Royal Challengers upset Super Kings, win by 14 runs

Chennai, May 21 (UNI) Bangalore Royal Challengers, pulled off a sensational win against Chennai Super Kings who were chasing a small target of 127, folded up for 112 for eight in 20 overs, losing by 14 runs in the DLF Indian Premier League match at the M A Chidambaram stadium here tonight.

The Super kings, who gave the Bangalore team their third win were off to a great start from left handers, former Kiwi Captain Stephen Flemming (45, 40 balls) and former India stumper Parthiv Patel (24, 29 balls), putting on 60 runs for the first wicket, after restricting Royal Challengers to 126/8 in 20 overs with only their Captain Rahul Dravid waging a lone battle to top score with 47 off 39 balls and their medium pacer Albie Morkel missing a hat trick.

Parthiv set the tone for the Super kings victory chase hitting five runs in the first over off South African Dale Steyn. They raced to 42 without loss in the first five overs. They posted the 50 mark off 40 balls (6.4 overs). The Super Kings enjoyed a slice of luck when off the last ball of the eighth over, Flemming was let off Jacques Kallis.

But in the tenth over Kumble coming on in place of Kallis, dismissed Parthiv Patel, caught and bowled to see Super Kings lose their first wicket for 60 runs. The Super Kings put themsleves under pressure again as captain M S Dhoni coming in early, failed to take on the rival bowling and holed out to Kumble at long off after scoring just four runs.

Medium pacer Vinaykumar got him in the 11th over. The Kings needed 45 runs off the last seven overs with Flemming going strong on 43.

Kumble struck a crucial blow to Super Kigs when in the 14 over he dismissed Flemming to a catch by Akil. Flemming scored 43 off 40 balls with three fours and two sixes as the Kings were 85 for three in 13.2 overs two runs later Kumble struck again to send back S Badrinath for one off three balls. The Kings were now under some pressure at 87-4 after 14 overs Kumble who finished his quota of four overs claimed three for 14. The Kings needed 39 runs to win from 33 balls with six wickets in hand.

But Dale Stein struck another vital blow for Super Kings dismissing danger man Albie Morkel for 1 off five balls. Kings were now staring at defeat down 93 ofr five off 15.3 overs and then losing new batsman S Vidyut who was caugt diving by Kallis at short midwicket for a duck off three balls. The Kings had lost four wickets in the space of 28 runs in five overs. They needed 34 runs off 23 balls and were facing an uphill task with just four wickets in hand. The Royals seemed set to pull off an upset win.

That appeared to be certain when after posting the 100 mark, the Super Kings were down in the dumps again losing their seventh wicket in Ghoni (four) caught by Stein off Praveen Kumar. They needed 17 off 11 balls but lost their eighth wicket through a run out when L Balaji running a single fell to a throw by Rahul Dravid. The Kings were down and out at 110-8 in 18.2 overs and needed 16 from nine balls at 111-8. They needed 16 runs to win from the last four balls and 15 from the last three balls, an improbable tasks, seemingly.

It was all over as Suresh Raina who remained not out on 21 off 20 balls, failed to pull it off as he could not force the bowling in the last five balls.

The Super Kings remained at 14 points from seven wins in the lealgue and are to take on Rajasthan Royals here on Saturday and round off their engagements against Deccan chargers at Hyderabad at Hyderabad later.

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