Watson tames Daredevils

Delhi slump to third straight defeat

Last updated: 11th May 2008

shane watson

Watson: quickfire knock

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A match-winning 74 from Australian all-rounder Shane Watson fired Rajasthan Royals to a three-wicket victory over Delhi Daredevils.

Watson's runs came from just 40 balls as the Royals reached their target of 157 with five balls to spare.

That puts them two points clear at the top of the IPL, while early pacesetters Delhi have now lost three on the spin.

Watson, Siddharth Trivedi and IPL debutant Dimitri Mascarenhas had earlier bagged two wickets apiece as Delhi were limited to 156 for seven.

Farveez Maharoof's blistering 39 off just 16 balls had given the visitors a platform, but his brilliant belligerence proved in vain.

Two early run-outs hampered the Royals' chase as AB de Villiers sent Yusuf Pathan (eight) and Mohammad Kaif (one) packing in successive overs.

But from then on Watson - who was dropped on 26 by Virender Sehwag - took command, peppering the boundary with some trademark powerful strokes as he racked up five fours and as many sixes.

Rhythm

He lost two partners in quick succession, Graeme Smith for 25 and Ravindra Jadeja for just six, but the Australian all-rounder's rhythm was not disrupted.

Mascarenhas (nine) was deceived by the spin of Sehwag and Shane Warne (11) by a slower ball from Maharoof before Watson fell to a contested run-out, but Mahesh Rawat (five) joined Niraj Patel (one) at the crease to guide the Royals to 159 for seven.

Earlier, Gautam Gambhir and Sehwag put on 47 in a promising first-wicket partnership for the Daredevils and Maharoof gave Shane Warne some tap in the penultimate over, bludgeoning four maximums off the veteran Australian before holing out to Niraj Patel.

But with Watson in this sort of form, the tail-ender's impressive innings was never going to be enough.