Rampant Royal Challengers Bangalore brush aside listless Chennai Super Kings
Chris Gayle was once again on fire as Royal Challengers Bangalore cemented first place on the Indian Premier League (IPL) table after their final league game. Chennai are the defending champions and have already qualified for the playoffs, and they looked
a bit tired and uninterested in their final league game.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was once again amongst the runs and hit some big shots at the tail end of Chennai innings, but it turned out to be too little too late as Bangalore in the end managed to win comprehensively, thanks to some more fire works from Chris
Gayle’s bat.
Daniel Vettori, the Bangalore captain, who had been out due to an injury was back at the helm and after winning the toss elected to bowl first. His decision seemed correct right from the first couple of overs, as RCB bowlers started to make the ball talk
off a slow surface.
Chennai openers Michael Hussey and Murali Vijay did not find it easy to time the ball in first few overs and runs were not coming at a rapid pace. Hussey was cleaned up by Zaheer Khan for just four runs in the 3rd over. Murali Vijay also fell
in the next over for six runs. Both openers had not been making runs at the top order for a few games now and the Super Kings, like always, had to rely on their middle order.
This time, the inform Suresh Raina was also not himself and managed just four runs before being caught-out off the bowling of Zaheer Khan. S Badrinath, the right-hander who has been in scintillating form, was out for nought and Chennai were 22 for 4. MS
Dhoni and W. Saha came in and steadied the ship to some degree. However, runs were still not coming at a quick rate and Chennai knew that they needed to lift the run rate.
Saha was dismissed for 22 after adding 42 runs for the 5th wicket with Dhoni. Chennai captain did not get much support after that and took the attack to Bangalore attack on his own. The Indian World Cup winning captain was unbeaten on 70 runs
from 40 balls with 3 fours and six massive sixes. Chennai managed to score 128 for 8 in their 20 overs.
Bangalore were realistically never going to be challenged by that meagre total, but Chennai were not ready to throw in the towel. South African, AB de Villiers was dismissed for nought in the first over by R. Ashwin. Chris Gayle at the other end though,
was not ready to hold back and after a sedate couple of overs, started to cut lose. Virat Kohli gave him good support batting at number three. Kohli was dismissed for 31 by Albie Morkel. Gayle on the other hand, carried on his great form and notched up 75
from 50 balls with four boundaries and six massive sixes.
Bangalore got home with two overs and 8 wickets to spare. Gayle was named man of the match for his swashbuckling 75 runs.
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