Royals brings Tuskers down to earth

Shane Warne's artistry was evident all the way as Rajasthan Royals made an emphatic statement at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium here tonight with a eight-wicket victory over a ragged Kochi Tuskers Kerala. 

Warne's presence has inspired various cricketers at various times and Sunday night saw the Australian once again leading from the front. He knew he had a mere 24 balls to clip the opposition's wings and he did not waste time and energy to assert himself in the middle-as a captain and a bowler. 

The Australia legend loves to take on the best and he knew the job required him to be at his tactical best. From the moment he decided to field, he did not disappoint the local fans who took up every inch at the stadium to watch their team cast away the dark run-up to this game. 

The three defeats in a row were buried under a remarkably-improved show against the Kochi team. Kochi was a side bankrupt of ideas and desire to make a match of it from the time V.V.S. Laxman was run out to a direct hit from “good friend” Rahul Dravid. 

The celebrations were understandably wild as Rajasthan was catapulted to the second spot in the points table. With seven points from seven matches, it stands second to Mumbai Indians (10 from five), ahead of Kolkata Knight Riders and Kochi among the top four. 

In a game where bowlers have to constantly innovate, take a beating in their stride with a large heart and look to improve every ball, Warne holds his place with pride. Batsmen have come to grief against his craft in all forms of the game and when he torments them with traditional tricks in a T20 contest, he only enhances his reputation. The Kochi batsmen discovered his foxiness first-hand as he triggered a collapse that reduced the match to a one-sided competition. 

The Warne saga was enacted in full glory. True, others too contributed to Rajasthan Royals' triumph but it was his responsibility to show the way. The leader that he is, Warne, an eternal optimist, set the field to stifle the Kochi stroke-makers and picked three crucial wickets to break the back of Kochi's batting. 

After Laxman's run out, Kochi was rattled by the dismissal of Mahela Jayawardene, who fell to Johan Botha's first ball in an ungainly manner, bowled round the stumps. And then Warne took over. 

Brad Hodge was surprised as the ball hustled him, a typical Warne faster one. It stayed low and hit the stumps from an inner edge. It was unfortunate for Hodge but a distinctive Warne dismissal. 

Ravindra Jadeja made the mistake of taking the maestro on and ended up skying the ball. The batsman was in no position to dictate when attempting the big shot. Parthiv Patel's folly was similar — wanting to dominate Warne. The reverse sweep left him embarrassingly groping and then desperately struggling to regain the crease. The damage was done. Three wickets to Warne had swung the contest and Kochi just caved in as Siddharth Trivedi bowled a tight and fruitful second spell to make the most of his captain's wonderful work.

The second half of the evening was a formality as Rajasthan Royals raced away on the strength of a clinical opening partnership between Shane Watson and a refreshingly aggressive Dravid. 

The target was achieved without a fuss as Watson smashed the ball around most robustly and Dravid prospered through some delightfully executed silken shots to cap a wonderful night for Rajasthan Royals. Needless to say, Warne, the `man of the match', was the toast of this historic city for a characteristically regal performance. 

Kochi Tuskers Kerala: M. Jayawardene b Botha 13 (13b, 2x4), V.V.S. Laxman (run out) 8 (10b, 1x4), P. Patel st Yagnik b Warne 32 (34b, 2x4), B. Hodge b Warne 8 (14b), R. Jadeja c and b Warne 22 (23b, 2x4), R. Gomez c Watson b Trivedi 0 (1b), T. Perera c Binny b Trivedi 1 (4b), K. Jadhav c Yagnik b Trivedi 5 (9b), R. Vinay Kumar c Watson b Amit 5 (4b, 1x4), M. Muralitharan (not out) 5 (8b), R. P. Singh (run out) 1 (1b), Extras (b-2, lb-4, nb-1, w-2) 9, Total (all out in 20 overs) 109. 

Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-28, 3-42, 4-90, 5-90, 6-90, 7-92, 8-98. 

Rajasthan Royals bowling: Amit Singh 4-0-26-1, Watson 4-0-23-0, Botha 4-0-19-1, Warne 4-0-16-3, Trivedi 4-0-19-3. 

Rajasthan Royals: S. Watson b Jadeja 49 (40b, 4x4, 2x6), R. Dravid (run out) 44 (37b, 4x4, 1x6), J. Botha (not out) 14 (7b, 3x4), R. Taylor (not out) 2 (1b), Extras (lb-1, w-1) 2, Total (for two wickets in 14.1 overs) 111. 

Fall of wickets: 1-71, 2-105. 

Kochi Tuskers Kerala bowling: R.P. Singh 2-0-11-0, Vinay Kumar 3-0-27-0, Muralitharan 3.1-0-28-0, Perara 2-0-11-0, Jadeja 3-0-24-1, Gomez 1-0-9-0. 

Man-of-the-match: Shane Warne.