Robin Uthappa blasts Bangalore

It took 80 deliveries for Royal Challengers Bangalore to seize the initiative. From the time their talisman opener Jacques Kallis was bowled for 19 in 4.4 overs, ending a splendid run of four unbeaten innings, the home side struggled to overcome Chennai Super Kings' bowlers.

Then came the penultimate over that cost 24 runs, including three successive sixes from Robin Uthappa, and that switched the complexion of the innings. Dropped on 5 and 25, Uthappa slammed a half century to propel Royal Challengers Bangalore to 171 for 5 when at one stage 150 looked difficult.

On a juiced up surface, an eagerly awaited contest began with Chennai's new ball duo wondering just what they needed to do so make a breakthrough. They thought they had their man in the first over when a peach of a delivery from Albie Morkel appeared to shave the outer edge of Kallis' bat, but it was not to be. Manish Pandey rode his luck, following up an inside-edged four to fine leg with a top edge that dropped between two fielders, and then Kallis charged Morkel and slashed a thick outside edge that was lost in the lights by L Balaji at third man. On the very next delivery, Kallis edged Morkel wide of a diving slip for four more.

This wasn't the Kallis of the past four games. Tonight's version was charging in the second over, playing and missing. The pitch had bounce and carry but nothing went to the fielders. Not one of the first three boundaries was timed or went where the batsmen intended them to. The first intentional boundary came off the first ball of the fifth over, when Kallis square-drove Balaji over the infield for four, after which a meaty on-drive went through Muttiah Muralitharan's legs at mid-on.

And then Balaji struck. Kallis walked across his stumps, missed the flick and was bowled. From here Bangalore's innings sort of lost direction. Pandey continued to live dangerously without imposing himself: a mis-timed pull flew just over mid-on, a rasping square cut went to the boundary, an inside edge beat short fine leg. Then for the second time a wicket immediately followed a boundary. Rahul Dravid rocked back and dispatched Muttiah Muralitharan's fifth delivery for four; the sixth was a topspinner that pitched on middle and leg and beat the bat to crash into the stumps.

When the strategic time out rolled around  yes, that's the pace at which this game panned out Chennai had restricted Bangalore to their poorest start yet, 61 for 2. That soon became 63 for 3 when Pandey slogged Murali and was well held by Suresh Raina at mid-on.

Three average overs allowed Bangalore gain some ground. Virat Kohli and Robin Uthappa took eight runs off Morkel; Uthappa was dropped by R Ashwin at deep cover in an 11-run 12th over; eight runs came off the next. Kohli was given a life by Parthiv Patel, struck a six, and was then stumped by Parthiv. Uthappa pummeled Morkel for six but was dropped by M Vijay at long-on the very next ball. Eoin Morgan perished in the same over.

Then came the decisive over, after Uthappa swatted Ashwin for six to get some drive. First ball of the penultimate over he drove Balaji through cover for four, only to dump the next three over the ropes. It was stunning hitting; high backlift, full use of the wrists, maximum result. Two more sixes followed in the final over, one by Uthappa and one by Mark Boucher, and their unbeaten 52-run stand off 19 balls left Chennai looking perplexed, wondering where it had all gone wrong.

Score Board :

Royal Challengers Bangalore innings (20 overs maximum)   R      B      4s      6s      SR     
MK Pandey             c Raina b Muralitharan                       20      28     2      0     71.42    
JH Kallis                           b Balaji                                     19     17     4       0     111.76    
R Dravid                  b Muralitharan                                    14     11     3      0     127.27    
RV Uthappa                     not out                                       68     38     3      6     178.94    
V Kohli               st †Patel b Muralitharan                           24     16     2      1     150.00    
EJG Morgan                b Morkel                                           1      4     0      0        25.00    
MV Boucher†               not out                                            11      7     0      1     157.14    
 
 Extras                  (lb 10, w 3, nb 1)                                    14                    
 Total                 (5 wickets; 20 overs)                                171         (8.55 runs per over)

Did not bat P Kumar, A Kumble*, DW Steyn, R Vinay Kumar
Fall of wickets1-28 (Kallis, 4.4 ov), 2-59 (Dravid, 7.6 ov), 3-63 (Pandey, 9.4 ov), 4-110 (Kohli, 15.4 ov), 5-119 (Morgan, 16.5 ov)