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Bangalore bowlers begin well

Last updated on: April 17, 2010 23:49 IST
Sahcin Tendulkar walks back to the pavilion

Bangalore's new ball bowlers Dale Steyn and Vinay Kumar bowled well in tandem keeping the Mumbai batsmen in check early in the innings.

Mumbai, who opened the batting with Sachin Tendulkar and Ryan McLaren, were cautious in their approach to start with before turning on the heat.

Tendulkar got the Mumbai innings going with consecutive boundaries off Vinay.

Meanwhile, Steyn at the other end troubled McLaren with short deliveries, and even had Tendulkar in trouble on a couple of occasions.

Skipper Anil Kumble then introduced Jacques Kallis and the move paid off immediately. Tendulkar went for a flick on the leg side, but was brilliantly caught at deep square leg by Ross Taylor for 19.

Mumbai Indians were 34 for the loss of one wicket at the end of Power Play, their worst start in this IPL.

Photographs: IPL/Getty Images

Rayudu provides the momentum

Last updated on: April 17, 2010 23:49 IST
Ambati Rayudu plays a pull shot

After a slow start Ambati Rayudu walked to the middle and was at his aggressive best right from the onset.

Rayudu started off with with singles and couples, before he opened up. Rayudu took a special liking to Pankaj Singh and he hit two huge sixes and a boundary off his third over.

Rayudu, however, did get a reprieve, when he was dropped twice -- first by Vinay Kumar at long on -- and again by Steyn at midwicket. The right-hander made the most of the opportunity and hit Kumble for consecutive sixes.

Rayudu continued his hitting form when he hit Kallis for consecutive boundaries in the very next over. The South African all-rounder, however, had the last laugh, when he picked up Rayudu with a short delivery.

Rayudu made a 27-ball 46, which included three boundaries and four sixes.

Duminy on fire for Mumbai

Last updated on: April 17, 2010 23:49 IST
JP Duminy hits one out of the park

Kieron Pollard, who came in after Rayudu's wicket, did entertain crowd with his big hits -- slamming three huge sixes off Pankaj's final over as Mumbai kept the momentum.

However, veteran Kumble caught Pollard plumb in front of the wicket to stop his progress. The West Indian all-rounder made a quickfire 20 off just seven balls.

Kevin Pietersen, at the other end, sent a set McLaren back to the pavillion for a well-made 40 off 42 balls, as Royal Challengers made a double breakthrough.

But JP Duminy ensured that Mumbai Indians kept up with the pace in the final overs. Duminy first opened his shoulder against Pietersen for a maximum over long off.

He then plundered 19 runs off Kallis's over, where he hit two maximums and a boundary off the 18th over. Mumbai then scored 12 runs off the final over, as the visitors finished at an improbable 191 for four in stipulated overs.

Bangalore lose early wickets

Last updated on: April 17, 2010 23:49 IST
Ryan McLaren celebrates after picing up Jacques Kallis

Chasing a stiff 192 for victory, Bangalore were off to a poor start. With both Zaheer Khan and Ryan McLaren stifling the openers, not giving them any room to hit, the batsmen looked to play some innovative shots.

Jacques Kallis played the first aggressive shot, smashing Zaheer for a maximum in the third over of the innings. Manish Pandey at the other end hit a couple of boundaries off Dilhara Fernando, before he holed out at mid-on by Zaheer for just 16 runs off 18 balls.

McLaren, at the other end, cleaned up Kallis with a superb yorker as Bangalore were reduced to 31 for two in the fifth over.

Harbhajan snaps Dravid and KP

Last updated on: April 17, 2010 23:49 IST
Harbhajan Singh reacts after picking up a wicket

Harbhajan could have had his first wicket in his first over itself had wicket-keeper Aditya Tare collected a doosra to stump Kevin Pietersen.

But the off-spinner struck in his second, when he send Rahul Dravid back to pavilion. Dravid hit a couple of boundaries off Bhajji's second over, before he hit one straight down Pollard's throat.

Harbhajan then picked up KP, who was caught slicing a straighter delivery at long off by Saurabh Tiwary for just 21 runs.

Pollard picks three as Mumbai register another victory

Last updated on: April 17, 2010 23:49 IST
Kieron Pollard

Kieron Pollard got into the game when he picked up dangerous Robin Uthappa for just four. Pollard bowled a slower delivery as Uthappa mistimed one straight into the hands of Abhishek Nayar at long off.

The problem for Bangalore was that there were no partnerships. All hopes rested on Ross Taylor's shoulders, but he failed to deliver too. Taylor was caught at deep midwicket by Harbhajan off Fernando for just nine runs.

Pollard then struck twice in his last over, when sent Virat Kohli and Pankaj Singh back to the pavilion. Kohli was the top-scorer for Royal Challengers with a fighting 37 off 24 balls as the hosts fell short by 57 runs.

Mclaren was named the man-of-the-match for his all-round effort.