full and straight, and incredibly Bangalore have finished third
Presentation:
Adam Gilchrist: "We weren't as sharp as we would have liked to be. We were outplayed. But it's a fresh start tomorrow."
Anil Kumble: "It's a great thing for us, from what happened last year, and even from what happened this year.
"Brilliant hundred from Manish. We took a risk sending him up and he responded superbly. The way Virat and Akhil bowled was superb too."
Manish Pandey, Man of the Match: I got the chance to open, and I wanted to make the most of it. The wicket was nice to drive, the ball was coming on properly. It's an amazing feeling, really happy today."
With that we finish the coverage of the league stages of the IPL 2009. Do join us for the semi-finals, which promise to be exciting. As Gilchrist said, anybody can beat anybody. Okay bye
**
So incredibly Bangalore have finished at No. 3, after a disastrous first quarter. More importantly they have earned Jacques Kallis one extra day before they play their semi-final. That said, if they play the final, they will be playing on back-to-back days.
Deccan make it to the semis too, but they will have to turn up tomorrow and face Delhi, the No. 1 team in the league standings. They have questions facing them, both at death bowling and the lower-middle order.
Vishwa has a point worth your while: "In the last 3 matches BLR have beaten the other 3 semi-finalists. Pretty cool!"
And to add to it, Deccan have lost twice to Delhi this season
off a short run, gets an inside edge into the ground, which bounces over the keeper's head
yorker on leg, and that's it, only wides and extras can win Deccan this game
full, on the pads, and flicked into the leg side, finds the gap but not the boundary
extravagant footwork, extravagant shot, moves across the stumps, leaves all three sticks exposed, and flicks it over short fine
yorker from PK, hit softly towards long-off, lack of pace on the shot means they can get two
Last over. 26 to get. Bangalore most likely to finish third
good ball, short and fired into him, Harris makes room and wafts and misses. Boucher makes a stumping, but replays show he is in comfortably
pitched up, outside off, and driven through to wide of extra cover
good shot, back of a length, Bilakhia makes room and hits it over cover and finds the gap
flighted outside off, makes room, and smashes it down to long-off
pitched up on the leg stump, swept away towards short fine
Kohli is cooler than Sharma. Low fulltoss from Kumble, Sharma tries to clear long-on, doesn't middle, Kohli nonchalantly stations himself at the boundary, and takes it over his head. Doesn't move, doesn't emote. Like it's everyday business
pitched up on the pads, and Sharma makes room and flicks it in the air towards deep backward square, Taylor does the fielding
beats Rao outside off, Sharma wants the strike, Rao has to run for the bye, and Boucher underarms it perfectly to Kumar who finds Rao short
good bowling, sees Rao move away, and throws it full and wide, and beats him
slower ball, Sharma makes room, opens the face towards short third, but they take a single after a fumble from Uthappa
shot, cool Sharma plays a cool scoop shot, this was another yorker gone wrong by just being a touch shorter than one, he walks in front of his stumps, and flicks it over short fine leg
goes for the yorker, it's a low fulltoss, which he plays down to long-on
Forty in 18 required. Tough ask, but Sharma is still batting
Praveen to bowl. He needs to make up for an expensive first over
good over, six singles only, the last one of which is dabbed towards point
looks for the pull, mis-hits, but this one doesn't carry as far as long-on
Over 20 • DC 158/6
RCB won by 12 runs