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Shane Watson fashions Royals’ easy win

G. Viswanath

Disappointing show by Kings XI

— Photo: R.V. Moorthy

THE ARCHITECT: Shane Watson celebrates after guiding Rajasthan Royals home with a superb knock on Monday.

Jaipur: It was the day of the Australians in Royal Blue colours. First, Shane Warne’s bowling and cunning outwitted the Kings XI Punjab batsmen and then Shane Watson’s fine knock settled the issue for the home team while chasing a target of 167.

It was a splendid display that would have won Watson his captain and coach Warne’s approbation. Watson (76 not out, 49b, 5x4, 5x6) amply demonstrated that wrist work was not necessary to flay the bowling and that a batsman such as him, endowed with strong shoulders and powerful arms, could thrash the bowling and unnerve the rival ranks.

After another disappointing performance by the Royals’ opening pair, Watson forged a useful 51-run stand with fellow Australian Darren Lehmann and thereafter led his team to a thumping win in the company of Ravindra Jadeja, with the left-hander carting half-a-dozen big blows and staying put in the middle until the task was accomplished.

Kings XI captain Yuvraj brought back Brett Lee for a second spell, but by then Watson had done sufficient damage to make the target less imposing. Yuvraj’s team suffered its second defeat and would mull over its inadequacy in the bowling department.

Aussie show

The outcome of the battle between the Royals and Kings XI at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium was firmly in the hands of an energetic bunch of Australians. The home team had a trio in Warne, Watson and Lehmann as against the visitor’s twosome in Lee and James Hopes.

First, the master leg-spinner Warne’s exertions were nothing short of the monumental. He posed a challenge and scalped three Kings XI batsmen. Only a brave man, with plenty of self-belief and craftiness, would have dared to do what Warne did on Monday.

The Royals skipper, perhaps, exceeded his own expectations to give his batsmen a less formidable shot at the target.

The scores: Kings XI Punjab: 166 for eight in 20 overs.

Rajasthan Royals: M. Kaif c Sangakkara b Sreesanth 5, K. Akmal c Chawla b Hopes 15, Y. Pathan c & b Lee 7, S. Watson (not out) 76, D. Lehmann lbw b I. Pathan 17, R. Jadeja (not out) 36; Extras (lb-2, nb-4, w-6): 12; Total (for four wkts. in 18.1 overs): 168.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-19, 3-48, 4-99.

Kings XI Punjab bowling: Lee 4-0-35-1, Sreesanth 3.1-0-38-1, Hopes 4-0-33-1, I. Pathan 4-0-21-1, Chawla 2-0-27-0, Mota 1-0-12-0.

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