Gambhir and McGrath do the star turn for Delhi Daredevils

Gambhir and McGrath do the star turn for Delhi Daredevils
Vijay Lokapally

NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir’s exuberance and Glenn McGrath’s experience propelled Delhi Daredevils to a 10–run victory over Royal Challengers in the DLF-Indian Premier League here on Wednesday.
This was Challengers’ fourth defeat in five outings, while Delhi was winning its third match in four.
Delhi Daredevils rode on Gambhir’s brilliant innings to present Royal Challengers with a target of 192 but the Bangalore team came a cropper. McGrath, with three wickets in his first spell of three overs, effectively ended the match as a contest.

Man of the Match McGrath finished with four wickets even as Jacques Kallis (54, 44 balls, 6 x 4, 1x6) offered some resistance to reduce the margin.

Gambhir slammed 86 off 54 balls with 11 fours and a six and his 98-run partnership with Shikhar Dhawan meant that Royal Challengers, which opted to field, had a task on hand.Sensational assault
The ambience was electric and Sehwag matched it with a sensational assault that fitted his image as Royal Challengers was shattered in the span of a mere five overs at the Ferozeshah Kotla.
The start was delayed by 11 minutes due to the official broadcaster losing satellite link. The cheer girls were also withdrawn by the franchisee even as the Royal Challengers paraded its Washington Red Skin cheerleaders along the boundary.

On a night when almost every seat at the arena was occupied even before the first ball had been bowled, Gambhir showed the way with a calculated attack that actually inspired Sehwag.
Gambhir was unsparing even as Dale Styen bowled quick. The ball travelled faster and in all directions too as Gambhir tore the South African fast bowler with a flurry of shots. He picked the line early enough to scatter the field, leaving Rahul Dravid a frustrated man.
Sehwag took over from Gambhir and mauled Zaheer Khan by smashing him clinically for two sixes and two fours, as effortless as ever.

Zaheer had reason to feel bitter because he had not bowled bad deliveries. Sehwag was looking ominous when he was run out for 24 off 12 balls.
Gambhir was outstanding. His form was reflected in the ease with which he found the gaps. Like Sehwag, he too picked on Zaheer when the latter came on for his second spell.
It was tough to set a field for Gambhir who was not averse to taking the aerial route and his job was made easy by the fast outfield.

There was no respite for the Bangalore bowlers. Dhawan took over with a flourish that marks his style, caning the bowlers with some disdainful strikes square of the wicket. In the company of Gambhir, he grew in confidence to play some daring shots all around.Dhawan’s effort
Dhawan’s blazing effort matched Gambhir in terms of quality. He hit the ball harder and longer, his 50 coming off 32 balls, four less than Gambhir.
It took a grand effort from Dravid to end Dhawan’s innings (four fours and three sixes) when the Challengers’ skipper took a low catch at midwicket.

The scores:
Delhi Daredevils: G. Gambhir c Praveen b Zaheer 86, V. Sehwag (run out) 24, S. Dhawan c Dravid b Kallis 50, S. Malik b Styen 6, D. Karthik b Kallis 2, M. Tiwari (not out) 11, R. Bhatia (not out) 8; Extras (lb-2, nb-1, w-1) 4; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs) 191.
Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-151, 3-159, 4-167, 5-179.
Royal Challengers: Styen 4-0-29-1, Zaheer 4-0-42-1, Praveen 4-0-24-0, Vinay 2-0-25-0, Kallis 4-0-39-2, Kohli 1-0-11-0, Joshi 1-0-19-0.

Royal Challengers: Praveen Kumar c Dhawan b McGrath 6, W. Jaffer c Yomahesh b McGrath 10, R. Taylor c Dhawan b McGrath 29, J. Kallis b Vettori 54, R. Dravid c Sehwag b McGrath 38, M. Boucher (not out) 31, V. Kohli (not out) 1; Extras (b-1, lb-10, nb-1) 12; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs) 181.
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-46, 3-48, 4-135, 5-162.
Delhi Daredevils bowling: McGrath 4-0-29-4, Asif 4-0-42-0, Yomahesh 4-0-28-0, Vettori 4-0-19-1, Bhatia 1-0-14-0, Malik 1-0-8-0, Sehwag 2-0-30-0.