April 24, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 17, 1429

HYDERABAD (India), April 23: A near-immaculate bowling performance followed by a blazing knock of 94 by the captain Virender Sehwag, Delhi Daredevils outplayed Deccan Chargers by nine wickets in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Tuesday.

In the second consecutive game, the bowlers and the top order batsmen sparkled for the Delhi Daredevils.

Sehwag, who was named man-of-the-match, smashed 30 off one Andrew Symonds over to help his team to another resounding win with seven overs to spare.

The win, though, had been set up by Delhi’s bowlers and followed another average performance by the Deccan batsmen.

Rohit Sharma’s stunning knock of 66, included a 26-run over from Farveez Maharoof, had helped them recover from a disastrous start to post 142 for 8 off the allotted 20 overs. However, a mediocre total of 142 was never going to be demanding on a docile track.

If Deccan Chargers had Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds and Shahid Afridi in their ranks to demolish any bowling attack, Daredevils were equipped with bowlers like Glenn McGrath and Mohammad Asif.

McGrath started in characteristically miserly manner with a maiden, however, it was Asif who did the early damage.

Gilchrist played on after hitting Asif over the square-leg fence, while Laxman only managed an inside-edge onto the stumps off an in-cutter.

At the other end, a snail-paced Venugopal Rao had a lucky stay at the crease till Farveez Maharoof ended his misery, inducing a hit straight down the throat of Shikhar Dhawan on the cover boundary.

Symonds, who belted McGrath for a couple of fours in his last over, had top scored for his side in Kolkata, but Maharoof prevented a repeat, making him edge one to wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik.

Rohit started off with a first-ball four off Yo Mahesh, and took his chances from the start, hitting two streaky boundaries off Maharoof.

There was a brief pause in scoring after Shahid Afridi fell lbw to Rajat Bhatia, but Rohit kept the momentum with a six off Bhatia before cracking 27 in the 18th over bowled by Maharoof. The productive over included two sixes and three fours.

Rohit completed his half-century off mere 31 balls, before Bhatia dismissed him for 66 (off 36). The batsman saw a vital addition of 52 runs in the last three overs.

In reply, Delhi innings began with Sehwag surviving a close lbw appeal against Chaminda Vaas.

However, the right-handed batsman shortly began to cut loose, hitting R.P. Singh for fours through midwicket and to the fine-leg boundary.

The Delhi skipper was on 13 when given another life, Pragyan Ojha dropping him on the boundary with Vaas the suffering party once again.

Gautam Gambhir fell to Singh in the next over, but Shikhar Dhawan came up with another unbeaten innings, acting as a perfect contrast to Sehwag’s explosive acts at the other end.

Sehwag smashed a boundary over midwicket to complete his fifty off just 27 balls. Gilchrist missed a stumping down the leg side as Sehwag tried to hit Ojha inside-out; but the onslaught that followed would have deflated the Deccan players.

At 112 for 1 off 12 overs, Delhi were within sight of victory. But Sehwag was perhaps keen on leaving Hyderabad quickly.

The 13th over, from Symonds, saw Sehwag levelling the scores as he dealt in fours and sixes. A wide from Vaas in the next over completed a resounding win for the Daredevils.

Summarised scores:

DECCAN CHARGERS 142 for 8 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 66; Mohammad Asif 2-19, R Bhatia 2-27, Farveez Maharoof 2-36); DELHI DAREDEVILS 143 for 1 in 13 overs (Virender Sehwag 94; S Dhawan 25 not out).—Agencies