mumbai win in high lastly

Mumbai Indians finished with 14 points
Royal Challengers Bangalore stayed on eight
— Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash GOTCHA! Dilhara Fernando of Mumbai Indians, who picked up four wickets, celebrates after dismissing Misbah-ul-Haq for a duck.
Bangalore: On a day when afternoon showers nearly washed out the match, the crowd’s loudest cheers were reserved not for the moment when the covers came off and an 18-overs a side match was deemed feasible but when the public address system announced ‘Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar’ as he walked out with Sanath Jayasuriya.
Chasing Royal Challengers Bangalore’s 122 in their DLF Indian Premier League match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Wednesday, the Mumbai Indians’ skipper (40 n.o., 42b, 4x4, 1x6) largely stayed in Jayasuriya’s shadow. The Sri Lankan hogged the limelight with a blazing 54 besides gifting stinging palms to a few spectators as he carted four sixes into the stands besides four fours in a 37-ball blitz.
The duo’s 96-run partnership ensured Mumbai Indians’ nine-wicket victory in the last league match for both teams. Mumbai Indians finished with 14 points while the home side stayed on eight.Jayasuriya’s assault
Jayasuriya negated Rahul Dravid’s ploy of opening the bowling with Anil Kumble, striking one past long-on. He then toyed with Vinay Kumar, punching sixes over mid-wicket and backward square-leg while Tendulkar effusively patted his bat from the non-strikers end. Jayasuriya finally perished to Dale Steyn.
Tendulkar meanwhile was not at his fluent best, an inside-out drive of Akhil being a late appetiser. Tendulkar, however, did stamp his class in his duel with Kumble. He premeditated a scoop over short fine-leg for a brace before lashing one over long off. He eventually finished the game, feathering a sweep so precise that that it beat the short fine-leg fielder to usher in the winning runs.
Earlier afternoon showers delayed the start by 90 minutes and with rains still a possibility, Tendulkar opted to field on winning the toss. Tendulkar’s decision found immediate rewards as the Royal Challengers top-order caved in against a resurgent Dilharo Fernando (four for 18) operating as first change from the BEML End.Fernando strikes
On a pitch that had sweated under the covers for a large part of the day, bounce was variable and Fernando got one to stop and rear and Mark Boucher mistimed his pull. Fernando then banged it short, a shade outside the offstump, lured Misbah-ul-Haq and ruined the Pakistan star’s birthday plans.
Fernando later accounted for Goswami, who failed to cash in on a reprieve off the same bowler. Goswami continued to throw his bat around and found Nehra. At 35 for one in 5.3 overs, the rescue act never happened as skipper Rahul Dravid remained tentative though Cameron White (26) pummelled Dhawal Kulkarni for two fours and a huge six that sailed into the press box.
Dwayne Smith, however, choked White for three deliveries and the Aussie plonked the fourth ball straight down deep mid-wicket’s throat. Smith later slipped one past Dravid’s belated cut and with Virat Kohli fending at Nehra and finding Yogesh Takawale’s gloves, it was left to Vinay Kumar (23) to hustle some runs with a six off Fernando in the final over being the pick.
The scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore: M. Boucher c Uthappa b Fernando 18, S. Goswami c Nehra b Fernando 20, Misbah c Tendulkar b Fernando 0, R. Dravid b D. Smith 11, C. White c Fernando b D. Smith 26, V. Kohli c Yogesh b Nehra 0, B. Akhil lbw D. Smith 5, Praveen Kumar (run out) 8, Vinay Kumar c Uthappa b Fernando 23, Kumble (not out) 0; Extras: (nb-1, w-10) 11; Total: (for nine wickets in 18 overs) 122.
Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-36, 3-39, 4-74, 5-76, 6-82, 7-83, 8-122, 9-122.
Mumbai Indians bowling: Pollock 4-0-23-0, Nehra 3-0-21-1, Fernando 4-0-18-4, Kulkarni 3-0-34-0, D. Smith 4-0-26-3.
Mumbai Indians: Jayasuriya c Akhil b Steyn 54, Tendulkar (not out) 40, Uthappa (not out) 19; Extras: (lb-2, w-11) 13; Total: (for one wicket in 16 overs) 126.
Fall of wicket: 1-96.
Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling: Kumble 4-0-45-0, Steyn 4-0-14-1, Praveen Kumar 2-0-21-0, Vinay Kumar 3-0-25-0, Akhil 3-0-19-0.