low full toss on the leg stump, pushed back at the bowler. Rajasthan Royals start their campaign with a 26-run win
RR vs Kings XI, 3rd match at Pune, IPL, Apr 10 2015 - Match Result
That is that for today. Make sure you read Alagappan Muthu's report. Hope you tune in tomorrow too. Until then, this is Deivarayan Muthu and Chandan Duorah slithering into the darkness.
Shivam: "Two run outs by Samson were the key, I think. They created the pressure which led to toppling. If he had scored a bit more, he could have nailed MOM as well."
James Faulkner, Man of the Match: I just back my T20 cricket to be honest. It was nice to see Hooda show a lot of confidence in his first game. Mitch and me get along very well [responding to his tussle with his Aussie team-mate]. Play on.
Steven Smith, Rajasthan Royals captain: The boys were very good. Hooda in his first game played brilliantly. Faulker also played well. He [Sanju] is a good little player and we can expect more from him in the future. It was nice to get over the top of them [Kings XI Punjab]. I am sure he [Watson] will be fine. We will get our combination right and it is nice to get a win under our belt early on."
The players shake hands and exchange pleasantries. Good to see Bailey call a spade a spade. He signs off with a smile, the same way a kid does while navigating his dinky car-toy round the dining table. Sanju effected a couple of sharp run outs to derail Kings XI Punjab's chase. They never recovered from that and Axar's promotion backfired badly. Rajasthan Royals continued to chip away at the wickets, the topping on the victory pizza being the stunning relay catch near the boundary from Southee and Karun. Faulkner stood out with another impactful all-round display. In other news, Lancashire have confirmed the signing of James Faulkner as cover for Peter Siddle.
Southee: It was a great win to start the IPL. We would have been happy with 140-150. We got more than what we wanted. We needed early wickets and go that through run outs and created pressure. There is some movement for the seamers, not much turn there.
Bailey, Kings XI Punjab captain: Pretty happy with the way we went with the ball. I thought 160 was about par on this track and quite chaseable. We could have taken a few opportunities, but I was happy at the half-way mark. A couple of run outs hurt. We changed the batting order a bit and in hindsight that was not a good idea. Steven Smith batted beautifully and James Faulkner batted well as well. To be honest, I am getting sick of talking about last year. It is time to move to this year (grins).
speared full outside off, not quite a yorker. Anureet Singh misses again
low full toss on middle, chipped over mid-on
darted full and outside off, he can't lay bat onto it
pitched up and outside off, carved up and over point for a four but Rajasthan have sewn this game up
on a length and outside off, he swings and misses
Oh what an insane catch! Superb tag-team work from Southee and Karun Nair. What presence of mind. The fielding has veered from ordinary to extraordinary tonight. This is an extraordinary, assisted hokey-pokey catch. On a length and on the leg stump, Bailey attacks it and sends it into the Pune night sky. Tim Southee goes as far back on the long-on boundary as he could, leaps, plucks out his right hand and takes it. But his balance is shot as the momentum threatens to take him over the ad boards. However, he has the presence of mind to pass it to Karun, who dives across to his right and hangs onto a low catch. This is one for archived viewing
Faulker changes his pace and slips in a slower ball, he misses the flick and takes it on his pad
low full toss on middle, squirted over point off a leading edge of sorts
Johnson perishes for nought after being hoodwinked by Faulkner's change of pace. Oh wait, the umpires are checking for a possible no-ball. He may have had some part of his heel behind the bowling crease. Johnson aims to go big and holes out to long-off
darted full and wide outside off, Bailey makes room and squeezes it to the off side
Bailey wades into Faulkner. Back of a length and on the leg stump, Bailey tonks it over over midwicket. Away she sails over. Replays show that the ball boy had clasped his hands around the ball
and agaainnn! Speared full and outside leg as Southee follows Mitch, who makes room and fails to fire the big blow
full and outside leg as Mitch makes room, swings and misses
on a length and outside off, Mitch, who had initially backed away, can't connect with it
hurled in mighty full, not quite a pin-point yorker. Axar steps away and misses it completely. Southee shatters the leg stump. This sluggish knock - 24 off 28 balls - has sucked all the oxygen from Kings XI Punjab's chase
Southee hunts for a yorker, delivers a full toss, which is punched back at the bowler. Southee gets both hands on it, but can only parry it away over his head. The ball actually grazed Southee's fingertips and flew over. I am not that harsh to call it a drop
Southee goes round the stumps. Three boundary riders on the leg side
Bailey moves across the crease, Southee hurls it full and outside off, another wide. Yes, this is a cruel game if you're a bowler
Bailey winds up for a big blow, Southee sprays this wide outside off
Axar steps away and makes room, the bowler catches up with him. Fuller and fired, squirted to the leg side off an inside edge
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune | |
Toss | Kings XI Punjab, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2015 |
Player Of The Match | |
Hours of play (local time) | 20.00 start, First Session 20.00-21.30, Interval 21.30-21.50, Second Session 21.50-23.20 |
Match days | 10 April 2015 - night (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Rajasthan Royals 2, Kings XI Punjab 0 |
Over 20 • KXIP 136/8
RR won by 26 runs