IPL CRICKET 2010 - Deccan Chargers Vs Delhi Daredevils

IPL CRICKET 2010

DC CLINCH SEMIS BERTH

Gilly's Boy's To Face CSK For A Place In Final

New Delhi:A sluggish, turning Ferozeshah Kotla pitchplayed host to a rare, intense, edge-of-the-seat T20 battle of wits and persistence as the Delhi Daredevils were sent packing from the tournament here on Sunday night, their horns sheared and tails tucked timidly between their legs. Defending champions Deccan Chargers, left standing at the end after both teams were buffeted by the fickle swing of fortunes, now sail into the semifinals by virtue of an 11-run win.

           The Chargers, propped up by the lone hand of Andrew Symonds with the bat and some canny, aggressive captaincy from Adam Gilchrist on the field finally complete the semifinal jigsaw puzzle and are now No.2  on the points table.

         Chennai had made it through earlier to join Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore, who sail through by virtue of better net-run-rate. Monday's tie between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians is now a virtual dead rubber as KKR's huge NRR deficit appears in surmountable.

          Delhi's stop-start campaign sputtered to an ineffectual but dramatic end on their home ground as they lost a vital toss and their top order batsmen  again failed to apply themselves chasing what appeared to be modest 146, after some excellent work from bowlers restricted the Chargers from what could have been a more daunting target.

        The two innings followed similar patterns, with wickets tumbling upfront, but the Daredevils lacked the one standout guiding hand which in the end saw Deccan through. Sehwag's repeated failures, as it turned out, cost Delhi more than Gilchrist's lack of form did the Chargers.