Kumble's Jumbo show leaves Deccan numbed

Once again Anil Kumble [ Images ] proved that whatever be the format, he still reigns as one of the top spinners in the world.

He took a four-wicket haul to help Royal Challengers [ Images ] Bangalore thump Deccan Chargers [ Images ] and finish third in the Indian Premier League [ Images ]. The victory also saw them qualify for the Champions League [ Images ] Twenty20 [ Images ].

Just a couple of years back, Kumble and a few other senior players from the Bangalore team were rated as not being suited for Twenty20 cricket.

But, as witnessed in last year's IPL -- and again this season, only a fool would write off Kumble's genius.

Since it's inception Twenty20 has been labelled as a youngster's game, but Kumble, at 39, proved that there is no substitute for experience, even in the shortest format.

The veteran leggie spun a web around Deccan's batsmen, claiming four wickets for just 16 runs,  while Jacques Kallis [ Images ] (two for three) and Praveen Kumar [ Images ] (two for 18) provided good support from the other end to bundle out the defending champions for a paltry 82 in 18.3 overs.

The Bangalore captain, also known as Jumbo, gave his team the perfect start when he scalped the dangerous Adam Gilchrist [ Images ] in the very first over of the match. He then accounted for Deccan's second overseas player when he bowled Dwayne Smith [ Images ] with an incoming delivery.

He finished off things, by claiming two more wickets in his final over, those of Ryan Harris (3) and Pragyan Ojha [ Images ] (0).

With 83 to chase, Bangalore started off cautiously before Kevin Pietersen [ Images ] finished off things in style with a six to script a comprehensive victory.