Taylor, tailenders propel Bangalore past Chennai by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Chennai Super Kings
Player:	ML Hayden, LRPL Taylor
Event:	Indian Premier League 2009

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DateLine: 14th May 2009

 

An uncharacteristic but match-winning 46 from 50 deliveries by Ross Taylor and some good batting by tailenders Praveen Kumar (12) and Vinay Kumar (6) ensured Bangalore sneak home in a thriller of a match against Chennai Super Kings. With the win, the Bangalore side are back in the top four of the points table. Chasing a small target of just 130, Bangalore Royal Challengers lost Jacques Kallis(0) and Rahul Dravid (8) early.

 

Kallis fell prey to some immaculate line and length by Albie Morkel who bowled a fascinating spell of fast bowling, giving away just 13 runs of his four overs and picking up two wickets in the process. After these early wickets Chennai again took the leading hand when Uthappa (4) was dismissed, found plumb in front of his wickets off the bowling of Morkel.

 

This was a desperate sitaution and Bangalore for sure needed a handy knock from their man-in -form Ross Taylor and youngster Virat Kohli (38). The duo provided the same by steadying the ship and playing fine knocks each to keep the Royal Challengers on the victory track.

 

But the see-saw continued and again in a sudden turn of events, a double strike by the Chennai Super Kings brought them back into the game as Virat Kohli and Mark Boucher departed in quick succession. Kohli went for a suicidal heave over covers only to find Oram at the boundary off Laxmipathy Balaji. His knock was studded with four boundaries and two sixes. Then Boucher also failed with the willow and had no answers to the 'doosra' of Muralitharan.

 

Van Der Merwe (3) also got run out uncharacteristically which left the onus again on Ross Taylor who took the game almost to the finish. He got out trying his favourite leg-side heave but this time Oram proved smarter. He bowled a slower one which Taylor could only scoop higher for Dhoni to catch an easy one. Thereafter Praveen and Vinay Kumar made sure the team is taken home and their chances in the IPL kept afloat.

 

Earlier, after winning the toss, Chennai skipper MS Dhoni elected to bat first on a track where 160 was considered to be a par score. Some good bowling and accurate catching by the Bangalore bowlers and fielders though triggered a astounding collapse to restrict Chennai Super Kings to a meagre 129.

 

Opener Matthew Hayden (60) got Chennai Super Kings off to a flying start and though Murali Vijay (5) and Suresh Raina (13) got out cheaply, he continued dominating the bowlers alongside skipper Dhoni (18). Both Raina and Vijay fell prey to Jacques Kallis who struck form with the leather giving away only 18 runs for his four overs, picking up two wickets and in the process also bowling a maiden over.

 

Dhoni and Hayden then added 45 runs for the third wicket, though it must be said that the screws by this time were being tightened by Bangalore bowlers. Dhoni was the first to depart, trying to up the ante and falling to a spectacular catch by Roelef Van Der Merwe of his own bowling. The bowler kind of picked this one up from thin air.

 

Then the procession began, and from a stage where the Chennai outfit where well placed at 101/3, ready to launch a brutal assault on the opposition, they lost track and lost their last seven wickets for just the addition of 28 runs. In fact from 118 for five, the Chennai side slipped to 118/8 in a span of five deliveries. Anil Kumble (2 for 12) and R Vinay Kumar (2 for 30) were the wrecker-in-chief after Kallis's initial spell.

 

The wicket though which started the slide was that of Matthew Hayden and the way he was caught at the boundary by Balachandra Akhil off the bowling of Anil Kumble deserves fullsome praise. He almost misjudged the catch only to take a brilliant one and then staying away from the ropes by inches. Hayden's knock was studded by five boundaries and three thunderous sixes.

 

Post that none of the big hitters of the likes of Morne Morkel (9) or Jacob Oram (7) came good falling pray to some pretty good bowling by the Royal Challengers.