Photographs: BCCI
Rajasthan Royals' spinner Kevon Cooper made late breakthroughs to take his team through by 5 runs and beat Delhi Daredevils during their IPL match on Saturday.
Earlier, Rajasthan's captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to bat against Delhi.
Perera becomes Yadav's first victim
Photographs: BCCI
Openers Kusal Perera and Ajinkya Rahane looked in good nick as they played some good shots at the beginning of the innings.
- Dravid, Cooper lift Rajasthan to victory over Delhi
After striking a brisk 14 runs (12) courtesy three boundaries, Perera the first of four of Umesh Yadav's victim. Perera was foxed by a slower one and was caught by Irfan Pathan at covers.
Dravid plays captain's knock
Image: Rahul Dravid plays a cut shotPhotographs: BCCI
Rahul Dravid came in at No 3 and played watchfully at the beginning.
But once he got into the groove he found the gaps easily. He joined forces with Rahane and at times content with just rotating the strike.
Rahane stitches 55-run partnership with Dravid
Image: Shahbaz Nadeem of Delhi Daredevils celebrates after getting Ajinkya RahanePhotographs: BCCI
Rajasthan were content with the ones and twos. Rahane did manage to pierce the field on three occassions and Rajasthan are sitting pretty on 73 for one at the halfway stage.
Meanwhile, Delhi kept rotating the bowling in an effort to find another breakthrough.
They finally got the wicket when Shahbaz Nadeem had Rahane caught and bowled. By this time, Dravid and Rahane had built a 55-run partnership.
Binny played a blazing innings
Image: Fans celebrate a sixPhotographs: BCCI
Stuart Binny came in at the wicket of Rahane and made his intentions clear right at the onset. He hammered Johan Botha for back-to back sixes in the 15th over and continued in the same vein the next over.
He took 15 runs off Ashish Nehra in the 16th over, while Rahul Dravid completed a well-made half-century.
Yadav makes quick inroads
Image: Stuart Binny of Rajasthan Royals is clean bowled by Umesh YadavPhotographs: BCCI
In the next over Umesh Yadav cleaned up Stuart Binny, for a well-made 40 off 20.
Rahul Dravid hit a couple of sixes before becoming Yadav's third victim, when he is caught at covers.
Rajasthan lose way at the death
Image: David Warner of Delhi Daredevils drops the catch to dismiss Rahul DravidPhotographs: BCCI
Yadav then gets his fourth wicket of the day thanks to a beautful catch by Warner at long-on.
Rajasthan then lost the last four wickets in four deliveries to lose their way towards the end.
Sreesanth makes early breakthrough
Image: Sree Sreesanth of Rajasthan Royals celebrates after bowling Unmukt Chand of Delhi DaredevilsPhotographs: BCCI
Delhi's openers took time to find their feet. David Warner and Unmukt Chand had to be content with the ones and twos in the early part of the innings.
Warner finally broke the shakles in the fifth over and hit Badrinath for two consecutive fours.
Chand slammed Sreesanth for a four but the bowler got his revenge. The Keralite bowls a sharp one to crash into Chand's stumps.
Warner anchored Delhi's innings
Image: David Warner of Delhi DaredevilsPhotographs: BCCI
After a slow start Warner picked the pace and cracked boundaries through the covers and all over the field.
He also joined hands with Mahela Jayawardene and rotated the strike at will. He tried to keep Delhi in the hunt but his run-out in the penultimate over proved fatal.
Cooper stops Delhi in their stride
Image: Kevon CooperPhotographs: BCCI
Manprit Juneja (20) was the only other Delhi batsman who made a score in double figures.
For Rajasthan. it was spinner Kevon Cooper who shone with three wickets. He was particularly effective in the last over.
Needing nine runs from the final over, Cooper bowled a tight line conceding only three runs as Delhi lost the wicket of Andre Russell and Johan Botha.
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