The Hindu : Sport : Akhil’s cameo sees Bangalore through

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Akhil’s cameo sees Bangalore through

V.V. Subrahmanyam

Deccan Chargers’s dubious record of not winning at home continues

Royal Challengers takes its tally to eight points
Deccan Chargers remains on four points

— Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

LUSTY HITTING: B. Akhil of Royal Challengers Bangalore hit three sixes in the penultimate over to ensure victory for his team.

HYDERABAD: B. Akhil’s three lusty hitting (three sixes into the stands) in the 19th over off Chamara Silva was just the icing on the cake for Royal Challengers Bangalore, which recorded a five-wicket win over Deccan Chargers in the DLF-Indian Premier League at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Sunday.

The host’s dubious record of not winning any game at home continued. It suffered its sixth straight defeat to languish at the bottom of the table with just four points from two wins in 13 matches.

For Royal Challengers, this was the fourth win which takes its tally to eight points with one more game to go against Mumbai Indians. Jacques Kallis (31, 25b, 6 x4) and Misbah-ul-Haq (34, 28b, 4x4, 1x6) chipped in with useful contributions.

Teja strikes

It was not as if Rahul Dravid’s team was cruising along chasing 166 for victory. And, when part-time leg-spinner Ravi Teja struck in his first over sending back the dangerous Misbah, there was panic. Soon, Dravid (31, 21b, 3x4, 1x6) perished to Bangar leaving Bangalore at 119 for four in 16th over.

Then, Cameron White (31 not out, 23b, 1x4, 2x6) showed his hitting prowess pulling Vijay Kumar for a four and a six.

But, more importantly, Akhil (27 not out, 7 balls, 2x4, 3x6) produced the finish his team badly needed with those three towering sixes in the penultimate over to finish things in style.

Perfect start

Earlier, a 101-run opening stand in 12.2 overs between Adam Gilchrist (46, 37b, 4x4, 2x6) and Herschelle Gibbs (47, 34b, 6x4, 2 x6) gave Deccan Chargers the perfect start.

But, the host did not post a formidable total as the rest of the batsmen failed to come good on yet another perfect batting strip. When Gilchrist and Gibbs were on the rampage, it looked as if Royal Challengers was in for a leather hunt.

For a change, it was Gibbs who was the dominant partner so much so that Gilchrist struck his first boundary only in the fifth over.

He was content to play second fiddle as Gibbs launched into some authoritative strokes including two huge sixes off Kallis over long-off and a pull off medium-pacer Vinay Kumar. One particular stroke of Gibbs that stood out for sheer timing and class was his cover-drive off Dale Steyn.

Breakthrough

Just when things seemed to be getting out of control, Anil Kumble, who opened the bowling, lured Gibbs in the very first of his second spell to be stumped off the second attempt by S. Goswami. Gibbs’ dismissal helped the Bangalore side come back into the match.

Gilchrist, who was threatening to tear apart the bowling, scoring 20 runs in an over off Akhil including two massive sixes, departed in the next over holing out to the deep off Vinay Kumar, who was easily the pick of the bowlers. The two quick dismissals saw the momentum quickly shift back to the Bangalore camp.

After that it was a virtual parade but for flashes of brilliance from Venugopala Rao (26), which included a six off Kumble over mid-off.

The scores:

Deccan Chargers: A. Gilchrist c Akhil b Vinay Kumar 46, H. Gibbs st. Goswami b Kumble 47, R. Sharma c Steyn b Vinay Kumar 17, C. Silva c Goswami b Kohli 0, Y. Venugopala Rao c Jaffer b Vinay Kumar 26, D.B. Ravi Teja b Kolhi 7, N. Arjun Yadav c (sub) Chipli b Steyn 8, S. Bangar (run out) 0, C. Vaas (run out) 0, R.P. Singh b Steyn 1, P. Vijay Kumar (not out) 0; Extras: (lb-3, nb -2, w-8): 13; Total (in 20 overs): 165.

Fall of wickets: 1-101, 2-109, 3-109, 4-123, 5-151, 6-164, 7-164, 8-164, 9-165.

Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling: Kumble 4-0-33-1, Steyn 4-0-19-2, Kallis 1.2-0-19-0, Kohli 3.4-0-25-2, Vinay 4-0-27-3, Akhil 3-0-39-0.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: J. Kallis (run out) 31, W. Jaffer (run out) 5, Misbah-ul-Haq c Silva b Teja 34, R. Dravid c Gilchrist b Bangar 31, C. White (not out) 31, V. Kohli c Teja b Vaas 9, B. Akhil (not out) 27; Extras: (lb -3): 3; Total: (for five wkts. in 19 overs): 171.

Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-46, 3-79, 4-119, 5-141.

Deccan Chargers bowling: Vaas 4-0-36-1, R.P. Singh 3-0-15-0, Bangar 4-0-30-1, Vijay Kumar 4-0-29-0, Venugopala 1-0-18-0, Teja 2-0-19-1, Silva 1-0-21-0.

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