Taylor has finished this one with what has been symbolic of the last five overs, he walks across, gets a fulltoss giftwrapped for him (to Ross Taylor, with love), and he picks it up - huge over midwicket, the story of this chase really
KKR vs RCB, 41st match at Centurion, May 12 2009, Indian Premier League
RCB won by 6 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)
There will be furious debate over McCullum's captaincy. There will be those asking what else he could have done - score 84 not out, take the catch of the tournament, rotate the bowlers satisfactorily until 16 overs, and yet his bowlers let him down. But who chose those bowlers in the first place - Angelo Mathews ahead of Mashrafe Mortaza, Ajit Agarkar ahead of Ashok Dinda? And you know you have had a bad day when even Ishant Sharma bowls waist high fulltosses in the 18th over. Just listen to Daniel Powter, doff a hat to Ross Taylor, and okay bye.
*
The moment, though, belongs to Ross Taylor, who has finally turned up. What an innings, taking his risks, walking inside the line and painting the leg side white.
Time for the presentation:
McCullum: "I thought 170 was pretty good, but the way Ross played was fantastic. Nice to make contribution, but still disappointed. We have to try and regroup again. We weren't consistent enough with the ball." That's putting it mildly.
Kumble: "Great batting by Ross Taylor. It was important to not lose an early wicket - Kallis and Ryder managed that, and then Ross took it away."
Taylor, Man of the Match: "It was a relief to contribute to a win, so it was good to repay the faith to the management."
*
You have got to feel for McCullum, who shakes hands with Taylor, who has outshone his team-mate's effort. Baz and Rosco, good firends back in NZ, and here Rosco chooses this day to spoil what had been Baz's day for 35 overs.
McCullum - poor McCullum. Dheeraj from US empathises with his predicament: "Since that is the common norm of dissent of late, I think McCullum should throw a bunch of shoes at the reporters who question his captaincy today? How is the poor chap to blame for such pathetic bowling by the frontline bowlers." True dat Dheeraj, you can only fault with McCullum's selections, but on the field he did almost everything correct
and he gets away with one, leg stump, length, had Boucher connected it would have been over now, but one leg bye comes nonetheless
McCullum must be wondering what else can he do. He has been let down by some pretty ordinary death bowling here, and of course Taylor has played a gem
Mathews to bowl - his task to defend four in the last over
Taylor you beauty, he has killed this, low fulltoss again, and Taylor has played a little pick-up over long-on
and he bowls a perfect yorker, angling down the leg, but the problem has been that between those two yorkers he has fit in some loose bowling
lucky you Ajit, another fulltoss, on the pads, and Taylor misses out, hits it straight to midwicket, where Mendis fumbles and misses out on a run-out chance that could have been close
walks down and across, hits towards long-on, two is the immediate call, and two it is, because it isn't hit too powerfully
that's foolish, this is a third fulltoss from Agarkar in the last two overs, and Taylor helps himself to a huge six - no discredit to Taylor, but this is poor bowling
Agarkar starts off with a perfect yorker, just outside off, and he takes it over two-a-ball again
what a turnaround this has been - now only 21 required in 2 overs. Taylor has played a gem so far
yeah yeah yeah, shouts Boucher as he digs out this yorker, and the yeah means they want two, and Taylor responds superbly, and is back on strike for the next over
that's a stupid stupid thing, high fulltoss, on the pads, and Boucher pulls it over deep backward square, what's more - it's a no-ball for height
moves across, gets too close to the pitch, can't get the elevation, and gets a single to sweeper-cover
almost bowled him, and that's four, this is a good yorker, Taylor looks to go on side, gets an inside edge that misses the stumps and the keeper, we are in for a tight one
mid-off is up, Taylor sees it, and this time goes straight, Taylor hits this length ball over mid-off, he is keeping them alive here
that was a powerful shot, a half-volley outside off, and Boucher went hard at it, but straight to sweeper-cover
yorker outside off, Boucher already making room is too far from the ball
40 required in 18, Bangalore need a big over, Kolkata need one tight one
Ishant will bowl this one. This is his last over, and Mendis has bowled out
and another four, it gives Taylor his 50, and Bangalore the second boundary of the over, Taylor moves towards off stump, and targeted the short fine leg, got it to left of him and it was four as soon as he did that
bowling, a good yorker, just outside off, dug out, and they will get just one
full, outside off, Boucher doesn't connect as he would like, but it bounces over cover, and they get two
full and straight, and he plays it down to long-on
smart slower bouncer, and Taylor can't do anything about it - one bouncer for the over
SuperSport Park, Centurion | |
Toss | Royal Challengers Bangalore, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2009 |
Player Of The Match | |
Hours of play (local time) | 12.30 start, First Session 12.30-13.45, Interval 13.45-14.00, Second Session 14.00-15.15 |
Match days | 12 May 2009 - day (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Royal Challengers Bangalore 2, Kolkata Knight Riders 0 |
Over 20 • RCB 176/4
RCB won by 6 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)