Holder Deccan Chargers pulled off a 10-run win over Delhi Daredevils at the Barabati stadium here on Sunday night for its third straight win and moved to the second position on the points table of the IPL III.
Deccan Chargers had choked in the final stage of the match in the last season against the same rival but this time it was the Daredevils' turn to fumble after a fine start provided by David Warner (57, 33b, 3x4, 4x6) in a punishing innings.
AB de Villiers looked like taking charge before he fell to the guile of leg-break bowler Rahul Sharma.
Karthik (46, 27b, 4x4, 2x6) stepped up his attack but his men failed to keep the other end intact.
Andrew Symonds held a fine return catch to end the Delhi Daredevils captain's innings and removed Amit Mishra in the same over to effectively finish the DD innings.
Delhi lost to Deccan after winning the last four matches of the IPL played between the two so far. This is its third straight loss in five games.
Both teams made three changes each and the youngsters brought in did their duty well.
Rohit Sharma came good and with T. Suman lifted the Deccan Chargers to a respectable total through a 60-run stand for the sixth wicket.
Suman had some big hits as the innings was coming to an end. Though the run rate was not high in the last two overs, the total finally saw the team through in an important match.
Andrew Symonds was adjudged Man of the Match for his all-round effort (35 and three wickets).
The scores: Deccan Chargers: M. Mishra b A. Mishra 1 ( 4b), A. Gilchrist c Karthik b Ladda 24 ( 14b, 4x4, 1x6), H. Gibbs c Henriques b Nagar 31 ( 26b, 2x4, 2x6), A. Symonds c de Villiers b Henriques 35 ( 24b, 3x4, 2x6), Rohit c de Villiers b Nannes 45 ( 30b, 3x4, 3x6), T. Suman (not out) 29 ( 19b, 3x4, 1x6), Y. Venugopala Rao (run out) 1 ( 2b), C. Vaas (not out) 3 ( 3b); Extras (lb-1, nb-1): 2; Total (for six wickets in 20 overs): 171.
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-44, 3-72, 4-103, 5-163, 6-168.
Delhi Daredevils bowling: A. Mishra 3-0-12-1, Nannes 4-0-39-1, Nagar 3-0-28-1, Ladda 2-0-20-1, U. Yadav 4-0-36-0, Henriques 4-0-35-1.
Delhi Daredevils: D. Warner (run out) 57 ( 33b, 4x4, 4x6), V. Sehwag c Gibbs b P. Ojha 3 ( 7b), AB de Villiers b Rahul 27 ( 26b, 2x4), D. Karthik c and b Symonds 46 ( 27b, 4x4, 4x6), M. Manhas c Suman b Rahul 8 ( 8b), M. Henriques c R.P. Singh b Symonds 11 ( 5b, 2x4), Y. Nagar b Vaas 1 ( 6b), A. Mishra c Gilchrist bt Symonds 0 ( 1b), U. Yadav (not out) 3 ( 4b), S. Ladda (run out) 0 ( 1b), D. Nannes (not out) 1 ( 2b); Extras (b-1, lb-2, w-1): 4; Total (for nine wickets in 20 overs): 161.
Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-85, 3-98, 4-112, 5-132, 6-156, 7-156, 8-158, 9-158.
Deccan Chargers bowling: Vaas 4-0-21-0, R.P. Singh 3-0-31-0, P. Ojha 4-0-36-1, Rohit 1-0-7-0, Rahul 4-0-42-2, Symonds 4-0-21-3 .
