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Tendulkar and Rayudu guide MI home

K.C. Vijaya Kumar

— PHOTO: K. BHAGYA PRAKASH

SUPERB SHOW: Ambati Rayudu came up with a classy knock to help

Bangalore: Sachin Tendulkar's recent visits to the Chinnaswamy Stadium have yielded runs and smiles. A double century in a Test against Australia and a 120 against England in the tied World Cup match were all pointers to his genius and combative instincts.

On Tuesday, the maestro (55 n.o., 46b, 7x4), along with a dominant Ambati Rayudu (63 n.o., 50b, 9x4), guided Mumbai Indians to a nine-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in a DLF-Indian Premier League match here. Chasing the Royal Challengers' 140 for four, the Mumbai Indians skipper's unbeaten 110-run second-wicket partnership with Rayudu sealed the match in favour of the visitor.

Mumbai Indians scored 143 for one in 18.3 overs.

Zaheer handled

Mumbai Indians negated the initial threat from Zaheer Khan as Davy Jacobs toyed with the pace spearhead. The opener's pick-up shot off his legs that sent the ball soaring over mid-wicket, was indeed a stunner but in trying to repeat his heroics against another left-arm seamer, Dirk Nannes, Jacobs lost his timber.

The Royal Challengers skipper Daniel Vettori briefly kept things quiet at the other end before Tendulkar cut fine and later struck an exquisite straight drive off Abhimanyu Mithun.

The Hyderabad ladplayed with panache. Rayudu often danced down the pitch, against pace and spin alike to unsettle the bowlers. He swatted an off-colour Zaheer and also moved inside the line to pummel one past square-leg and soon drew an expansive hug from Tendulkar.

Zaheer failed to strike in his second spell and with the Royal Challengers remaining tepid on the field, Mumbai Indians coasted to an easy victory. The host also missed Nannes, who just bowled one over before a niggle forced him to leave the turf. Tendulkar called correct, opted to field and Lasith Malinga was at it again as a searing yorker flattened Mayank Agarwal's stumps.

Next man Virat Kohli uppishly lofted Malinga, survived a leg before wicket appeal, flicked another four and lived dangerously. At the other end, Tillakaratne Dilshan remained strangely circumspect while Kohli fatally spooned a drive off Pollard, and at 19 for two in 4.3 overs, the Royal Challengers was forced to adopt a wait-and-watch mode.

Dilshan (59 n.o., 52b, 4x4, 2x6) gradually shifted gears in a knock that held the innings together. He swept Harbhajan Singh's first delivery for four and towards the end, scattered Malinga's last over with a fiery pull. Before Dilshan revealed his true colours, A.B. de Villiers eased the pressure a bit, driving Ali Murtaza inside-out and hoisting the left arm spinner for six.

Dilshan and de Villiers added 91 runs for the third wicket spread over 74 deliveries and RCB was back on track.

Pollard dismissed de Villiers and another Malinga special accounted for a bewildered Asad Pathan but Dilshan and Saurabh Tiwary's aggression in the slog, helped the Royal Challengers finish with a total that however failed to stretch Mumbai Indians.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: M. Agarwal b Malinga 0 (1b), T. Dilshan (not out) 59 (52b, 4x4, 2x6), V. Kohli c Jacobs b Pollard 12 (19b, 2x4), A.B. de Villiers c & b Pollard 38 (36b, 3x4, 1x6), Asad Pathan b Malinga 0 (2b), S. Tiwary (not out) 16 (10b, 3x4); Extras (b-4, lb-7, w-4): 15; Total (for four wkts. in 20 overs): 140.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-19, 3-110, 4-112.

Mumbai Indians bowling: Malinga 4-0-32-2, Munaf 3-0-10-0, Pollard 4-0-25-2, Murtaza 4-0-26-0, Harbhajan 4-0-27-0, Franklin 1-0-9-0.

Mumbai Indians: D. Jacobs b Nannes 22 (16b, 2x4, 2x6), S. Tendulkar (not out) 55 (46b, 7x4), A.T. Rayudu (not out) 63 (50b, 9x4); Extras (lb-1, w-1, nb-1): 3; Total (for one wkt. in 18.3 overs): 143.

Fall of wickets: 1-33.

Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling: Zaheer 4-0-36-0, Vettori 4-0-18-0, Nannes 1-1-0-1, A. Mithun 3-0-31-0, Kohli 2-0-15-0, Dilshan 1-0-12-0, Pathan 3.3-0-30-0.

Man-of-the-match: Sachin Tendulkar

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