Chris Gayle tested the bowlers' mettle and the creativity of placard writers on a productive Sunday at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The Gayle-effect helped Royal Challengers Bangalore defeat Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets in the IPL-IV match here while awe-struck fans scrawled slogans like ‘Weather report: Gayle-storm' and ‘fielders can stand outside the stadium'.
The opener's unbeaten 75 (50b, 4x4, 6x6) may not have been a furious fusillade but it had enough power to keep RCB in the hunt while chasing CSK's 128 for eight.
RCB finished with 129 for two in 18 overs to top the league at 19 points and along with CSK (18) will head to Mumbai for the play-offs commencing on Tuesday.
Brief stumble
RCB stumbled briefly when A.B. de Villiers missed the line against R. Ashwin and Dhoni whipped the bails.
The replays were inconclusive but the ‘out' verdict was flashed and at zero for one, RCB found quick relief through Gayle and Virat Kohli.
In a bid for quick wickets, CSK skipper M.S. Dhoni opted for attacking fields, cramming the off-side but Kohli executed his cuts with precision and Gayle stayed watchful against Ashwin.
The belligerent opener was not averse to display a dour bat initially but he never missed a chance to etch his signature across the skies.
Gayle found three men patrolling the point area while Doug Bollinger steamed in and pitched short, hoping for the miscued slash. Instead Gayle took a stride forward, swivelled and deposited the ball into the stands overlooking mid-wicket.
Raw power
Gayle and Kohli added 80 runs for the second wicket off 56 deliveries. Kohli fell to Morkel, who had suffered the raw power of a Gayle biff when the ball rocketed into his legs.
Gayle carried on and with a surprisingly docile Saurabh Tiwary for company, whittled down the winning runs.
Earlier, Dhoni (70 n.o., 40b, 3x4, 6x6) held the CSK innings together after Daniel Vettori opted to field and found immediate vindication as RCB dominated the Power Play to restrict the visitor to 23 for four in six overs.
Michael Hussey picked up a single off the first ball and M. Vijay dug out a yorker while Zaheer Khan worked up a nice rhythm.
In the third over, Hussey expansively drove at one that darted back and edged the ball onto his stumps while Zaheer indulged in his trademark arms-spread exultation.
Vijay flicked S. Aravind but fatally hung his bat to the next delivery.
Suresh Raina and S. Badrinath then batted with excess haste and the top-order's crumble meant that Dhoni was in very early but the eager crowd greeted India's World Cup winning captain with a rousing roar.
Useful partnership
Dhoni strung a 42-run fifth-wicket partnership with Wriddhiman Saha and as the innings inched towards the 20-over mark, the CSK skipper was on auto-pilot as the gears clicked in effortlessly and the ball soared. The RCB bowlers largely found their radars but Dhoni found a way, starting with the rapier cut against Vettori.
Gayle was muscled twice over the ropes, Abhimanyu Mithun was edged but the mighty heave rippled over third-man and Aravind was swatted over mid-wicket.
The tail stayed limp but Dhoni flourished and clattered the last over bowled by Mithun for 17 runs but the top-order's surprising ineptitude came back to haunt CSK as the runs were not enough.
Scorecard
Chennai Super Kings: M. Hussey b Zaheer 4 (7b), M. Vijay c de Villiers b Aravind 6 (9b, 1x4), S. Raina c Kohli b Zaheer 4 (6b, 1x4), S. Badrinath c Mithun b Vettori 0 (10b), W. Saha c Pomersbach b Kohli 22 (30b, 1x4, 1x6), M.S. Dhoni (not out) 70 (40b, 3x4, 6x6), D. Bravo lbw b Vettori 5 (5b, 1x4), A. Morkel c Zaheer b Mithun 5 (9b), R. Ashwin c Mithun b Aravind 2 (4b), S. Jakati (not out) 0 (0b); Extras (w-6, lb-4): 10; Total (for eight wkts. in 20 overs): 128.
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-16, 3-17, 4-22, 5-64, 6-79, 7-100, 8-110.
Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling: Zaheer 4-1-19-2, Aravind 4-0-20-2, Vettori 4-0-15-2, Mithun 4-0-35-1, Gayle 3-0-27-0, Kohli 1-0-8-1.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: A.B. de Villiers st. Dhoni b Ashwin 0 (2b), C. Gayle (not out) 75 (50b, 4x4, 6x6), V. Kohli c Ashwin b Morkel 31 (29b, 5x4), S. Tiwary (not out) 13 (26b, 1x4); Extras (lb-2, w-8): 10. Total (for two wkts. in 18 overs): 129.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-80.
Chennai Super Kings bowling: Ashwin 4-0-18-1, Bollinger 4-0-34-0, Bravo 4-0-21-0, Raina 4-0-38-0, Morkel 2-0-16-1.
Man-of-the-Match: Chris Gayle.
