Bushrangers race to facile victory

Andrew McDonald's medium-pace cut the Royal Challengers to ribbons and left them on the verge of elimination

Andrew McDonald claimed four wickets to help Victoria edge closer to a semi-final spot with a seven-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first match of the second round of the Champions League Twenty20.

Manish Pandey (39), who had taken the injured Jacques Kallis’ place at the top of the order, and Robin Uthappa had given the Royal Challengers a flying start in the League B match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Rahul Dravid also made 33, but McDonald struck blows in each of his four overs and the home side’s innings tapered off to finish on a subdued 127 for six.

Rob Quiney (29) and Brad Hodge (25) were sedate at the start, but the visitors quickly changed gears and David Hussey slammed 31 off just 15 deliveries as Victoria overhauled the target in just 15.5 overs.

Manish had struck Shane Harwood for consecutive blows in the first over with the new ball and followed up with a similar effort against Peter Siddle to get the Royal Challengers up and running.

Uthappa joined in with successive boundaries off first-change bowler Clint McKay, but the medium-pacer struck back, bowling Uthappa off an inside edge.

Dravid, who was dropped by national selectors from India’s one-day team earlier in the day, held one end up although wickets tumbled at the other.

Victoria found more success with their slower bowlers, with McDonald doing the most damage.

He snared Virat Kohli, dangerman Ross Taylor and later Dravid himself as the home side crumbled from 60 for one to 99 for five.

Mark Boucher, batting for the first time in the tournament, was McKay’s second victim and the Royal Challengers’ lower half – untested in this competition so far – struggled, with only 55 coming from the last 10 overs of the innings.

Anil Kumble opened with the new ball, but Quiney and Hodge gave Victoria a steady if slow start with the bat.

Hodge then changed gears, hitting Dale Steyn for three boundaries in his second over – the last of the power play - and Victoria were left needing less than a run a ball thereafter.

Akhil hit back by bowling Hodge, but Victoria were never under any pressure.

Steyn continued to leak runs and although the home side removed Quiney and number three Aiden Blizzard in quick succession, Hussey brought up the end in a hurry by smacking Kumble for three consecutive sixes to bring up victory.