http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Dravid-c2229 blamed poor batting for the defeat against Deccan Charges – Cricket News Update
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rajasthan-c837 Royals’ skipper, Rahul Dravid, blamed his team’s below par batting performance for the defeat against Deccan Charges, which consequently knocked them out of the Indian Premier League season five.
The Royals needed to win both their remaining matches in order to qualify for the knock out phase but came unstuck against bottom side, Chargers, which inflicted them a five-wicket defeat last night at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hyderabad-c792.
The away team posted just 126 runs on the board, which was comfortably chased by the hosts with eight balls to spare. The former Indian skipper however, dismissed the idea that his side buckled under pressure and claimed that the defeat was a result of a
collective failure to perform.
"I don't think it was the pressure. We did not play good cricket, should have recognised it was a 150-wicket not more. Very disappointed in the dressing room, tough dressing room I have just left," said Dravid.
After opting to bat first, the inaugural IPL champions failed to get a good start with the inform youngster http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ajinkya-Rahane-c970 falling as early as the second over.
Dravid, along with the Australian all-rounder, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SR-Watson-c2558, tried to stablise the innings however, failed to get any rhythm to their play, with wickets falling regularly.
The skipper top scored with 39 and while the middle-order batsmen, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashok-c46345 Menaria, offered support by contributing 28 and 20 respectively, the Royals were always short of posting a defendable total. In reply, the Chargers cruised to victory,
owing to solid platform laid by the opening pairing of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/S-Dhawan-c2392, who added 63 for the first wicket.
The recently retired batsman further defended his decision of batting first and said that it was a good strip to bat on - lamenting his side’s failure to play to its strengths.
"I don't look at stats too much. We need to look at our own strengths. It was a bat-first wicket, we did not bat too well," said Dravid, hoping that they would try to "deliver in front of fans at home" in their upcoming final game of the tournament against
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mumbai-c820 Indians on Sunday, May 20.
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