IPL 4 Match Report: Rajasthan Royals Vs Delhi Daredevils

Match played on: April 12, 2011

Venue: Sawai Man Singh Stadium, Jaipur

Toss won by: DD, who elected to bat

First Innings (DD):

Power Play Overs (1-6):

As in the match against Mumbai Indians, Sehwag won the toss, and elected to bat. Warner took a single off the first ball from Tait to give Sehwag the strike and when Sehwag got a boundary from the first ball he faced, his fans could have been forgiven for expecting a Sehwag Storm to blow away RR. But Tait had other ideas, and had the DD skipper dismissed off the next delivery, caught by Dravid in the slips. Finch and Wraner set about repairing the innings, with a mini partnership that yielded 24 runs before Finch departed, caught by Botha off Tait for 11. DD ended the Power Play overs on 30/2, with the threat of a second collapse – reminiscent of their capitulation against MI — hovering.

Half-way Mark:

By the ten-over mark, the innings was in a shambles, at 43/4, Warne having taken two wickets in his first over. But with Warner still at the crease, on18 off 22 balls, DD would have harboured hopes of batting through to the end of their quota of 20 overs.

Fifteen Over Stage:

Venugopal Rao gave him able company as the pair set about salvaging the innings. Ominously for RR, the fifteenth over ended with a six to Rao, off the bowling of Botha, and DD were 89/4, and poised to take off in the slog overs.

Slog Overs (16 – 20):

Warner announced his intention with a four and a six off the first two deliveries off the 16th over from Tait. The over produced 17 runs and set the tone for a late fight back by DD. Rao joined the party, and clouted two sixes before he was out in the 19th over for 60 off 40 balls, the second half-century for DD, after Warner’s 54 off 44 balls. Irfan Pathan ended the innings on a high note, with fours off the last two balls.

First Innings Verdict:

Delhi managed a score of 151/6 that looked highly unlikely when they lost their 4th wicket. But did they have enough runs on the board, given the thin bowling resources at their disposal?

Second Innings (Team): (RR)

Power Play Overs (1-6):

RR began confidently and piled up 59/1 at the end of the Power Play, on the back of Dravid’s 35 off 23 balls. Dinda took the only wicket to fall, that of Paunikar, bowled for 5.

Half-way Mark:

At the end of 10 overs, RR had knocked off 89, for the loss of an additional wicket, that of Dravid, caught by Ojha off van der Merwe for a brilliant 38 off 31 balls. Needing just 66 off 60 deliveries, RR were on their way, with both Menaria and Botha on 13, and looking settled at the crease.

Fifteen Over Stage:

The RR chariot had rolled inexorably on, and with 121/3 on the board, they needed 31 off 30, an apparently comfortable task, with Botha on 26, carrying from his exploits in his side’s first game. He was kept company by Rahane.

Slog Overs (16-20):

An early blip, in the form of Rahane’s wicket, bowled by Morkel, for 18, could not prevent RR from cruising to a six wicket victory that was brought up in style by Taylor, with a six off Dinda in the 19th over.

Final Verdict:

Sehwag’s continued poor form is a worrying factor for Delhi, and had their skipper fired, RR could possibly have had to chase a target of about 175.That said, RR deserved their victory thoroughly for the way they combined as a team, and the way Warne marshaled his resources. The RR skipper looked mean and and fit, and earned the Man of the Match award for his 2/17 that set Delhi back.

Tags: Delhi Daredevils, Dravid, India, IPL, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Sehwag

Category: Cricket, IPL News