3x4, 1x6) and Andrew Symonds (30, 19b, 2x4, 1x6) also contributed to the total.

Majestic start

Earlier, Gilchrist started the proceedings for Chargers with a majestic six off Morne Morkel. The Aussie was out to a marginal leg-before decision off Yusuf Pathan — introduced in the fourth over — to a ball that appeared to pitch outside leg.

Suman struck a few sweet blows but holed out to mid-wicket after having ripped successive boundaries off Siddharth Trivedi in the sixth over. New man Rohit Sharma gifted his wicket away when he stepped out to a faster one from Ravindra Jadeja, only to be stumped by Naman Ojha.

Chargers was 77 for three at the midway mark and its hopes rested on Andrew Symonds, who had already mauled Shane Warne for a huge six over long-on.

But Symonds lost his leg stump in the second over after resumption of play when he tried to turn Jadeja to the leg side and missed the ball.

With Dwayne Smith and Chaminda Vaas in the middle, Royals’ slow bowlers hurried through their overs, clogging the flow of runs. Jadeja (4-0-26-2) was largely in control barring a huge six that Smith thwacked off the last ball of his spell.

At 108 for four (15 overs), Chargers looked to accelerate but Vaas holed out to the leg-side boundary when Yusuf Pathan resumed his spell.

Maximum returns

Smith kept up the tempo, reaping maximum returns off Jadeja and Pathan and whipping Trivedi casually off his legs for a six over mid-wicket.

The West Indian fell when he hit Pathan straight to long-on to give the bowler his third wicket of the match. Pathan finished with figures of 4-0-34-3.

SCOREBOARD

Deccan Chargers: T. Suman c Carseldine b Trivedi 29 (19b, 4x3, 1x6), A. Gilchrist lbw b Yusuf 10 (11b, 1x6), R. Sharma st Ojha b Jadeja 9 (14b), A. Symonds b Jadeja 30 (19b, 2x4, 1x6), D. Smith c Raut b Yusuf 47 (32b, 4x6), C. Vaas c Carseldine b Yusuf 20 (15b, 1x6), Venugopala Rao c Jadeja b Warne 12 (7b, 2x4), R. Teja (not out) 7 (3b, 1x4), R.P. Singh (not out) 0 (0b); Extras (lb-1, w-1): 2. Total (for seven wkts in 20 overs): 166. Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-42, 3-70, 4-83, 5-120, 6-155, 7-164.

Rajasthan Royals bowling: Morkel 3 -0-20-0, Munaf 1-0-3-0, Yusuf 4-0-34-3, Trivedi 3-0-33-1, Warne 4-0- 36-1 Jadeja 4-0-26-2, Raut 1-0-13-0.

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