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Mishra does the trick for Daredevils

Vijay Lokapally

NEW DELHI: In a game dominated by batsmen, unsung leg-spinner Amit Mishra picked up five wickets, including a hat-trick in the crucial last over of the match, to keep Delhi Daredevils afloat in the DLF-Indian Premier League. An overflowing Ferozeshah Kotla on Thursday witnessed some splendid innovation in stroke-play as the home bowlers strove to snatch the match from a determined opposition.

The setting was ideal. A run-chase that promised action as Shahid Afridi and Adam Gilchrist walked to the middle and carted the ball around.

Premature end

Afridi was breathtaking as he tore into the attack. Gilchrist’s end was premature. So was Afridi’s, who showed haste in taking on Mishra, whose five-wicket haul helped Delhi Daredevils win by 12 runs.

Mishra, the ‘Man of the Match’, varied his pace cleverly as he foxed Afridi into spooning a catch and then accounted for Herschelle Gibbs who tried to give him the charge.

As Rohit Sharma produced some silken shots the home team looked worried. But a senseless shot by Rohit swung the match Delhi’s way. Venugopala Rao injected some life with some lusty hitting before becoming Glenn McGrath’s second victim in the penultimate over.

The pitch was a beauty, full of runs, just the kind that makes bowling such an onerous task, especially in a Twenty20 contest. There was no seam and swing movement and the batsmen dictated all the way even though Virender Sehwag was not a party to the run-plunder.

On a day when McGrath was dispatched behind extra-cover and square leg for sixes, entertainment came in all its glory for the spectators.

The scores: Delhi Daredevils: G. Gambhir st. Gilchrist b Ojha 79, V. Sehwag c R.P. Singh b Vijaykumar 0, S. Dhawan (not out) 68, F. Mahroof c Rohit b Ojha 19, T. Dilshan (run out) 16, Manoj Tiwary (not out) 4; Extras (lb-3, w-5): 8; Total (for four wkts. in 20 overs): 194.

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-140, 3-166, 4-190.

Deccan Chargers bowling: Vijaykumar 4-0-24-1, R.P. Singh 4-0-50-0, Sarvesh 3-0-24-0, Styris 4-0-33-0, Venugopala Rao 2-0-23-0, Afridi 1-0-18-0, Ojha 2-0-19-2.

Deccan Chargers: A. Gilchrist c Dilshan b McGrath 14, S. Afridi c (sub) de Villiers b Mishra 33, H. Gibbs b Mishra 22, Rohit b Maharoof 35, S. Styris c (sub) de Villiers b Maharoof 29, Venugopala Rao c (sub) Malik b McGrath 34, Ravi Teja c (sub) Malik b Mishra 9, R.P. Singh st. Karthik b Mishra 1, P. Ojha c Dilshan b Mishra 0, P. Vijaykumar (not out) 1, P.M. Sarvesh Kumar (not out) 1; Extras (b-1, w-2): 3; Total (for nine wkts. in 20 overs): 182.

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-71, 3-75, 4-114, 5-154, 6-171, 7-180, 8-180, 9-180.

Delhi Daredevils bowling: McGrath 4-0-42-2, Asif 4-0-51-0, Maharoof 4-0-39-2, Mishra 4-0-17-5, Bhatia 4-0-32-0.

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