RP inspires Deccan Chargers to a facile triumph

CAPE TOWN: Rudra Pratap Singh stepped up the plate and ensured the team that settled for the wooden spoon last year, Deccan Chargers, would start the second edition of the DLF Indian Premier League with a clinical eight-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders at Newlands here on Sunday.

It completed an extraordinary weekend of cricket in this picturesque city, with three lower ranked teams from last season staging upsets. Mumbai Indians stunned last year’s runner-up Chennai Super Kings in the opening game before Royal Challengers Bangalore pulled the rug from under holders Rajasthan Royals’ feet.

RP Singh’s first delivery of the tournament set the stage for his four-wicket haul. He tempted Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Brendon McCullum to attempt a flick down the leg-side but the ball bounced a bit more and found the glove on the way to wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist. The man who scored a stunning 158* in the opening game last year came a cropper on Sunday.

With new recruit Fidel Edwards bowling a tight line and length at the other end, RP Singh snared the dangerous Chris Gayle to push Knight Riders on the backfoot. Brad Hodge played a bustling knock of 31 but was that was not enough for the team to raise even a competitive total. RP Singh came back to finish the Knight Riders innings at 101 in 19.4 overs.

Herschelle Gibbs (43 not out) and Rohit Sharma (36 not out) propelled Deccan Chargers to victory in 13.1 overs after the team lost Gilchrist and VVS Laxman in quick succession early on. Gibbs and Rohit added 69 runs for the team to take full points from its opening game. More importantly, the side will draw heart from the improved quality of its bowling attack this season.