IPL6: Rajasthan choke Delhi by 5 runs

Rajasthan Royals pulled off an amazing five-run victory against Delhi Daredevils in a nerve-wracking Match Four of IPL6 at Feroz Shah Kotal stadium in Delhi on Saturday.

Kevin Cooper bowled an excellent last over in which he captured two wickets for three runs to choke Delhi Daredevils who were coasting to victory chasing a target of 166.

Delhi were cruising at 144-2 after 17 overs needing 22 off 18 balls.

Hodge took a brilliant catch to dismiss Juneja but Daredevils were still in the hunt needing 17 off 12.

A brilliant piece of fielding by stand-in captain Brad Hodge to dismiss David Warner with a direct hit swung the penultimate over the match swung the pendulum firmly in Rajasthan's favour.

The Australian opener spearhead spearheaded Delhi's run-chase with a well-placed innings of 77 off 56 balls with nine boundaries and a six.

But with nine required off six balls, Cooper emerged as the hero for Rajasthan rattling the stumps twice within the space of three balls to finish with figures of 4-0-30-3.

Earlier, Rajasthan Royals opting to bat first were restricted to 165-7 making only 23 off the last four overs.

Dravid led from the front with a classy knock of 65 off 51 balls with six boundaries and two sixes.

Stuart Binny chipped in with a crucial 40 as they stepped up the tempo of the innings hammering 34 runs in two overs at one stage.

Umesh Yadav caused the damage in the late overs claiming four for 24.

DELHI DAREDEVILS INNINGS

Cooper has struck twice in three balls bowling Russell who attempts to scoop him to leg.

A Russell b Cooper 7 (6b 0x4 0x6)

Botha is trapped leg before by Cooper in the third ball of the last over attempting a reverse sweep.

J Botha lbw b Cooper 2 (3b 0x4 0x6)

Cooper is bowling the final over with Botha and Russell in the middle.

A direct hit from stand-in RR captain Hodge from extra cover has removed the dangerous Warner to change the equation of the match.

D Warner run out 77 (56b 9x4 1x6)

It seems this game is also going to the wire with Warner the man for DD.

Juneja holes out in the deep to Hodge off Cooper with DD needing 17 for victory at the end of the 18th over.

M Juneja c Hodge b Cooper 20 (18b 1x4 1x6)

Daredevils are racing to victory with Warner hammering his first six off Trivedi as they need 22 off last three overs.

Warner brings up the 50 partnership off 31 balls for the third wicket with Juneja cracking Trivedi to point.

Juneja has sent Binny sailing into the midwicket stands for a massive six in the 16th over.

Substitute Chavan floors a chance from Warner (57) off Badree which could have swung the pendulum in favour of RR.

Warner completes his half century off 41 cutting Cooper wide of point for his seventh boundary.

Cooper back into the attack as Warner takes strikes as play resumes after a brief stoppage because of power failure.

There is a slight stoppage with DD 100-2 after 13 overs because one of the light towers is not functioning.

Delhi are cruising at this stage chasing a target of 166 requiring 66 from 42 balls.

Warner is living dangerous miscuing one from Shukla  over the keeper for a boundary and then edging to third man fence in the 13th over.

Juneja has opened his account in style glancing the first ball he faced from Trivedi to the fine leg boundary.

Rahane take a brilliant catch at pint to dismiss Mahela off Shukla who strikes in the last ball of his first over.

M Jayawardene c Rahane b Shukla 19 (16b 1x4 0x6)

Mahela added 43 runs in 32 balls for the second wicket with Warner.

Warner has swatted the first ball from Shukla to midwicket as Daredevils attempt to step up the tempo.

Daredevils are looking good at the halfway stage being 73-1 with Warner (28) and Mahela (18) having put on 39 runs in 34 balls.

Productive over for Daredevils as Mahela profits from four overthrows and then cracks a boundary off Cooper in the ninth.

Warner has slapped a juicy full toss from Sreeshanth to the ropes.

RR were ahead of DD after the Powerplay overs with Delhi managing 35 for the loss of Chand in six overs.

Sreeshanth strikes in the fifth castling Chand with a superb in-dipper.

U Chand b Sreesanth 23 (19b 2x4 1x6)

Boundaries come thick and fast DD with Chand edging one over the slip off Sreeshant.

Warner has finally got into his stride cracking consecutive boundaries off Russell in the fifth over on either side of the wicket.

Play was held up for a while as Dravid is being treated for a leg pain after going up for a catch off Warner.

Chand has smacked the first six of the Daredevils innings sweeping him over midwicket in the third over.

Chand hits the first boundary of the Daredevils innings driving Sreeshanth's third delivery to midwicket with superb timing.

Sreeshanth opens the attack from the other and immediately appeals for a leg before against Chand.

Warners take strikes to leg spinner Badree who opens the attack for Rajasthan as Daredevils chase a target of 166.

Delhi Daredevils have clawed their way back claiming four wickets for four runs in seven balls to restrict Rajasthan Royals to 165-7 who opted to take first lease of the wicket.

RR were cruising along merrily at 141-2 at one stage before Binny's departure triggered the collapse as they added just 23 runs in the last four overs.

Dravid top scored with a fluent 65 off 51 balls making the most of the two lives he got in the 13th over from Russell.

He was associated in two half century partnerships with Rahane (28) and Stuart Binny (40) as they clobbered 34 runs in two overs.

But Yadav returned to remove Binny and mopped up the tail to finish with excellent figures of four for 24.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS INNINGS

Rajasthan are falling in a heap with Nehra claiming a double bowling new man Menaria after Cooper falls to finish with two for 35..

A Menaria b Nehra 1 (2b 0x4 0x6) 

K Cooper c Yadav b Nehra 2 (2b 0x4 0x6)

Hodge falls to superb catch in the deep by Warner as Yadav claims his fourth wicket to finish with excelent figures of     4-0-24-4 .

B Hodge c Warner b Yadav 5 (7b 0x4 0x6)    

Yadav picks up his third wicket as Mahela running across at extra cover takes a good catch to as Dravid's wonderful knock comes to an end.

R Dravid c Jayawardene b Yadav 65 (51b 6x4 2x6)


Dravid is enjoying himself whacking another six off Pathan over midwicket in the 18th over.

Dravid is continuing unfazed with the dismissals at the other end as he gets another boundary heaving Yadav to midwicket.

Yadav strikes with the first ball of new spell in the 17th over scattering the stumps of Binny who departs after a brilliant cameo swinging and missing.

S Binny b Yadav 40 (20b 2x4 3x6)

The third wicket partnership between Dravid and Binny was worth 44 runs came off just 28 balls.

Rajasthan are heading for a huge total with the last two overs from Botha (19) and Nehra (15) going for 34 runs.

Binny is converting his domestic to make it big for RR in the IPL stroking a glorious six off Nehra full toss in the 16th over followed a boundary.

Dravid completes his half century off 40 balls with five boundaries and a six to lead RR to a challenging total.

The 40 year-old may be the oldest Indian playing in IPL6 but he is not showing any signs of having lost his vintage touch and certainly enjoying the challenge.

Stuart Binny has taken a liking to off spinner Botha whose first three boundaries have been despatched to the boundary.

The first was edged past the keeper, slog sweeps the next over midwicket and second six is even better lofted straight over the bowler to long off.

Dravid is let off on the ropes by Warner parrying it over the ropes for a six off Russell in an eventful 13th over which goes for 12.

Russell fails to hold onto a sharp return catch off Dravid who gets a reprieve on 38 in the 13th over.

Nadeem strikes as Rahane lobs a return catch miscuing an attempted lofted drive in the 12th over.

A Rahane c and b Nadeem 28 (24b 3x4 0x6)

The second wicket partnership between Rahane and Dravid of 65 came off just 51 balls.

It is a productive over for RR as Dravid gets a couple of boundariews off Pathan finishing the 11th by swinging him to midwicket.

DD skipper Mahela is ringing in the bowling changes but Irfan Pathan returns only to be smacked down the ground by Dravid for his fourth boundary in the 11th over.

Sloppy fielding by Daredevils brings a welcome boundary for RR via a misfield as the 50 partnership for the second wicket between Rahane (25) and Dravid (27) comes off 42 balls.

Rahane has cracked consecutive boundaries in the ninth over smashed Russell back past the bowler and back cutting to third man.

Spin introduced for the first time as left armer spinner Nadeem comes into the attack with RR 50-1 after 7 overs.

Rajasthan are off to a steady start having made 45 for the loss of Kusal in the Powerplay  overs with Dravid and Rahane on double figures.

Dravid have moved into double figures with his second boundary cutting Russell to point.

Dravid has opened his account with a streaky boundary off Nehra in the fourth over.

Kusal is deceived by a slower delivery scooping it straight to Irfan Pathan at wide mid off.

K Perera c Pathan b Yadav 14 (12b 3x4 0x6)

Kusal has cracked consecutive boundaries off Yadav hooking to square leg and smashing him through the covers in the third over.

Kusal gets an early life slashing at Yadav which flew off a thick outside edge with Botha getting his finger to it but failing to hold on.

Umesh Yadav into the attack replacing Irfan who bowled just one over.

Rahane opens his account with a boundary off Nehra with a wristy stroke to midwicket in the second over.

Nehra opens from the other end wrapping Perera on his pads.

Rahane finally gets the strike after Kusal takes a single.

Kusal has lived up to his billing swinging the third delivery of the match from Irfan Pathan to mid on for the first boundary of the innings.

He has been prolific for Sri Lanka scoring 816 runs in his last seven innings.

All eyes on talented youngster Kusal Perera who is being talked in the same breath as Sri Lanka's master blaster Sanath Jayasuriya.

It's a warm afternoon in Delhi as the umpires walk out to the middle.

Exciting Sri Lankan opener Kusal Janith Perera will make his IPL debut being one of four overseas players for RR. The others are Brad Hodge, Samuel Badree, and Kevon Cooper.

West Indian Badree is the other IPL debutant.

The four overseas players for DD are skipper Mahela, Warner, Russell and Johan Botha.

PLAYING XI

DD - Unmukt Chand, David Warner, Mahela Jayawardene (c), Naman Ojha, Johan Botha, Andre Russell, Irfan Pathan, Manpreet Juneja, Shahbaz Nadeem, Ashish Nehra, Umesh Yadav

RR - Rahul Dravid (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Brad Hodge, Kusal Perera, Stuart Binny, Ashok Menaria, Kevon Cooper, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Rahul Shukla, Samuel Badree, Siddarth Trivedi

Rajasthan Royals have won the toss and opted to bat first.

Delhi Daredevils (DD) will aim to bounce back after losing the opening match against defending chamions Kolkata Knight Riders when they host Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Game 4 of IPL6 at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi on Saturday.

The Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural edition of the IPL, but haven’t been able to reproduce that form in four seasons since, struggling to even finish among the top four teams.

The Daredevils, sans the dashing Virender Sehwag in their line-up, looked out of sorts and lacked the firepower in the opening game managing only 128 runs on a slow Eden Gardens track.

The good news for Daredevils is Sehwag is expected to be back for the next match, according to skipper Jayawardene.

Squads

Delhi Daredevils - M Jayawardene (captain), M Juneja, A Agarkar, G Bodi, J Botha, U Chand, R Dias, C Gautam, K Jadhav, S Kaul, J Mendis, M Morkel, S Nadeem, Y Nagar, S Nayak, P Negi, A Nehra, N Ojha (wk), I Pathan, B Rohrer, A Russell, V Sehwag, A Singhvi, R van der Merwe, Y Venugopal Rao, D Warner, U Yadav

Rajasthan Royals - R Dravid (captain), S Badree, S Binny, K Boresa, A Chandila, A Chavan, K Cooper, F Edwards, J  Faulkner, S Goswami, Harmeet Singh, B Hodge, G Hogg, V Malik, A Menaria, K Perera, A Rahane, Sachin Baby, S Samson, O Shah, R Shukla, A Singh, S Sreesanth, S Tait, P Tambe, S Trivedi, S Watson, D Yagnik

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