Fernando restrict Bangalore Royal Challengers to modest 122

Bangalore, May 28 (UNI) Dilhara Fernando used the bouncy conditions to the hilt claiming four wickets for just 18 runs as Mumbai Indians restricted Bangalore Royal Challengers to a modest 122 for nine in the DLF-Indian Premier League T20 match played at M Chinnaswamy stadium here today.

But the Sri Lankan speedster's good effort was a match too late, after he flattered at the most crucial movement that resulted in Sachin's men fail to make it to the semifinal stage.

Despite the match being a mere formality, the big crowd which came in despite the home team's disappointing display in the inaugural league and gloomy conditions threatened the wash out the last league tie for the match.

It was reduced to 18 overs a side as wet ground conditions delayed the start by 90 minutes.

The hosts, who have lost five out of the six home matches earlier, disappointed the good crowd again as they got themselves bogged down.

This happened once the burly Sri Lankan struck telling blows in the sixth and eighth over of the match using the conditions which was helpful to medium pacers.

West Indies' Dwayne Smith claimed three wickets for 26 to leave Bangalore in disarray.

Tail enders Vinay Kumar (23) and Praveen Kumar (8) added 39 runs for the eighth wicket in just 25 balls to give some respectability to the Bangalore innings.

The two joined together with Royal Challengers struggling at 83 for seven and took the score to 122 before Vinay was holed out to Uthappa at the long-on fence giving Fernando his fourth wicket.

Royal Challengers began well with the teenage opener Sreevats Goswamy (20) and South African stumper batsman Mark Boucher (18) giving a purposeful start adding 35 runs in less than six overs.

But once Fernando came to bowl replacing Nehra, he put skids to Bangalore innings dismissing Boucher and Misbah in his first over and sent Goswamy back to pavilion in his second over.

This put the home team in the same position that they found themselves in many times earlier in this league.

They lost too many wickets too early. The run rate slowed down and they never recovered.

Misbah was dismissed for a duck disappointed again, while Dravid again got out, castled by Smith, after he left his wickets wide open to guide the ball to the third man.

The disappointing stint of Under-19 World Cup winning captain Virat Kohli continued as he, too, was dismissed for a duck played clumsily to a lifting delivery from Nehra.

Mumbai Indian's skipper Sachin rotated his bowlers well despite young medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni disappointing him with wayward bowling conceding 34 runs in his three overs.

UNI RS RAR BST2020