Chargers keep semi-final hopes alive

Rohit Sharma was in inspired form with the ball as the Chargers recorded a comfortable victory over Rajasthan

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Deccan Chargers revived their flagging campaign for a semi-final spot in the Indian Premier League after spinner Rohit Sharma inspired a 53-run win over Rajasthan Royals in Kimberley.

Sharma claimed 3-12 from three overs and left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas 2-19 from four as the Royals were bowled out for 113 in 19.2 overs chasing 167 for victory.

Rajasthan Royals off-spinner Yusuf Pathan had taken 3-34, but the Chargers still managed a formidable 166 for seven after electing to bat first.

The Royals’ pursuit of that target was undermined when opener Graeme Smith was adjudged leg before off Chaminda Vaas for one.

Lee Carseldine also fell cheaply and in bizarre fashion, stumped by Adam Gilchrist off Vaas as he left the crease after an appeal for caught behind was turned down.

Swapnil Asnodkar, dropped on 30 by Tirumalsetti Suman, had kept the Royals in the hunt with 44, but their hopes were dealt a severe blow when Yusuf Pathan fell cheaply, caught in the deep off left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.

Asnodkar was then run out in comical circumstances and Sharma grabbed three wickets in his first two overs as Rajasthan crashed from 43 for three to 98 for nine.

The chase ended with the run-out of Munaf Patel to leave Ravindra Jadeja not out 19.

Earlier, Dwayne Smith had revived the Deccan innings with a breezy 47 off just 32 deliveries.

The Chargers had lost both openers inside the first six overs, Pathan removing the dangerous Gilchrist for 10 lbw.

Suman, who made 29 off 19 deliveries, clubbed Siddharth Trivedi for two fours in his first over but succumbed off the last ball of that over as he holed out in the deep.

Sharma was the third wicket to fall, stumped off left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja as Deccan slipped to 70 for three.

Munaf bowled just one over and conceded three runs, but was not used again by Warne.

Vaas, playing his first match in this year’s tournament, smashed 20 useful runs, but the real impetus came from Smith, who struck four powerful sixes along the way, including one off Warne.

Warne conceded 36 in four overs, while Trivedi, who was persisted with despite the expensive first over, leaked 33 from three.