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AND THAT'S THAT: It looked like the Royals were on the backfoot as the innings started off but a stunning innings by Pathan helped Warne's team to a very welcome victory. Now the question is: why does Pathan not bat higher up the order? That's all from us for now, folks. Cheers. Over 19 Nannes 0-2-4 : 147-5 Nannes is tasked with the impossible: stop a charging elephant dead in its tracks. Pathan starts off by taking a couple down to fine leg and then smashes the winning runs by makng room for himself and dragging the ball to the long-on fence for four. Over 18 Nehra 0-0-1-6-6-1 : 141-5 Smith takes a single towards deep midwicket and Nehra tries to pull back some length but he doesn’t get it in high enough and Pathan swings it over deep midwicket and all the way over the fence for six more. There’s just no stopping this boy, he has so much power and he is so strong! He thwacks another ball away over the deep midwicket fence to bring up his 50 Over 17 Mishra 4-0nb-1-4-6-2-0 : 127-5 Smith starts off by slashing off the backfoot past the man at cover. The ball goes all the way to the fence for four. The spinner oversteps and there’s half a run out chance off the free hit. Dilshan couldn’t get the direct in and if he had, Smith would have been gone. Pathan then slaps one straight down the ground, high in the air and Sangwan makes a mess of it. He fumbles the catch and the ball hops to the fence. The next ball is sent flying about 30 rows back for the max. Why did Pathan come in so late? Rajasthan are within reach now. 17 needed off 18. Over 16 Vettori 1-2-6-1-2-1 : 109-5 Smith starts off by taking a single and it’s Pathan on strike. Vettori tosses one up and it lands short, Pathan goes after it and edges the ball to the man at fine leg who makes a meal of it. He could have taken that had he run in harder. The next ball is dispatched hard and far back over the long-on fence for six. 35 needed off 24. Over 15 Nannes 0-0-1lb-1-1lb-1 : 96-5 Pathan is struck on the helmet by a very quick delivery. It hit him much earlier than he expected – tried getting on the front foot but it came too quick. The physio is out on the field to give him some attention. That’s a good over by Nannes and it’ll just halt the charges a little bit. 48 needed from 30 balls. Over 14 Sangwan 1-0-2lb-1-1-1 : 92-5 Smith starts off the over with a single defended to the offside. Pathan adds a couple of leg byes to the tally, defended away towards short fine leg. 52 needed off 36 balls. Can you feel the heat? Over 13 Vettori 1-2-6-6-0-4 : 86-5 Speak of the devil and tough task for the spinner who has to bowl to the end with the short boundary. Smith rotates the strike with a single towards midwicket again and Pathan doesn’t wait for too long. He takes a couple towards long-on before slicing away over that short boundary for the maximum! The next shot is hit in very much the same fashion, he gets down on one knee and thwack! Six more and game on. Thanks to a horrific piece of fielding at long on, Rajasthan finish the over off with four more added to their tally. Pathan slapped that back past the bowler and the fielder who ran in couldn’t cut it off. Over 12 Sangwan 1-0-1-0-1-0 : 67-5 Smith starts off the over with a single towards cover point and Pathan gets off the mark with a single towards midwicket. We still haven’t seen the magic of Vettori yet. When will he come on to have a bit of a bowl? Smith takes another single towards midwicket and that’s just three runs from the over. Over 11 Mishra 1-2-W-1-0-W : 64-5 A single towards square leg and a couple down to long off starts off the over. WICKET! Silly shot by Jadeja. Loose and skied towards the man at long-off. Sangwan makes no mistake. Smith takes a single down to long on to bring the skipper on strike. WICKET! Warne swings and misses and Karthik does well to collect it and dislodge the bails. His foot was outside the crease and the third umpire confirms that he is goner. What an over for Dehli! Over 10 Dilshan 1-0-1-1-1-0 : 60-3 Very good work by the batsmen, they rotate the strike constantly while the spinners rush through their overs. It’s time for a strategy break so join us again in seven and a half minutes. Over 9 Mishra 2-1-0-1-1-4 : 56-3 The runs are flowing more fluently now and some sloppy keeping behind the stumps grants the batsman four very valuable runs. Over 8 Sangwan 1-0wd-1-4-0wd-1-1-1 : 47-3 Jadeja takes a single wide of the sweeper as Sangwan changes ends. Another wide is added to the extras tally and Smithers rotates the strike with a single towards point. Jadeja edges a ball over the man at gully and collects four runs down to third man in the process. Another wide follows and the batsmen do well to rotate the strike for the remainder of the over to keep the scoreboard ticking. Over 7 Mishra 0-0-1-W-1-1 : 36-3 Smith takes a single towards midwicket before Dehli strike again! WICKET! Tossed up and turned away and the batsman tried to clear long-off but it wasn’t hit well enough and Vettori takes a dolly. Smith takes one more towards the off side and Jadeja, the new man in, gets off the mark by working the ball away square. Where is Pathan? Over 6 Nehra 0-0-0-1-0-1 : 33-2 Valthaty opens his account with a single clipped away to fine leg and smith takes one off the final delivery by nudging the ball away to mid-on. Over 5 Sangwan 4-0-0-6-W-0 : 31-2 Change of bowling as Sangwan comes into the attack and he starts off poorly. Asnodkar slices the circle and down to the deep cover for four. He defends a couple before opening arms as the ball goes down leg and the batsman just nudges it away over the short midwicket boundary for six! Good shot, that. WICKET! Asnodkar nudgest he ball down towards mid-on and he calls for a really ridiculous run – Mishra is quick to collect and he fires a direct hit at the non striker’s end which cues the celebration from the Dehli fielders. Over 4 Nehra 0-0-W-0-0-1 : 21-1 Quiney has a waff at the first few deliveries but doesn’t get it away through the gap. WICKET! The batsman tries to go for the big heave but he misses it completely and the ball raps him on the pads. There’s a huge, almost begging, appeal and the umpire raises his finger. Initially that looked is though there was an edge but replays suggest he was a goner for sure. That is a very a good over for Dehli. Over 3 Nannes 4-0-4-0-0-0 : 20-0 Nannes pitches a full one just on middle and leg and Smith opens up the face of the bat to push the ball away towards backward square leg. The dancing girls are in rapture. The next ball is defended but Smithers is showing a lot of intent today. He chops another one away to third man. Go fetch, boys. That’s it from the over though, easy does it for now. Over 2 Nehra 0-0-0wd-0-0-4-1 : 12-0 What is it with Dehli and wides today? Nehra bangs one in outside off and it swings away from Smith. Smithers go fending as Nehra continues to generate some swing but Smith gets a thick edge to it which deflects down to thirdman. They take a single off the final delivery as the ball edges past the slip but there’s somebody on the ropes to sweep up. Over 1 Nannes 0-0wd-0-0wd-4-0-0-0 : 6-0 Dot ball first up and the bowler gets some good swing and good pace on the ball. Nannes struggles with his wides there and he looks a bit like a noodle running in. Quiney manages to exploit the gap at midwicket and the ball races to the fence for four. Steady start by Rajasthan. GOOD TO GO: Smith is out there in the middle along with Quiney and Dehli have chucked the ball to Nannes. CHANGE OF GUARD: As my esteemed editor departs to leave me to my own devices, we're just about ready to get going with the second session of this match. You can send me your thoughts over here. Delhi finish on 143 for seven and the Royals will surely fancy chasing down this rather paltry tally. It just goes to show, if Sehwag and Gambhir don't fire, the Daredevils are half the side they profess to be. Stick around for the chase, it should be a cracker. Over 20 K Khan 4-0-2-1-W-1 : 143-7 - The teenager gets the unenviable task of bowling the ultimate over of the innings and watches in despair as Manhas laces four over point despite a diving effort from the fielder on the fence. The right-hander goes again but misses, then fetching two to third man as Warne pulls off a half-stop. A scampered single leaves Mishra on strike, who lifts his head to the sky, backs away, swings wildly, misses and departs with his furniture well rattled by the pace ace. Thus, the IPL's youngest player - 17-year-old Sangwan gets to face the last ball, and manages to squirt a single away from a yorker and breaks his bat in the process. Over 19 M Patel lb-lb-W-0-0-0 : 135-6 - WICKET! Vettori's days of backing away to the on-side are over with as he does so again, misses the yorker, and watches on as the ball crashes into his stumps. Off he goes for a decent 29-run knock and next in is Mishra. He squirts a dot ball to short cover and then gets out of the way of a cracking yorker, had he reacted a split-second later and he'd currently be nursing a dinged helmet, or for that matter, a bloody lip. Over 18 Warne 6-4-1-1-0-0 : 133-5 - Long-off and deep midwicket feel the wrath of Manhas, as the legendary leg-spinner takes some tap, failing hopelessly to trap his man with the flipper. Over 17 K Khan 1-lb-1-4-4-2 : 121-5 - The Rajasthan Royals' wonder kid returns to the attack with that round-arm, slingy, perhaps crooked action of his. Nelson graces the scoreboard's presence as the Delhi duo accrue three singles left, right and centre, after which cocksure Vettori steps to the off-side and clubs four through square-leg. The Black Caps star realises he must steal the show, now that de Villiers is back in the hut lamenting a poor decision on the umpire's part. Vettori strikes again, driving through extra cover for four more as Khan overpitches. Quniey runs to field two on the on-side, as dear Dan ends the over with more innovative strokeplay. Over 16 Jadeja 4-W-0-2-0-1 : 108-5 - De Villiers' powerful sweep brings up his half-ton off a mere 39 balls as Saffer skipper Smith looses sight of the delivery on the on-side and cant' field in time. WICKET! Then, the umpire gets an lbw decision dreadfully wrong as Warne sends the half-centurion packing. That pitched well outside the leg-stump despite hitting the back pad. Anyway, off he goes, unfairly so, as Manhas comes to the crease and milks a trio around the ground to get off the mark. And yes, I'm still peeved that de Villiers was given out in such a horrible fashion. Shame. Over 15 Y Pathan 1-0-0-0-1-1 : 101-4 - Vettori bats like a tail-ender for a couple of deliveries, failing to middle anything while backing away to the on-side in his quest for room to wield through the off-side. Delhi's collective century finally arrives, at the meagre rate of 6.73 to the over. Weak. Over 14 Jadeja 1-1-1-0-0-1 : 98-4 - Jadeja's line and length are a straight and full affair, as Vettori and de Villiers do what they can with the gaps on offer in the outfield, as a sad lack of communication between the unfamiliar duo almost resulting in the South African's run-out again. Over 13 Y Pathan 6-1-2-1-1-1 : 94-4 - De Villiers greets the third spinner of the day with a biggie over long-on, just managing to pip the man on the fence with some sordid timing. The Proteas star then almost runs himself out by a country mile after tickling short on the on-side and then calling for a quick single. Pathan fails to gather the return through and de Villiers duly rides Lady Luck. Then, another near run-out as the throw from long-on fails to get to the striker's end in time. Phew, take a breath, the over comes to a remarkably quikc finish as Vettori swings across the line and skews a single to short third man too. Over 12 Jadeja 1-4-4-1-2-1 : 82-4 - Time for some left-arm off-spin then, as Vettori welcomes the new bowler with a fat smack through the on-side for four. De Villiers gets in on the boundary act too, chipping over cover and piercing the gap between the man running left from long-off and the man running right from deep cover. That follows two worked down the ground past mid-on and a single glanced through square-leg as Jadeja's opening over proves a touch on the expensive side. Over 11 M Patel 1-0-1-0-0-1 : 69-4 - Patel gets play underway again, his consistent line and length restricting de Villiers and Vettori to a mere trio of singles as the run-rate spills a touch lower. Over 10 Warne 1-1-2-0-0-1 : 66-4 - Where other spinners would just dart 'em in in Twenty20 cricket, Warne continues to offer a brave amount of flight. De Villiers is up to the task, flicking fine for one before manufacturing two through midwicket. Warne has a go with a hopeful lbw shout, but that was clearly pitched outside the leg-stump. With that comes the tactical timeout, so for the next seven minutes and 30 seconds you are on your own. Over 9 M Patel 1-1-1-1-0-nb-0 : 61-4 - Munaf comes on to bowl from a new end as Vettori steals a single to mid-off and de Villiers takes one with ease to cover. He is really not your classic batsman, but dear Dan certainly gets the job done and this time works down the ground for another single. De Villiers replicates the shot, but with more power, but a diving mid-on prevents the boundary. In somewhat of a 'deer in the headlights moment', Vettori hacks into the pitch and starts running, but AB sends him back and Patel's attempted direct-hit is off the mark regardless. Then, Vettori seems to be out anyway as he edges a regulation edge to Warne at second slip. But, lo and behold, it's a no-ball and the Rajasthan Royals hang their head in shame at umpire Koertzen's outstretched arm. The Black Caps star can do nothing with the subsequent free-hit, as it's a corker of a yorker. Over 8 Warne 1-W-1-1-1-4 : 56-4 - Key moment this, as the legendary leg-spinner enters the attack and produces a decent amount of purchase off the track straight away. WICKET! De Villiers tickles a single to third man before Karthik offers a lame leading edge on the defence offers Warney a dolly of a return catch. Next in is New Zealand captain Vettori, who chances his arm for a scampered single to short cover to get off the mark with haste. De Villiers then faces a severe amount of flight, but his eyes don't light up and he merely steers one to fine-leg, later using his feet quite nicely to drive four down the ground as the man on the long-off fence lets the ball slip past him on the dive. Shame, his captain won't be too happy about that abject, isolated showing. Over 7 Mascarenhas 1-1-1-1-2-0 : 48-3 - The all-rounder will complete his four-over allotment in one spell, as Karthik gets off the mark with a single guided past short third man. De Villiers then finds the gap between point and gully for one, as the surface proves to be a touch dogged. Karthik follows suit through cover, as does de Villiers. The over ends with somewhat of a more determined punch, as Karthik reaps two through extra cover. Over 6 M Patel 0-1-1-0-W-4 : 42-3 - The Indian spearhead starts with a dot ball as Dilshan's cut rollicks through to the wicketkeeper, the ball was far too close to the batsman's body to play that shot. The Sri Lankan star then gets a single away to third man, leaving de Villiers to work a single of his own through square-leg. Meanwhile, McGrath is offering choice advice from the sidelines as well as hoping for a game sometime soon. WICKET! Dilshan fails to get on top of a full as his team fall further into the quagmire, as Asnodkar runs backward from his position at square-leg to take a comfortable catch over his left shoulder. Next in is wicketkeeper-batsman Karthik, who watches from the other end as De Villiers ends the over with a boundary, steering an errant leg-side line to the fine-leg fence with ease. That's the end of the powerplay too. Over 5 Mascarenhas 0-0-0-4-1-0 : 36-2 - Dilshan gets a gift long-hop wide of the off-stump and fails to do anything more with it than bang it back to the bowler, then beaten by a little off-cutter. Wicketkeeper Rawat is standing up to the stumps, so Dilshan is routed in his crease, but uses his area of influence to a superb extent, timing wonderfully through point on the cut for four. A mandatory single returns his batting partner to the strike, whose attempted steer to the third man fence is thwarted by the fielder up in the circle. Over 4 K Khan 1-0-0-0-0-wd-4 : 31-2 - Dilshan gets off the mark with a scampered single to extra cover, leaving de Villiers to be flummoxed by a slower ball before keeping out a threatening yorker. Khan's out-and-out pace then gets the better of the South African star, who fails to get back on his backfoot defence. De Villiers then tries the drive, but Khan's fielding on the follow-through robs the batsman of runs. The 18-year-old pace ace then spews out a horible wide, before having de Villiers purposefully edge four over the slip cordon. Over 3 Mascarenhas 4-1-W-1-4-W : 25-2 - Sehwag is a merciless as usual, slapping a delivery short of a good length straight over the bowler's head for four before puniting a slower ball to mid-on for one. WICKET! Gambhir's knock comes to an end, as he drives through the line and edges to Warne at second slip (no first slip in place), who screams his tubby frame into the air to his left and takes a superb catch to send the potential dangerman packing. Next in is de Villiers, the 2009 IPL's only centurion thus far. He gets off the mark with some decent timing, punching a single to deep cover before watching in awe from the non-striker's end as Sehwag plants his front foot down the track and smacks four through midwicket. WICKET! That's the end of that though. He who lives by the sword dies by the sword, as Sehwag lands a skier down the throat of Khan at mid-on, who takes a very good catch despite his silly team-mate encroaching his shadow. Now it's Dilshan, who has scored two half-tons on the trot this tourney thus far, who strides out to the middle. Over 2 K Khan 2-1-0-0-1-4 : 15-0 - Warne's young prodigy watches in horror as point and gully fluff their fielding, allowing for Gambhir to fetch two on the cut before the left-hander fends off some steep bounce and scampers a quick single. With two slips in place, Khan comes around the wicket and misses out as Sehwag's wild flash outside the off-stump fails to get the edge. Khan then overpitches and Sehwag misses out again, as midwicket fields well to prevent the powerful glance from fetching four. An edged drive to third man brings a single and Gambhir the strike, who shuffles across his stumps and whips through square-leg for four. Over 1 Mascarenhas 0-1-6-0-0-0 : 7-0 - The Englishman takes the new ball and has Gambhir leave one outside the off-stump before getting off the mark with a drop'n'run to cover. Sehwag gets the strike, and right on cue, wields over square-leg for six as the Centurion crowd go wild in the wake of the first big hit of the day. Mascarenhas then decides the best way to combat Sehwag's charge is to mix up his pace, doing so adequately as the right-hander mishits a couple to close the over. We are good to go, as Delhi openers Sehwag and Gambhir, captain warne and cohorts and the umpires head out to the middle in front of a growing crowd. Weather: Sunny skies all around, then, no chance of rain so stick around for a full game. Hooray.
Starting XIs: Rajasthan Royals: Graeme Smith, Swapnil Asnodkar, Rob Quiney, Yusuf Pathan, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Ravindra Jedeja, Shane Warne, Mahesh Rawat, Paul Valthaty, Kamran Khan, Munaf Patel. Line-Up Changes: Delhi stick with their winning combo as Collingwood, McGrath, Shah and Warner continue to warm the bench, while the the Jaipur franchise bring in Paul Valthaty for Abhishek Raut. Toss: News from the middle reveals Delhi captain Virender Sehwag has won the toss and, unsuprisingly, opted to wield the willow first up. Sehwag reckons he wants to 'put runs on the board and then defend', while Warne casually relays that he 'would have bowled first' regardless. Pitch: The IPL heads away from Cape Town and Durban as Centurion gets its gltizy fix. SuperSport park offers a hard, flat surface - perfect for Twenty20 batting - and the bowlers are sure to struggle. That said, spin maestros Daniel Vettori and Shane Warne are on display today, and 'em two could turn it square on a sheet of glass. Passengers: I am so intrigued to see whether or not David Warner, Paul Collingwood, Owais Shah or Glenn McGrath get a run in the Delhi XI today. Neither of the quartet have been granted a game yet, merely tagging along for the lucrative ride thus far. Tactical Timeout Teaser: While the rest of us scoff at Lalit Modi's supposed strategic breaks, Najot Singh Sidhu (former Indian cricketer of questionable repute) reckons they have their place in the game. "Twenty20 is a compressed and shortened form of cricket and you need time to execute your plans on the field. The extra time given after 10 overs as a strategy break should come in handy if it is tactically used," Sidhu told PTI. "The commercial angle cannot be denied but it also serves as a break in which teams can regroup and analyze the match situation, which is so vital in any format of the game." Agree? Do tell.
The squads, for your persual, in the meantime:
IPL Standings thus far - (Matches, Won, Lost, Tied, No-Result, Points, Net Run-Rate):
First things first, we want to hear from you. Comment on Delhi, criticism for the Royals, or just general comment on the IPL - all is welcome. So, get to it here. Hello and welcome to Cricket365's over-by-over coverage of game 18 of the 2009 Indian Premier League between the Delhi Daredevils - second in the standings - and the Rajasthan Royals - second last on the log - at SuperSport Park in Centurion. I, Jonhenry Wilson, will lead you through proceedings initially, after which my esteemed colleague - Antoinette Muller - will take over.
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