Ajinkya Rahane leads Rajasthan Royals to fourth successive IPL win

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/apr/16/sunrisers-hyderabad-rajasthan-royals-ipl

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The Rajasthan Royals continued their 100% record in the IPL, as they completed a six-wicket win over the Sunrisers Hyderabad off the final ball, led by Ajinkya Rahane’s 62.

The Sunrisers, who lost the toss and were put into bat, gave England’s beleaguered ODI captain, Eoin Morgan, a first match of the season in place of the New Zealander Kane Williamson. And they were soon in trouble as Shikar Dhawan, David Warner and KL Rahul all falling inside the first six overs reducing them to 35 for three.

Warner, after hitting a few typical crunching boundaries, was particularly culpable as he was run out sharply by Rahane.

A steady, if stodgy, partnership of 52 from 53 balls between Morgan and Naman Ojha gave them hope of building a defendable total however, before the latter was bowled for 25. That brought the England pairing of Morgan and Ravi Bopara to the crease, but they too struggled to score fluently.

The partnership did not last long though as Morgan was pinned lbw by Tambe for 27 from 30 balls – another disappointing score. It left the Sunrisers 96- for five in the 17th over and they never looked like recovering and finished with a below-par 127 for five.

With the required rate only a shade over six, the Royals began their run-chase in calm fashion, reaching 50 for no wicket after 7.4 overs. Sanju Samson departed, nicking Bopara behind for 26 when the score was on 64, but by the time Steve Smith was caught by his compatriot Warner for 13 in the 14th over, the game was all but up.

Bopara at least had the consolation of being the pick of the Sunrisers’ bowlers, also picking up the wicket of Karun Nair, and finished with figures of two for 18. However Rahane eased to as low-key a half-century as is imaginable. After he was dismissed in the penultimate over, the Royals got bogged down and it was left to James Faulkner to seal the win with one needed off the last delivery.