RCB thrash Royals by 10 wicekts, Praveen Kumar claims hattrick 1st
Bangalore | Friday, Mar 19 2010 IST
 

Medium pacer Praveen Kumar claimed a brilliant hattrick, the first in the third edition of the Indian Premier League, as Royal Challengers Bangalore walloped depleted Rajasthan Royals by 10 wickets with a massive 9.2 overs to spare in the IPL III T20 tie played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium here today.

Chasing a paltry 93 for win after dismissing the Royals cheaply, RCB openers Jacques Kallis (44 not out) and promising Manish Pandey (42) went hammer and tongs against the hapless Royals bowlers to etch one of the biggest wins in the IPL history.

With this win, RCB moved to the top half of the table with two wins in three matches, while Royals remained in the bottom of the table losing all the three games played so far.

Pandey took 12 runs of the first over bowled by Munaf Patel, making the RCBs intentions clear, which was to finish off the match as quickly to improve run rate.

Kallis, in lethal mood, thrashed Morne Morkel for 20 runs in his first over with four exquisite boundaries to propel RCB score to 32 in the very second over. The 20-year-old Pandey, the only Indian century maker in the IPL II played in South Africa last year, again provided a quick start.

The South African veteran won the second successive man-of-the-match award for his all round display for claiming two wickets for 20 and unbeaten 44.

Earlier, Praveen Kumar struck the first hattric of IPL III, while Kumble brought an abrupt end to the Royals innings with his guild. Royals batsmen struggled all the way and ultimately dismissed for 92 with one ball left in their innings. Praveen returned with impressive figures of 4-0-18-3.

A 93-run target to be made at 4.65 looked in no way challenging for the RCB openers who were fresh from their teams win against Kings XI easily surpassing the stiff target of 204 on Tuesday.

It was Jacques Kallis who triggered the Royals collapse taking two in as many overs, while Praveen bowling his third over delivered the knockout blow from which Warnes men never recovered.

RCB skipper Anil Kumble scalped three wickets, while Dale Steyn bowled with fire to concede just 18 runs in his four overs and the fiery South Afrian fast bowler bowled with rattling speed once touching 151 kmph speed.

With Royals already down 75 for four, Praveen struck telling blows to complete a fine hattrick. He first castled Australian veteran Demien Martyn (19) and the next ball had Sumit Narwal (00) caught by Manish Pandey running some distance from third man. He completed the hattric by clean bowling Paras Dogra (03), who had no clue to the in-dipper which crashed on to his stumps.

Royals, down with the absence of two key foreign players in Greme Smith and Dimitri Mascaranhas, out of the IPL due to injuries looked woefully ill equipped to face the express deliveries by South African Dale Steyn who bowled with fire touching 151 kmph and Praveen who bowled a tidy length. While Khallis brilliant, Kumble was at his usual self, coaxing the batsmen, after he had suffered in the hands of Kings XI batsmen two days ago.

Yosuf Pathan, who played with a niggle in the right shoulder, was the lone exception top scoring for Royals with 26 off 24 balls. Never impressive in his short stint Yusuf was lucky to be let off twice -- once Vinay Kumar while on 19 and the other time dropped by Rahul Dravid while on 26. But soon he departed being run out to a brilliant underarm throw by Virat Kohli. Before this he had carted Vinay Kumar for two huge sixes, which remained the only notable part of the Royals innings.

RCB bowling looked different as the bowlers bowled to a plan after being hammered by the opponent batsmen in the first two matches.

Kumble, who won the toss, elected to field after his batters had made light of the 204-target in the earlier match against Kings XI Punjab. This worked perfectly for the ace leggie as bowlers were on the top throughout the 20-over innings.

The first five overs produced just 27 runs for Rajasthan Royals and Kumble was at ease with the opposition wilting under the Steyn barrage. He made quick changes among the five bowlers he used and as usual proved deadly for the tailenders claiming three wickets for just nine runs in his quota of four overs.

(Ed: pickup suitably from SPM 12)

-- (UNI) -- 18SPM14.xml

 

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