12 May, 2008
Royal Watson blazes Delhi

Shane Watson cracked a scorching 74 to lead Rajasthan Royals to a three-wicket victory over Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.

The Australian all-rounder needed just 40 balls to compile the match-winning knock as the Royals reached their target of 157 with five balls to spare, opening up a two-point lead at the top of the table and condemning Delhi to a third straight defeat.

Watson, Siddharth Trivedi and IPL debutant Dimitri Mascarenhas had earlier bagged two wickets apiece as Delhi was limited to 7-156.

Farveez Maharoof's blistering 39 off just 16 balls had given the visitors a platform, but his brilliant belligerence proved in vain.

Two early run-outs hampered the Royals' chase as AB de Villiers sent Yusuf Pathan (eight) and Mohammad Kaif (one) packing in successive overs.

But from then on Watson - who was dropped on 26 by Virender Sehwag - took command, peppering the boundary with some trademark powerful strokes as he racked up five fours and as many sixes.

He lost two partners in quick succession, Graeme Smith for 25 and Ravindra Jadeja for just six, but his rhythm was not disrupted.

Mascarenhas (nine) was deceived by the spin of Sehwag and Shane Warne (11) by a slower ball from Maharoof before Watson fell to a contested run-out, but Mahesh Rawat (five) joined Niraj Patel (one) at the crease to guide the Royals to 7-159.

Having been put in to bat by the Royals, Gautam Gambhir and Sehwag put on 47 in a promising first-wicket partnership before Sehwag (17) became Watson's first victim caught at point by Kaif.

Shikhar Dhawan (three) was run out the following over and Gambhir's knock stalled on 31 off 23 balls when he was bowled off an inside edge by Trivedi.

Mascarenhas then struck twice in one over, first removing De Villiers (20) and then Dinesh Karthik (13) as Delhi lost two wickets for no runs to slump from 3-92 to 5-92.

Amit Mishra contributed just four, but Maharoof took Warne to the cleaners in the penultimate over, bludgeoning four maximums off the veteran Australian before holing out to Niraj Patel.

The tail-ender's impressive innings though proved too little too late.


12 May, 2008
Ganguly gets the points

Sourav Ganguly was at his aggressive best as he led the Kolkata Knight Riders to a 23-run victory over the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League.

The former Indian captain fired 91 in 57 balls as the Knight Riders posted an imposing total of 4-204.

He then took two catches and two wickets as the Chargers managed 7-181 in reply.

Kolkata did not immediately get into its stride, losing Salman Butt early on for four.

Ganguly joined Aakash Chopra (24 from 23) in the middle and the pair added an unspectacular 69 for the second wicket.

Ganguly reached his second IPL fifty off 40 balls and upped the rate from there, even after Chopra was run out in a mix-up over a quick single.

He struck five maximums in his innings, treating the slow left-arm spin of Pragyan Ojha with particular disdain.

He was supported by Australian David Hussey and the pair compiled a 102-run stand.

Ganguly eventually fell, caught at fine leg by RP Singh off the bowling of Paidikalva Vijaykumar, but Hussey continued where he left off, claiming his third half-century of the competition.

He was unbeaten on 57 off 29 balls when the Kolkata innings - boosted by four overthrows off the last ball - closed.

In reply, Herschelle Gibbs managed just four before departing and when Adam Gilchrist (24 from 17) joined him, caught by Ganguly to give Ashok Dinda the first of his three wickets, the Chargers were on the back foot.

Ganguly struck to remove New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris (5) and Sanjay Bangar (2), taking the catch off Dinda to remove dangerman Rohit Sharma (33 off 24) in between.

The only bright spot for Deccan was an effervescent innings from Venugopal Rao.

He smashed an unbeaten 71 off 42 balls in reply, including 22 off one Murali Kartik over, but it was not enough.

The Chargers' hopes of progression look virtually non-existent now - they have managed just two wins in nine outings.