Chargers storm Royals' citadel

Bengaluru: A new hero was born tonight: T Suman. Suman’s sublime knock helped Deccan Chargers halt their losing streak by defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore by seven wickets at the MA Chinnaswamy Stadium at Bengaluru tonight.

T Suman, a clean-hitting batsman, was sent up the order tonight and he repaid the faith shown in him by playing the innings of his life. The Hyderabad lad (78*) was the epitome of solidity and never looked in trouble during his stay at the crease. He was the rock around which the team built the chase. Suman alternated watchfulness with aggression, hitting three huge sixes.

Andrew Symonds was his destructive self as he set about demolishing the RCB attack. It was his half-century (53* from 24 balls) that provided that much-needed late thrust to the innings that pushed the Chargers over the finish line with a six and a boundary. It was the unbeaten 91-run partnership between Suman and Symonds that turned the game in the Chargers’ favour and prevented another collapse like the one against Rajasthan Royals.

Earlier, Adam Gilchrist seemed to have learnt his lesson and set about building an innings instead of going after the bowling from ball one. The change in approach paid off with the DC captain scoring a 32. But just when he was looking to accelerate, he was outfoxed by his opposing number, Anil Kumble.

The RCB innings began on a bad note. Ryan Harris struck an early blow for the Chargers claiming the wicket of Manish Pandey in the third over. Rahul Dravid sent up the order, at one drop, along with Jacques Kallis, played some very uncharacteristic shots. But he then perished in his effort to push up the run-rate.

Dravid’s wicket took Pragyan Ojha’s wickets tally to 14. And then Ross Taylor’s scalp made the off-spinner replace Amit Mishra as the Purple Cap holder.

Jacques Kallis again was the one holding the fort at one end and played some innovative shots tonight including a couple of boundaries to the third man region and clocked another IPL half century.

Virat Kohli, at the other end, started steadily and then went ballistic in the 17th over against Andrew Symonds, hitting two huge sixes and a couple of boundaries.

Mitchell Marsh, younger brother of KXIP opener Shaun Marsh, made his IPL debut with this match. The junior Marsh’s medium-pacers claimed the wicket of Kallis (68) in the 19th over.

Kohli departed in the last over, soon after scoring his quick-fire half-century (58). But Cameron White took over and hit a whirlwind 13* off three balls. Deccan again leaked runs during the death overs conceding 92 off the last six ending up with a stiff target of 185.