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Delhi Daredevils win by 6 wickets Over 19 Edwards 4-wd-0-5nb-2-6 : 150-4 - Sweetly hit by Dilshan as he drives a full delivery past the man mid-off for four. Dilshan tries to be a bit cute next up as he gets down on one knee and tries to lob the ball over short fine leg, much to Edwards displeasure the ball is called wide when the batsman fails to make contact. Four more to the Daredevils and to make matters worse it’s a no ball! Edwards dropped it short and Dilshan latched onto it, cracking the ball over mid-wicket. What a way to finish the game! It’s another short ball and Dilshan hooks the ball behind square and over the boundary ropes with aplomb to win the game and bring up his half-century. Over 18 Ojha W-1-0-0-1-2 : 132-4 - Ojha returns to the attack and strikes immediately. Karthik goes on the sweep again but is trapped right in front, no doubt about that one, lbw for sure. Manhas is the new man and he gets off the mark straight away, driving wide of extra cover for one. Two more to Manhas to end the over as he drives to the left of long-off. Over 17 Rao 2-0-4-1-6-4 : 128-3 - Rao continues. Impressive stuff as Karthik comes down the track and drives the ball over extra cover for four. A maximum to Karthik as he gets down on one knee and slogs sweeps Rao over mid-wicket. Four more runs to end the over – a big one for Delhi – this time through the covers. Over 16 Edwards 1-4-1-wd-1-wd-1-0 : 111-3 - Edwards comes back into the attack, Gilchrist will be hoping he can back up Rao’s good over with another tight one. Edwards strays onto the hips of Karthik, and he clips the ball behind square, perfectly bisecting the men at fine leg and square leg. Edwards packs the on-side field in preparation for a bouncer, but he can’t get the line right and strays down leg. Edwards is furious as umpire Saheba calls him for a wide for height, a harsh call and Edwards had every right to be upset, but perhaps should have controlled himself a little better. Over 15 Rao 1-0-0-wd-0-1-0 : 101-3 - Dilshan looks to go after the part-timer Rao, heaving across the line, trying to find the short leg-side boundary, twice he misses out and is nearly caught in front. Just three from the over, a very useful one for Deccan. Over 14 Ojha 1-1-1-0-1-1 : 98-3 - Ojha returns to the attack. Just five singles from that over as the Delhi batsmen keep the scoreboard ticking whilst they wait for the odd abd ball to dispatch to the fence. Over 13 Smith 0-2-0-6-0-0 : 94-3 - Six more to the total as Dilshan heaves the ball over mid-wicket! Oooh, that was close. Dilshan gets a leading edge as he tries to work the ball into the leg side and the ball pops up in the direction of the bowler, but drops just short. Over 12 Sharma 1-0-1-1-1-6 : 85-3 - Rohit Sharma’s off-breaks are brought into the equation. The batsmen are nudging the ball around nicely, picking up the singles with ease, which is all they need to do – for now. Dilshan relieves any pressure that may have been building with a sweep behind square for six to end the over. Over 11 Shaoib 1lb-1-1-0-2-0 : 75-3 - LBW shout first up as Gilchrist gets quite excited as Karthik is wrapped on the pads; it was sliding down leg though. A mistimed nudge into the leg side gifts Dilshan two runs with all the men in front of square on the leg-side in the deep. Over 10 Ojha 1-0-4-1-1-1 : 70-3 - Well placed by Karthik as he latches to one that was a touch short and plays the ball through the off side behind square and down to the fence for four. And it’s time for the tactical time out with the game evenly poised. Over 9 Shoaib 0-1-0-1-1-0 : 62-3 - Karthik clips the ball down to fine leg for a single. Glchrist is keeping a number of men in the inner ring to try and squeeze the batsmen into trying a big shot. It’s not need just yet though as Dilshan nudges the ball out to the sweeper on the off-side. Nicely judged single from Karthik as he taps the ball to mid-off and scampers off for the run. Over 8 Ojha wd-2-1-1-2-1-0 : 58-3 - The impressive Ojha comes into the attack. Karthik picks up two as he knocks the ball to deep mid-wicket. Good rotation of the strike from the batting pair as they knock the ball around for a few singles before Karthik picks up two, working the ball into the leg-side. Over 7 Shoaib 0-4-4-0-W-1 : 50-3 - Great shot from Gambhir as he pierces the cover field, not trying to hit the ball too hard, he times and places the perfectly. Four more, not as convincing this time, it was in the air as he chopped the ball between point and gully. Gambhir tries to work the ball into the leg-side and gets a leaeding edge that loops over the bowler’s head and lands safely. WICKET! He’s not so lucky next up as he tries to paddle the ball round the corner and is wrapped on the pad. Umpire Baxter shows little hesitation in raising the finger and Gambhir is on his way; the batsman’s hardly pleased with the decision, perhaps feeling the ball was missing off, replays suggest he was hit in line but that the ball might have just sneaked past off. Over 6 Singh wd-0-0-0-0-wd-4 : 41-2 - Singh is banging the ball in outside off, he’s tempting Dilshan to have a go with the off-side packed to the brim and a slip in place. He does his best to oblige the bowler, but aside from two balls that he strikes straight to Gibbs at point Dilshan is unable to produce anything of note until the final delivery of the over which he squeezes through the covers for four. Over 5 Shoaib 0-0-4-0-0-W : 35-2 - Shoaib Ahmed joins the attack. Sweet timing from de Villiers as he dabs the ball down the ground and beats a diving mid-on. Ojha at mid-off is in hot pursuit and nearly pulls it in, but in the end his chase is in vain. WICKET! Another one gone, this time it’s de Villiers! He tries to smash the ball up and over the bowlers head, but gets a thick outside edge that flies high into the air before nesting in the waiting hands of Ojha at mid-off. Over 4 Singh 0-2-W-0-0-1 : 31-1 - Two more to Sehwag as he clips the ball behind square on the leg side. WICKET! Sehwag is gone! Smashing the ball off the back foot he hammers it straight to backward point. The wicket brings AB de Villiers out to the middle on his home ground. He gets off the mark with a single down to third man. Over 3 Edwards 1-4-4-1-1lb-1 : 28-0 - One more to Gambhir as he works the ball down to third man. Shocking fielding in the deep as Sehwag cracks the ball to the left of third man who runs round and seems to have it under control only to allow the ball to sneak past him at the last moment. Four more to the total as Edwards drifts onto the pads; Sehwag doesn’t miss out on those. A single to the captain as he nudges the ball down to fine leg. He final delivery rises a touch on Sehwag but he is able to fend it down to third man without too much trouble. Over 2 Singh 2-0-1-0-4-4 : 16-0 - Gambhir gives Singh the charge first up but doesn’t go through with a big shot, instead dabbing the ball down to third man for two. Gambhir goes on the hook and controls it nicely, picking up a single to the man in the deep. Sehwag is off the mark in style, getting onto his toes and punching the ball off the back foot through the covers for four. Consecutive boundaries for the Delhi skipper as he flicks the ball off his toes behind square for four. Over 1 Edwards 0-0-4-0-1-0 : 5-0 - The first delivery of the innings is full and on the pads, Gambhir tries to clip it off his pads but misses and berates himself for not taking advantage of the opportunity. Edwards strays in his line and with the ball sliding down leg it’s easy pickings for Gambhir as he nudges the ball down to the fine leg fence for four. Gambhir angles the ball down to third man for a single to bring Sehwag on strike for the first time. Edwards bangs in a bouncer, it’s quick but Sehwag is able to duck under it without any trouble. Ready to go: The players are out in the middle and we are ready for action, Fidel Edwards will lead the attack for the Chargers.
Delhi need 149 runs to win at 7.45 per over Over 20 Nehra 1-1-1-4-W-1+W : 148-9 - WICKET! Rao gives himself space to slash a full delivery past backward point for four, but Nehra follows up with a perfect yorker which knocks middle stump clean out of the ground. WICKET! Pragyan Ojha, who will as usual have a crucial role to play with the ball later on, chips the final ball wide of midwicket where Vettori makes a flying stop. The batsmen attempt a second, but Ojha is run out by miles. Over 19 Nannes 0-0-W-0-1-0 : 140-7 - WICKET! Shoaib Ahmed misses the first three deliveries so decides he'd better run through for a bye, but Venugopal Rao sends him back. A good call as well because Karthik hits the stumps with his throw so Ahmed is run out yet Rao survives for one final hurrah. Nannes's brilliant spell (2 for 16 from four overs) comes to an end after an over that cost just one run. Over 18 Nehra 1-1-1-1-1-W : 139-6 - Top over from Nehra, who mixes his pace well. The batsmen move around in their crease plenty but the ball just seems to follow them, and when it doesn't a change of pace makes it difficult to get away. WICKET! The over is capped with the wicket of Smith, who loops a lame catch for Vettori to take running back from cover. Deccan have some work to do in the final overs, because 160 is par here. Over 17 Sangwan 0-1-1-2-2-1 : 134-5 - Sensational running from both batsmen turns a couple of singles into twos, but otherwise it's a quietish over from the impressive Sangwan. He finishes with figures of 1 for 24 and did particularly well in the opening six overs when he picked up the pieces from a poor Nehra over. Over 16 Nehra 0-1-4-1-1-1-1 : 127-5 - BRUTAL stuff from Smith, who short-arm jabs one from outside off-stump through the gap between wide midwicket and wide long-on. Incredible stroke, although Nehra responds well with a yorker which Smith does well to dig out for one. Chargers on their way to a par score here, possibly better if Smith can stick around for the rest of the innings. Over 15 Sangwan 2-2-1-1-W-0 : 118-5 - It all gets a little bit agricultural as the left-armer Sangwan returns and the batsmen look to use their crease and hack away wherever possible. WICKET! And the somewhat inevitable result of agricultural strokes is a wicket, as Suman swings hard at a short one and skies it to de Villiers at point. Venugopal Rao is the new man in, and he'll have strike for the next over. Over 14 Dilshan 4-1-1-6-3-0 : 112-4 - Interesting move from Sehwag, who brings on Tillikaratne Dilshan. The first ball is steered behind point for four by Suman, who then plays a mervellous inside-out drive over extra cover for six. He then plays a delicate dab fine on the off-side which yields three, so both batsmen are in full flow. Over 13 Mishra 4-1-1-2-6-6 : 97-4 - Having bowled superbly with plenty of variation, Mishra's figures are spoiled by a massive over for Deccan. Smith slog-sweeps the first ball to cow corner for four and then hits consecutive sixes to end the over - the first one is as flat as they get, never above head height before slamming into the advertising boards at midwicket, and the second sails wide of long-on. Game on! Over 12 Vettori 1wd-4-4-4-0-2-1 : 77-4 - Smith gets going and Vettori's figures suffer as a result. Two of his boundaries are swept away square on the leg-side, while another is cut out to deep point where Nehra makes a hash of what should have been an easy stop on the boundary. Having bowled poorly in his one over he's now fielding badly and there are a few hands on hips among the fielding side. Over 11 Mishra 1-2-0-1lb-1lb-1 : 62-4 - There's not a huge deal of turn in this wicket but there has been bounce throughout and the spinners have used it well. Smith flashes at one outside off-stump in this over and gets a thick edge down to third man for a couple. Over 10 Vettori 1-W-1-0-1-0 : 55-4 - WICKET! Tirumalsetti Suman gets off the mark straight away, but then Deccan lose their fourth wicket as Bilakhia is trapped dead in front by Vettori. The ball raced onto him, although he dug his own grave by going back to a ball he probably should have gone forward to. The Chargers are in all sorts of trouble here and you fancy a lot rests on the shoulders of new batsman Dwayne Smith. Over 9 Mishra 1-1-1-0-1-W : 52-3 - WICKET! The pressure tells as Sharma drives inside out over extra cover and lofts a simple catch to substitute fielder David Warne in the outfield. Mishra's loft made the difference there as Sharma misjudged. Over 8 Vettori 3lb-1-1-0-1wd-0 : 48-2 - Daniel Vettori's first ball flicks off Bilakhia's pads and runs away fine for three leg-byes. Aside from a brief moment of panic when it looked like the young batsman might be run out, it's another quiet over. Over 7 Mishra 1-0-1-1-1-0 : 41-2 - Amit Mishra is introduced with the powerplay over, and he gives the ball good flight to keep the batsmen wary. Just a host of singles as these two take no risks. Over 6 Sangwan 1-0-1-4-0-1 : 37-2 - Pradeep Sangwan is introduced and keeps things fairly tight as Deccan continue their rebuild phase. Sharma drives over extra cover for four, but otherwise the batsmen are limited to singles. Over 5 Nannes 0-0-0-0-4-0 : 30-2 - The pressure is being maintained here because both left-arm bowlers are bowling over the wicket to two right-handers, who are finding the angle difficult. Nannes bowls one which is a bit too wide though, and Bilakhia throws his hands at it to get four over point. Over 4 Sangwan 0-0-0-0-0-4 : 26-2 - Rohit Sharma prevents a maiden with a fantastic shot, getting onto the front foot to pull over square leg for four. The crowd is growing, but apparently people are being held up by a car crash as they make their way north from Johannesburg. Over 3 Nannes 0-0-W-0-1-2 : 22-2 - WICKET! There's a big appeal for caught behind as Gibbs misses his pull shot, but the umpire gives it not out after correctly deciding the noise came from ball flicking pants. But there's no doubt about the next ball, which Gibbs slaps straight to mid-off. Both Deccan openers are back in the hut early for the first time this tournament. Over 2 Nehra 4-0-2-0-1nb-2-2 : 19-1 - Azhar Bilakhia doesn't need any time to settle, and simply crunches his first ball behind point for four. He gets a bit of luck two balls later as Virender Sehwag drops him at gully. Two runs come as a result, and Bilakhia uses a free hit to get two more over square leg. The final ball is dabbed fine for a couple more, making it a productive over. Over 1 Nannes 0-0-4-4-W-0 : 8-1 - Having missed the opening delivery of the match, Gilchrist makes no mistake with the third or fourth as he drives over mid-off and then slashes through cover-point for successive boundaries. WICKET! But then he misses out on a pull and skies it straight to midwicket, where Dinesh Karthik takes the catch. Electric start then, as promised. Take your seats please, because this show is ready to hit the road. An electric start is in store with Dirk nannes bowling to Herschelle Gibbs and Adam Gilchrist. Pitch Report: The pitch is very dry and there are a couple of cracks making themselves known, should be a good wicket for batting. It’s a fine day in Pretoria, with the sun shining brightly. Team News: Delhi have named an unchanged starting XI, meaning the likes of Collingwood, Shah and McGarth are still yet to get a game. Deccan have made one change, with VVS Laxman getting a breather; Tirumalsetti Suman will take his place. Delhi Daredevils: Gambhir, Sehwag, Dilshan, de Villiers, Karthik, Manhas, Vettori, Mishra, Sangwan, Nehra, Nannes Deccan Chargers: Gilchrist, Gibbs, Smith, Sharma, Bilakhia, Venugopal Rao, Suman, Ojha, Singh, Edwards, Shoaib Toss: Delhi have won the toss and Virender Sehwag has decided to bowl first. Hello and welcome to our coverage of the 21st match of the 2009 IPL between the Delhi Daredevils and the Deccan Chargers, it should be a cracker.
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