Thaindian News

Bangalore, May 22 (IANS) Orange cap top-scorer Chris Gayle took an upbeat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) table with an eight-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their last league match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in this tech hub late Sunday.

Chasing a modest 128-run target set by CSK, RCB posted 129 for two in 18 overs to win its ninth game and top the league table with 19 points.

Set to score 129 at an asking rate of 6.4 runs per over, RCB recovered from an initial blow in the first over when opener AB De Villiers was smartly stumped by CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in a nick with no score on the board.

With in-form Virat Kholi joining the belligerent Gayle, the duo steadied the innings to a comfort zone by rattling up 80 runs in 9.5 overs and paving way for an emphatic victory.

After Kholi was caught by R. Ashwin of Albie Morkel, Sourabh Tiwary partnered with Gayle to the winning post.

Winning the Man of the Match award for the fifth time after joining the home team midway as a replacement for injured Australian pacer Dirk Nannes, the tall West Indian tormentor has scored a record 511 in 10 games of the fourth season and regained the Orange cap from Shaun Marsh of Kings XI Punjab.

With six massive sixes and four fours, Gayle made light of the Kings’ bowling attack and remained unbeaten on 75 from 50 balls at a strike rate of 150.

The fiery opener has become the 26th batsman to score 2,000 runs in the IPL.

Earlier, Dhoni defied the RCB attack with a quickfire 70 in 40 balls to enable the title holders post 128 for eight wickets.

Put in to bat after RCB skipper Daniel Vettori won the toss and elected to bowl, CSK top order batsmen Mike Hussey, Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina fell on the wayside at regular intervals to fiery bowling by RCB speedsters Zaheer Khan and S. Aravind, who took two wickets each.

With his team tottering at 22 for 4 in 5.4 overs, a grim Dhoni walked into the middle to hold the fort even as he lost S. Badrinath and W. Saha at regular intervals.

Taking charge of the innings, Dhoni whacked Chris Gayle twice and Abhimanyu Mithan thrice over the fence for sixes and guided his team past 100 in 17.3 overs.

Saha was the only other batsman to cross into double digits to score 22 with one six and one four.

Left-arm spinner Vettori was the other successful bowler to take two wickets.