Royals feel De Villiers blade

India leg-spinner Amit Mishra took 3-33 to keep Delhi Daredevils on course

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AB de Villiers’ thrilling 79 put reigning champions Rajasthan Royals on the brink of elimination from the Indian Premier League in a 14-run win for Delhi Daredevils.

The South Africa batsman faced just 55 balls, finding the ropes on eight occasions and clearing them once as he underpinned a first-innings total of 150 for three in Bloemfontein.

Delhi were wobbling on 12 for two after losing openers Gautam Gambhir (eight) and Virender Sehwag (two) in the opening stages.

Paceman Munaf Patel removed both men, but also shipped 39 runs from his four overs.

Tillakaratne Dilshan weighed in with a measured 33 before being bowled by Johan Botha, while wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik smashed 23 in only 11 deliveries.

Royals skipper Shane Warne went wicketless as he conceded 28 from his complement of overs.

Daredevils also had some success with the new ball, Dirk Nannes and Asish Nehra each striking early to leave Rajasthan on eight for two.

Nehra went on to return a miserly one for eight off three overs.

Botha, in at number four in his second IPL match, top-scored with a rapid 37, sending three of his 31 balls to the boundary.

Ravindra Jadeja offered some support, making a swift 24, but the likes of Yusuf Pathan (one), Abishek Raut (11) and Warne (six) will be disappointed with their contributions.

Karthik collected four victims behind the stumps, stumping Warne and Amit Singh from successive Amit Mishra deliveries.

There was a gutsy stand of 29 by final pair Patel and Siddharth Trivedi, with the former unbeaten on 23 after his 10-ball cameo, but at 136 for nine they fell some way short of hunting down their target.