and that's that, good length and straight, the batsman slogs across the line and makes no contact. RCB have crashed out of the IPL and Super Kings are through to the playoffs. Deccan Chargers finish eighth.
Chargers vs RCB, 71st match at Hyderabad, IPL, May 20 2012 - Ball by Ball Commentary
7.35 pm Chennai Super Kings needed Deccan Chargers to beat Rajasthan Royals and for Delhi Daredevils to beat Kings XI Punjab to make the playoffs. Both of those results went their way. They then needed more from Chargers. Super Kings needed Chargers to beat Royal Challengers as well today. And they have Dale Steyn and his friends to thank.
Steyn was red hot today, absolutely red hot - 4-0-8-3. Those figures don't even begin to describe the intensity with which be bowled. I'm getting a mindboggling about of emails from Super Kings fans, thanking Chargers and Steyn!
And this is what Albie Morkel had to say to Steyn on Twitter: "Hooooooooollllliiiiiioooooo."
Not to forget Duminy's contribution. An innings of 74 on a tough pitch and a screamer of a catch to dismiss AB de Villiers.
So the top four are Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. And that's how it will remain irrespective of whether Mumbai Indians beat Rajasthan Royals or not.
Prabu: "RCB were just too much dependent on Gayle or De Villiers ..... Cant remember a game where they won with both not firing ....."
It's time for the presentation ...
Sangakkara: "It was great to win. Home crowd, last match of the season ... glad we won."
Kohli: "We could have played better shots, we did not play the right shots on that wicket. We did not get in first. My wicket probably changed the game. We just need to learn from our mistakes and come back stronger next year. The wicket was not that bad to bat on ... you need to have clarity in the mind about what sort of shots to play."
The Man of the Match, with special mention to JP Duminy, is Dale Steyn - 4-0-8-3. He took the wickets of Gayle and Dilshan.
Steyn: "I think we've lost games that have been so crucial. To win tonight ... a last over finish, I'm very happy we pulled it off. There were a lot of emotions coming out in that final over. I was up for the challenge today and it paid off."
Steyn on his battle with Gayle: "In all honesty, it came off tonight. He could have hit me into the stands. In the previous game they got after me."
Thank you for all your emails today. It's been memorable. Enjoy the last league game, there's nothing riding on it. Cheers.
he's tried to experiment and bowl a back of the hand slower ball, but it's too wide outside off, the batsman slogs and misses
it's all but over for RCB. Harshal can only drive the ball to long off. Super Kings are one ball away from the playoffs.
Murali's skied the ball high in the air, slogging at a length ball outside off stump. Duminy ran forward and to his left from long-on to judge the catch perfectly. RCB need two sixes off the remaining balls to win now.
Murali wanted the strike, he didn't sprint the single.
in the blockhole this time and the batsman, Harshal, mis-times through midwicket
another slower ball and Vinay has holed out to long-on. CSK will be rejoicing. Vinay had to reach outside off stump to hit that and he dragged it straight to Duminy
a slower ball on off stump, driven along the ground to long of where White fields
So Royal Challengers need 14 to enter the playoffs and knock Super Kings out of IPL 2012. Thirteen to take the game into a super over. Reddy to bowl the final over.
a full toss, Harshal had backed away outside leg and could only hit it along the ground to long off
in the blockhole and the batsman forces it towards midwicket, Sanga throws at the bowler's end, forcing Vinay to dive
Vinay backs away and heaves at a length ball, pulling it into the gap on the cow corner boundary, keeping RCB in the chase
backs away towards leg but the bowler follows him, played to long on
swung through the leg side for a single
Harshal Patel is at the non-striker's end.
caught at midwicket! Tiwary's mis-timed the pull against a short ball straight up in the air. It was there to pull for six but Tiwary could not execute. Sangakkara settled under the ball and took a crucial catch. Tiwary's hand came off the bat as he played the shot. Are RCB are slipping out of the season?
So RCB need 22 off 12 to make the playoffs. Tiwary to face. Time for him to earn his $1.6 million. Veer Pratap to bowl the penultimate over.
Mishra draws the batsman forward and spins the googly between bat and pad. Lovely delivery to end the over
swung off the pads behind square leg
Tiwary takes a step out and drives to long on where Duminy fields. Mishra makes a poor attempt of collecting the ball and allows an overthrow. Poor from Mishra, he should have been behind the throw from Duminy
a flat and fast ball heaved towards deep midwicket where White had to run to his right and field
driven off the front foot towards long-off, Vinay is off the mark
James: "What on earth were RCB thinking? A batting line-up with Zak at 7? How can that possibly be a recipe for success coming into the crucial stages of the tournament?!"
tossed up and straight, Tiwary drives to long off for a single
So Steyn has done more than Chargers could have asked for - 4-0-8-3. It's up to the rest now. Will they let him down?
in the blockhole to finish, the new batsman watchfully plays on the off side. Zaheer should have been playing like that.
Over 20 • RCB 123/9