Hyderabad is almost there

Disciplined bowling helps host zero in on play-offs

Hyderabad: Sunrisers Hyderabad took a step nearer to the play-off stage with an authoritative 23-run win over the rather demoralized Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium here on Friday.

Consequent to the win, they are two points above Royal Challengers Bangalore, which has 16 points from 15 matches while Hyderabad has aggregated 18 points. Both have a match to go. Hyderabad will host Kolkata Knight Riders, which could be the clincher to the sixth edition debutant.

Although, they could only manage 136 runs for the loss of nine wickets in its innings, the bowlers did a splendid job of containing the visiting team batsmen with sustained spells. It was to such phenomenal levels that skipper Rahul Dravid with 25 from 24 balls was the top scorer for Rajasthan, which could only manage 113 runs losing nine wickets.

Every bowler did his job to perfection and they were backed some tidy fielding that was made more brilliant by skipper Cameron White. They were on top from the word go that saw the visitors at a precarious 51/3 in 11.3 overs, despite a 40-run partnership for the first wicket. Amit Mishra was rewarded with the man of the match award for his excellent two wickets for eight runs.

Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad had an unexpected savior in the crucial match, although James Faulkner returned with a magnificent 5/16 haul and gave enough indications that the spot-fixing scandal was beyond them.

After Faulkner wreaked havoc by destroying the top order, B B Samantray (55) held one end together to not only steady the Hyderabad innings but also bring about respectability to the score with the host finishing the 20 overs at a none-too-impressive 136 for nine wickets.

They got off to a disastrous start after White won the toss and opted to bat first. Faulkner broke the hearts of several spectators when he accounted for both openers Parthiv Patel (2) and the batting trump card Shikar Dhawan (1) in double quick succession. White (0) was back in the pavilion and the scorecard read five runs for the loss of three wickets. Local boy Hanuma Vihari, who made 19 from 28 balls, was the fourth to go and it was 49 for four. It was only Samantray, and to an extent Darren Sammy (23), who held the innings together.

Brief scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 136/9 (Biplab Samantray 55, Darren Sammy 23, James Faulkner 5/16) beat Rajasthan Royals 113 for nine (Rahul Dravid 25, Amit Mishra 2/8, Dale Steyn 2/17, Thisara Perera 2/ 25, Karan Sharma 2/33)