Stunning Taylor eliminates Delhi

Ross Taylor's aggressive 65 enabled Bangalore to reach their target with almost five overs to spare

Ross Taylor hammered a half-century as Royal Challengers Bangalore ended Delhi Daredevils' chances of progressing to the semi-finals of the Champions League Twenty20 by inflicting an eight-wicket defeat upon them.

Delhi, needing a victory to stay in the tournament, had started well with opener Virender Sehwag’s 47 getting them off to a flyer.

However, Anil Kumble turned the match around with 3-20 from four overs, helping to restrict the Daredevils to a mere 138 for six.

Taylor then bludgeoned 65 off just 38 deliveries and dominated a second-wicket stand worth 93 with Rahul Dravid, who struck 32 not out, as the Challengers romped home in 15.1 overs.

The victory sent the Cape Cobras and the Victoria Bushrangers through to the semi-final.

Sehwag and opening partner Gautam Gambhir had given the Daredevils a fine start, putting on 48 for the opening wicket in quick time.

Sehwag dominated that stand, launching his blitz with three consecutive boundaries in the second over from Praveen Kumar.

The opener followed up with successive blows off Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and continued to score freely although he lost Gambhir early.

Dale Steyn had Gambhir caught behind and the South Africa paceman should have had a second wicket immediately after, but Tillakaratne Dilshan was dropped by Praveen at deep square-leg.

Dilshan then survived a run-out chance but the Challengers broke through again with the wicket of Sehwag who failed to lift Roelof van der Merwe over long-off.

Delhi’s innings then unravelled as Kumble struck vital blows in the middle-order.

He first sent back Dilshan for 20 with a neat return catch, then
trapped Dinesh Karthik in front and had Owais Shah caught in the deep for 17 as the Daredevils lost the plot.

Bangalore’s reply had stuttered at the start with opener Manish Pandey - struck by cramps - being denied a runner by the umpires and forced to retire hurt.

Robin Uthappa top-edged Dirk Nannes to Amit Mishra who took a catch at short-leg.

Taylor smashed Glenn McGrath for three fours in his first over and later cracked Mishra for two sixes and two fours in the leg-spinner's second over.

In between, Taylor was dropped by Ashish Nehra on 18 at long-off, the fielder making matters worse by palming the ball over the ropes. He was dropped again on 32, Rajat Bhatia failing to grasp a return catch.

Nannes finally ended Taylor's stay by knocking out middle stump, but by then victory was in sight.

Virat Kohli, who flayed 24 not out off 10 balls, drove Mishra for four fours and Dravid finished off the game with a six off Nehra, handing the home side a consolation victory.