Date:16/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/16/stories/2008051656982100.htm

Sport

Gambhir and Dhawan make merry

Vijay Lokapally

Deccan Chargers’ bowlers wilt as Delhi Daredevils posts a huge total

— Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

GILLY GETS GAUTI! Delhi Daredevils’ Gautam Gambhir’s impressive innings of 79 is terminated by a smart stumping by Deccan Chargers’ skipper Adam Gilchrist.

New Delhi: Gautam Gambhir and Shikhar Dhawan treated the spectators to some entertaining cricket in the Indian Premier League match against Deccan Chargers here tonight.

Gambhir’s 79 off 48 balls with seven fours and three sixes laid the foundation for Delhi to post a challenging target. His partnership with Dhawan, who hit 68 off 52 balls with eight fours, helped delhi to recover from the early loss of skipper Virender Sehwag, who was out in the first over of the match.

Vintage shots

Gambhir played some vintage shots and Dhawan matched him with a flurry of strokes in the front. Gambhir innovated and treated the bowlers with contempt and raced to a fifty that should rank among the best in this competiton.

Gambhir lost his wicket to a wide ball while Dhawan remained unbeaten with Sri Lankan Maharoof playing a cameo of 19 with two big sixes. A good batting track meant Delhi had to make a competitive total in a match the home team must win to stay in the hunt.

The scores: Delhi Daredevils: G. Gambhir st. Gilchrist b Ojha 79, V. Sehwag c R.P. Singh b Vijaykumar 0, S. Dhawan (not out) 68, F. Maharoof c Rohit b Ojha 19, T. Dilshan (run out) 16, M. Tiwary (not out) 4; Extras (lb-3, w-5): 8; Total (for four wkts. in 20 overs): 194.

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-140, 3-166, 4-190.

Deccan Chargers bowling: Vijaykumar 4-0-24-1, R.P. Singh 4-0-50-0, Sarvesh 3-0-24-0, Styris 4-0-33-0, Venugopala Rao 2-0-23-0, Afridi 1-0-18-0, Ojha 2-0-19-2.