Johan Botha produced an all-round show to enable Rajasthan Royals inflict a seven wicket defeat on table toppers Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League match here today.
After spinning a web around the Mumbai batsmen with impressive figures of three for six, Botha sparkled with the bat as well, scoring vital 44 runs off 39 balls, during which he struck two fours and a six, to set the platform for Rajasthan's victory.
Chasing a paltry 95-run target, Rajasthan batsmen played sensibly to overwhelm Mumbai's score with 11 balls to spare at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium here.
Apart from Botha, Shane Watson (26 off 32) and Ross Taylor (13 not out) made double digit scores while Munaf Patel (2/18) emerged as the best bowler for the visitors.
Image: Rajasthan Royals bowler Johan Botha, right, celebrates with captain Shane Warne after dismissing Mumbai Indians Kieron Pollard, unseen, during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match in Jaipur, India, Friday, April 29, 2011
Earlier, Rajasthan came up with an inspiring bowling display to restrict a formidable Mumbai Indians to a paltry 94 for eight.
Opting to field, Rajasthan bowlers picked up wickets at regular intervals as the star-studded Mumbai batting line-up fumbled under pressure to slump to their lowest total in the tournament. Incidentally, it also the lowest total at this ground.
Only four Mumbai batsmen reached double figures but none could cross the 20-run mark with Andrew Symonds being the top-scorer with 17 followed by Davy Jacobs (15).
With figures of 3/6, Botha was the pick of Rajasthan bowlers while the duo of Maneria (2/20) and Amit Singh (2/14) scalped two wickets each.
Image: Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper Dishant Harendra Yagnik, right, celebrates with captain Shane Warne, center, after stumping out Mumbai Indians Sachin Tendulkar, unseen, during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match in Jaipur, India, Friday, April 29, 2011.
Rajasthan began their chase on a cautious note with Watson and Rahul Dravid putting on 17 runs for the first wicket in 4.3 overs before the latter scooped a Patel slower delivery straight to Tendulkar at midwicket.
Watson and Botha then took Rajasthan past the 50-run mark, stitching 39 off 43 balls for the second wicket.
But just when it seemed the duo will run away with the match, Watson edged a Lasith Malinga short ball to Jacobs behind the wicket.
Botha, however, was unlucky to have missed out on a half century as he was bowled by Patel just five runs short of the target.
Image: Rajasthan Royals Johan Botha, right, attempts a shot in front of Mumbai Indians wicketkeeper Davy Jacobs during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match in Jaipur, India, Friday, April 29, 2011.
To make matters worse for Mumbai, two more wickets -- Ambati Rayudu and Rohit Sharma -- were also dismissed in a span of six overs to see Mumbai in serious trouble at 50 for four at the half-way mark of their innings.
While Rayudu gave a straight forward caught and bowl chance to Maneria in the ninth over, Sharma was holed out at long-off boundary by Johan Botha off Rajasthan skipper Shane Warne in the next.
After the early wickets, Mumbai found runs difficult to come by and even Andrew Symonds and big-hitting Keiron Pollard struggled to break loose as Rajasthan bowlers tightened the noose around their opponents.
Image: Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper Dishant Harendra Yagnik, right, celebrates after stumping out Mumbai Indians Sachin Tendulkar, left, during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match in Jaipur, India, Friday, April 29, 2011.
Pollard's struggle finally came to an end when Botha got him out lbw with the West Indian making a miserable 4 off 15 balls, which surely was against his reputation.
Symonds too failed to make much of an impact as Botha accounted for two wickets in the 18th over to dig the final nail in Mumbai's coffin.
The South African off-spinner first cleaned up Symonds and then a ball later gave Yagnik his second stumping of the day as he outwitted R Sathish.
Harbhajan Singh finished off the Mumbai innings in style with a six over deep mid-wicket of Shane Watson.
Image: Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne attempts a catch off his own bowling during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match against Mumbai Indians in Jaipur, India, Friday, April 29, 2011.
After spinning a web around the Mumbai batsmen with impressive figures of three for six, Botha sparkled with the bat as well, scoring vital 44 runs off 39 balls, during which he struck two fours and a six, to set the platform for Rajasthan's victory.
Chasing a paltry 95-run target, Rajasthan batsmen played sensibly to overwhelm Mumbai's score with 11 balls to spare at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium here.
Apart from Botha, Shane Watson (26 off 32) and Ross Taylor (13 not out) made double digit scores while Munaf Patel (2/18) emerged as the best bowler for the visitors.
Image: Rajasthan Royals bowler Johan Botha, right, celebrates with captain Shane Warne after dismissing Mumbai Indians Kieron Pollard, unseen, during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match in Jaipur, India, Friday, April 29, 2011
Earlier, Rajasthan came up with an inspiring bowling display to restrict a formidable Mumbai Indians to a paltry 94 for eight.
Opting to field, Rajasthan bowlers picked up wickets at regular intervals as the star-studded Mumbai batting line-up fumbled under pressure to slump to their lowest total in the tournament. Incidentally, it also the lowest total at this ground.
Only four Mumbai batsmen reached double figures but none could cross the 20-run mark with Andrew Symonds being the top-scorer with 17 followed by Davy Jacobs (15).
With figures of 3/6, Botha was the pick of Rajasthan bowlers while the duo of Maneria (2/20) and Amit Singh (2/14) scalped two wickets each.
Image: Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper Dishant Harendra Yagnik, right, celebrates with captain Shane Warne, center, after stumping out Mumbai Indians Sachin Tendulkar, unseen, during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match in Jaipur, India, Friday, April 29, 2011.
Rajasthan began their chase on a cautious note with Watson and Rahul Dravid putting on 17 runs for the first wicket in 4.3 overs before the latter scooped a Patel slower delivery straight to Tendulkar at midwicket.
Watson and Botha then took Rajasthan past the 50-run mark, stitching 39 off 43 balls for the second wicket.
But just when it seemed the duo will run away with the match, Watson edged a Lasith Malinga short ball to Jacobs behind the wicket.
Botha, however, was unlucky to have missed out on a half century as he was bowled by Patel just five runs short of the target.
Image: Rajasthan Royals Johan Botha, right, attempts a shot in front of Mumbai Indians wicketkeeper Davy Jacobs during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match in Jaipur, India, Friday, April 29, 2011.
To make matters worse for Mumbai, two more wickets -- Ambati Rayudu and Rohit Sharma -- were also dismissed in a span of six overs to see Mumbai in serious trouble at 50 for four at the half-way mark of their innings.
While Rayudu gave a straight forward caught and bowl chance to Maneria in the ninth over, Sharma was holed out at long-off boundary by Johan Botha off Rajasthan skipper Shane Warne in the next.
After the early wickets, Mumbai found runs difficult to come by and even Andrew Symonds and big-hitting Keiron Pollard struggled to break loose as Rajasthan bowlers tightened the noose around their opponents.
Image: Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper Dishant Harendra Yagnik, right, celebrates after stumping out Mumbai Indians Sachin Tendulkar, left, during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match in Jaipur, India, Friday, April 29, 2011.
Pollard's struggle finally came to an end when Botha got him out lbw with the West Indian making a miserable 4 off 15 balls, which surely was against his reputation.
Symonds too failed to make much of an impact as Botha accounted for two wickets in the 18th over to dig the final nail in Mumbai's coffin.
The South African off-spinner first cleaned up Symonds and then a ball later gave Yagnik his second stumping of the day as he outwitted R Sathish.
Harbhajan Singh finished off the Mumbai innings in style with a six over deep mid-wicket of Shane Watson.
Image: Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne attempts a catch off his own bowling during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match against Mumbai Indians in Jaipur, India, Friday, April 29, 2011.
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