Bangalore get closer to semis with win over Rajasthan Royals

JAIPUR: Royal Challengers Bangalore fast bowlers' inspired display laid the foundation of their five-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday and also gave a major boost to their hopes of making it to the semifinals.
On the other hand, the loss shattered Royals' hopes of making it to the final four. Anil Kumble's men are now placed second on the table with 14 points from 13 matches.Royals, as of now, are placed fifth with 12 points and need a miracle to make the cut.
Chasing a paltry total of 130, Challengers cantered to victory inside 16 overs with Kevin Pietersen (62, 29b, 10x4, 2x6), who came in the side at the expense of Cameron White, and Robin Uthappa (26, 21b, 2x4, 1x6)) being the chief scorers. Ross Taylor struck the winning runs while Rahul Dravid remained unbeaten on five. Pietersen was particularly severe on left-arm pacer Kamran Khan, drafted in for Aditya Dole, taking 18 runs off the fourth over to push the run chase after the early loss of Jacques Kallis. Uthappa, on the other hand, continued with his batting exploits took his tally of sixes to 25, the highest in this edition.
The hosts looked clueless. After the inept batting display, their effort with the ball was shoddy and they were listless on the field too. But credit must go to Challengers for bouncing back in style from their disappointing 13-run loss to Deccan Chargers. Shane Warne's men failed to counter Dale Steyn's extreme pace, the accuracy of Jacques Kallis and consistency of Pankaj Singh, who was preferred over left-arm spinner KP Appanna in the playing XI on a benign Sawai Mansingh track.
Steyn finished with 1-16 - the figures hardly reveal his dominance over the hosts, with most batsmen choosing to play him on guesswork. Steyn accounted for the dangerous Yusuf Pathan, who stayed on the backfoot expecting a snorter only to see his stumps shattered by an outswinger in the 13th over. Kallis had one wicket to show for brilliant bowling, his four overs just going for 19. Pankaj was most successful of the lot taking two wickets for 27 runs. Skipper Kumble proved expensive while Vinay Kumar got some stick in the end to finish with 1-36.
Abhishek Raut (32 off 20 balls) put up a seventh-wicket stand of 58 with Adam Voges to get the total past 100 from a precarious 72 for six.