Monday 19th October 2009
Delhi Daredevils finish on a high
Delhi Daredevils ended their Airtel Champions League Twenty20 campaign on a high by handing the South African side, Cape Cobras, a 30-run defeat.
Early breakthroughs and regular wickets thereafter vindicated the Cape Cobras skipper Andrew Puttick's surprising decision to field as the Delhi Daredevils struggled with the bat.
Top performer: Owais Shah
Owais Shah helped finish the innings with a flourish with an unbeaten 39, while Dinesh Karthik scored 23 as the home side finished with a modest 114 for six.
It's all about numbers
The Daredevils, however, defended that small total with aplomb, fast bowler Dirk Nannes claiming three wickets for 19, while spinners Amit Mishra, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Yogesh Nagar claimed two apiece as the Cobras, who are already in the semi-finals, were restricted to 84 in 18.3 overs.
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Fast bowler Rory Kleinveldt had rocked Delhi's top order, dismissing both opening batsmen, Dilshan and Gautam Gambhir, in his first over after Monde Zondeki had delivered an excellent over with the new ball.
Dinesh Karthik, one of the few Daredevils batsmen to return with some success in this tournament, revived the innings together with with Manoj Tiwary (19).
Tiwary, one of three changes in the side, provided the early spark, turning Zondeki to fine leg for four, but Karthik's impressive form soon came to the fore.
The wicketkeeper batsman ruined Klienveldt's figures by slamming him for three consecutive boundaries, the first through mid-wicket and the others over cover.
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Tiwary, however, fell to Claude Henderson, the left-arm spinner striking in his first over, and Karthik was then run out following a mix-up with Shah as the Daredevils again slumped.
Nagar (10) and Shah lowered their sights and settled for singles as the Daredevils recovered slightly.
Sehwag speaks during the match
The two put on 34 for the fifth wicket, but Nagar perished while attempting to force the pace and the Daredevils crumbled again.
Shah injected some acceleration at the death, blasting Justin Ontong for the only six of the innings and clubbing two boundaries as the Daredevils finished with a modest, but defendable total.
Watch Daredevils' wickets fall
Dilshan, handed the new ball, provided the early breakthrough removing Herschelle Gibbs for a golden duck.
Nannes then sent down a fiery first spell, bowling Puttick with one that kept low, but the Cobras, with Davids and JP Duminy at the crease, seemed to have weathered the storm.
Davids, however, was run out and leg-spinner Mishra struck twice in an over to scalp the dangerous Duminy and the big-hitting Klienveldt and leave the Cobras reeling at 57 for five.
Dilshan then returned to bowl Ontong before Nannes destroyed the tail with two wickets in his final over as the Daredevils eased to victory.
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The Teams:
Cape Cobras: AG Puttick*, HH Gibbs, H Davids, JP Duminy, JL Ontong, VD Philander, RCC Canning†, RK Kleinveldt, CW Henderson, M Zondeki, FC Plaatjies
Delhi Daredevils: G Gambhir*, TM Dilshan, KD Karthik†, MK Tiwary, OA Shah, Y Nagar, R Bhatia, A Mishra, PJ Sangwan, DP Nannes, AM Salvi
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