Rajasthan stage Royal recovery

Lee Carseldine dives to make his ground, helping Rajasthan recover from three for three to set up a three-wicket win

Rajasthan Royals recovered from a nightmare start to their run chase to secure a three-wicket Indian Premier League win over Deccan Chargers in Port Elizabeth.

The Royals lost three wickets in the first two overs but Lee Carseldine (39) and Abhishek Raut (36 not out) helped them recover to claim victory.

Some tight bowling from Ravindra Jadeja, who conceded only 22 runs in his four overs, which set up the win as the Chargers posted 141 for five, with Shane Harwood claiming two wickets on debut.

Adam Gilchrist was the chief Chargers aggressor early on but Herschelle Gibbs (eight) appeared to be getting into his stride when he was given out lbw to Yusuf Pathan.

He made his displeasure known after the ball struck him on the back pad around the line of leg stump but replays suggested it was a decent decision.

Australia veteran Harwood then removed Azhar Bilakhia (one) with his first ball in the IPL and the setbacks slowed even the dashing Gilchrist.

Shane Warne brought himself on to bowl in the ninth over with the score at 43 for two, setting up a mouthwatering battle with former Australia team-mate Gilchrist - who promptly drove the leg-spinner for six.

But he fell to Jadeja in the next over courtesy of a smart catch from Yusuf at midwicket, leaving the Chargers 58 for three at the halfway stage.

Rohit Sharma and Tirumalsetti Suman set about accumulating, before the latter started to show some aggression with a four and a six off Warne.

Abhishek Raut clinches victory with 36 from 23 deliveries in Port Elizabeth today

Sharma then dished out similar treatment to Munaf Patel to bring up the Chargers’ hundred in the 15th over and pulled another huge maximum off Siddharth Trivedi before sending the ball straight up and handing Warne a simple catch.

Dwayne Smith arrived at the crease but he and Suman struggled to pierce the infield in the closing stages, the West Indies batsman falling to Harwood in the final over.

Rajasthan got off to a terrible start in their reply, losing two wickets in the first over - Fidel Edwards removing Graeme Smith before Swapnil Asnodkar was run out with neither having scored a run.

Naman Ojha was then caught without scoring by Gibbs off RP Singh, who produced a wicket maiden to leave the Royals reeling on three for three.

Carseldine and Jadeja then set about rebuilding, with the Australian acting as dominant partner in a stand of 51.

The wicket of Jadeja brought Warne to the crease but Rajasthan’s cause was dented by a shocking umpiring decision.

Sudhir Asnani adjudged Carseldine lbw, despite a clear inside edge, to give Venugopal Rao his second wicket of the over.

Rao’s next over did not prove so successful, though, with Warne heaving two sixes and Raut sweeping a delicate four.

Warne was caught by Gilchrist to give Pragyan Ojha his first wicket but a pair of maximums from Yusuf in the next over put the Royals ahead of the rate.

Yusuf’s assault was ended by Singh but Rajasthan needed only two off the last over thanks to some steady batting by Raut.