07 Oct 2011 - Bangalore vs New South Wales, Champions T20 League 2011, 1st Semi-Final - Bulletin

Gayle, Kohli help RCB storm into finals

The game surely lived upto its top billing. And, so did gun players from either side. Consequently, another power packed batting performance from the teams. And, another 200 plus scores in both innings at the batting paradise Chinnaswamy Bangalore. Second time running the home team Bangalore rocketed to chase down 200 plus score, and, with the result, storm into finals of champions league. And, twice in three days breath taking century has ended in a losing cause.

The heroes of the chase were no strangers. As expected, Marauder Chris Gayle injected countless sixes and fours into the Bangalore’s chase of 204 and Virat Kohli’s legend is on a rise with young batsman seeing his team through nine balls in the bank. Gayle smashed eight sixes and as many fours on his way to a 41-ball 92 with majority of those runs coming in Kohli’s company. The right hander Kohli remained unbeaten 84 off with the help of ten fours and three sixes as Kohli-Gayle combination put on a match winning and boundary filled 141.

David Warner’s scorching 68-ball 123 punctuated with eleven sixes and half a dozen fours to propel the New South Wales to 203 after Bangalore put them in to have a first use of the surface. A combination sloppy fielding effort coupled with some poor bowling and Gayle-Kohli onslaught made sure another Australian side got defeated by Bangalore after posting 200 plus score.

Young fast bowling sensation Patrick Cummins did create some drama with the ball taking three wickets including that of Chris Gayle in the matter of four balls but Kohli’s level headed approach was good enough to book a place for the summit clash. Cummins though didn’t help the matters in the field grassing a sitter at deep covers when Kohli was batting on 44.

It doesn’t take anything away from Gayle and Kohli, though. Chasing a big target, Bangalore suffered an early blow with Cummins dismissing T Dilshan for a nine ball 4. That was only joy for the fielding side for next ten overs. Sixes rained from Gayle’s bat and fours from Kohli’s to bring the chase on the course.

As Gayle went hammer and tongs and Kohli unleashed some cracking off-side strokes, the Blues’ bowlers and fielders wilted and asking run rate dwindled. Gayle took only 20 balls to reach his half-century and never looked satisfied with anything less than a six or four in his trademark knock. Kohli didn’t slog like his senior partner but was very measured while unleashed big shots.

Gayle was all set for a ton but Cummins gave account of his talent to deny him the one. The fast bowler trapped the wrecker-n-chief leg before the wickets and followed it with a scorching yorker to castle Saurabh Tiwary. Mayank Agarwal departed in his next over as Bangalore receded from 162 for one to 172 for 4 and the Blues thought they were in with a chance.

Kohli showed lot of maturity and class and found a good ally in Mohammad Kaif to round off remaining 32 runs.

Warner’s 146 stand with wicketkeeper Daniel Smith for the second wicket played a major role in the Blues getting past 200. Smith, who had a quiet tournament thus far, looked very busy and innovative during his 42-ball 62 and hit boundaries, every now and then, to boost scoring rate in the middle overs. The highlight of the innings was Warner blistering knock, though pacing his innings ever so effectively.

Warner’s opening partner Shane Watson had another failure with the bat, top edging T Dilshan to Mohammad Kaif at Log-on for three in the third over. Smith joined Warner and had a steady progress early on.

Once both got set, boundaries came thick and fast from both the ends. The right-handed Smith moved a lot in his crease to disturb bowlers’ length while Warner took calculated risks. The small in size batsman took 40 balls for his fifty including four boundaries and three sixes but exploded after reaching the mini-milestone. His second fifty came off just 22 balls that were laced six maximums.

Warner’s knock demonstrated his tremendous hitting ability in V-area both sides of the wicket and him dumping low full tosses way back into the stands was sensational. His switch hit against R Bhatkal for a six over covers was a stand-out shot in an stroke filled performance.

Smith cracked seven fours and three sixes during his best knock of the tournament before bowled by S Aravind to end a marathon stand between him and Warner. The left hander was in an overdrive slamming sixes one after another. He reached the three figure mark off 68th ball.

Aravind received the pasting yet again going for 55 in his four-including 23 from Warner off last-14 lesser than the left arm pacer conceded against South Australian Redbacks. Dilshan, bowling his four overs on the trot at the start of the innings, had a contrasting figures in a run looting game going for only ten runs in his allotted quota of four.

In a game enjoyed by the batsmen, bowlers were hunted like anything. And, Gayle’s, Kohli’s and Warner’s ruled the roost.