Chennai, Mar 28 (UNI) Riding on skipper Rajit Patidar’s half century and the final flourish by Tim David, Royal Challangers Bengaluru (RCB) scored a competitive 196 for seven in their IPL match
against home favourites and five time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Chepauk stadium here on Friday night.
After opener Phil Salt’s initial assault, other top order batsmen got starts, but failed to build on them and lost wickets at regular intervals, before Patidar’s half century and Tim David’s final assault in the last over helped RCB reach a total that could help its bowlers to defend.
Lack of big partnerships after the batters getting into their groove, helped CSK apply the brakes, before David’s assault propelled the team to a fighting total.
Despite CSK bowlers chipping away with timely wickets, with left arm wrist spiner Noor Ahmad being the spearhead with a three wicket haul and interspersed with a few big overs, a total close to 200 seemed to be a distant one.
But Tim David after missing out on the first two deliveries, hammered three sixers in the final over bowled by left arm pacer Sam Curran to help RCB reach not only a healthy but a competitive total.
For CSK Noor Ahmad picked up three wickets and sling bowler Matheeesha Pathirana claimed two wickets, while another left arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed who emerged as the best of the lot conceding just 28 runs in four overs, and off spinner R Ashwin claimed a wicket each.
RCB scored 45 in five overs, added another 48 in the next five and added another 45 between 10th and 15th overs.
However, they seemed to have lost their way losing four wickets for 32 runs in 19 balls in the death overs, before David (22, 8 balls, 3×6, 1×4) rose to the occasion to help RCB set a fighting target as the visitors scored 58 runs in the final five to reach a total close to the 200-mark.
Asked to bat first after CSK Ruturaj Gaikwad won the second successive toss, RCB openers, especially the flamboyant Phil Salt, made his intentions clear.
The first over by Khaleel Ahmed yielded two boundaries and Ashwin, who shared the new ball, was greeted with a short-arm pulled six to square leg by Salt and he further rubbed salt in his wounds hit him for a pair of boundaries as the offie conceded 16 runs in his first over.
At 32 for no loss in three overs, with Salt going hammer and tongs, left arm spinner Noor Ahmad got the first breakthrough getting rid of dangerous Salt in his first over.
It was Dhoni’s flashes of brilliance brought the downfall of Salt (32 16 balls, 5×4, 1×6). As he tried to play inside out and missed a flighted delivery, Dhoni in a similar stumping of stand-in Mumbai Indians skipper SKY the other day, whipped the bails in a flash with Salt’s foot in the air as RCB closed out the first five overs at 45 for one.
With the other opener Virat Kohli struggling to find his moorings, Devdut Pallikal, who came in at
No.3 went after the bowling hitting a six each of left arm seamer Sam Curran and Jadeja, who
leaked 15 runs (two fours and a six) in his first over.
But Ashwin, who was brought back in th eighth over removed Padikkal (27, 14 balls, 2×4, 2×6), held by Ruturaj diving forward to take low catch at cover as RCB ended the first half at 93 for two.
Sensing the need for acceleration, Kohli’s riposte came to the fore, swivelling slinger Matheesh Pathirana, who drafted into the playing XI for Nathan Ellis, to fine leg for six and hit him for two fours in the same over as the visitors crossed 100 in the 11th over.
However, Noor Ahmad, who finished with four wickets in the first match, once again did the trick when Kohli (31, 30 balls, 2×4, 1×6) holed out to deep midwicket as RCB lost their third wicket in the 13th over with skipper Rajat Patidar, thriving on a couple of dropped chances, dominating the bowling with some powerful hitting, picking out Jadeja with a six and two fours, setting the platform for a good total as RCB went into the last five overs at 138 for three.
The exit of Liam Livingstone bowled by Noor Ahmad, who picked up his third wicket after being hit for a six in the previous ball, brought back CSK into the contest.
But Patidar, who reached is first half century in 30 balls as RCK skipper, and Jitesh Sharma picked
up the gauntlet as the visitors eyed for total in excess of 200 despite the latter holing out to deep
midwicket off Khaleel Ahmed, who finished his four overs conceding 28 runs.
RCB was set to explode in the final five overs, but lost four wickets, but Tim David ensured a good finish.
