Mumbai edging past Kolkata in last-ball end


Mumbai Indians 178 for 5 (Franklin 45*, Tendulkar 38, Bhatia 3-22) hit Kolkata Knight Riders 175 for 7 (Kallis 59, Yusuf 36, Tiwary 35) by five wickets

Kolkata Knight Riders had their Champions League first appearance all but book when they begin the last over with 21 to protect. Three edge boundaries off L Balaji and two miss yorkers later, James Franklin and Ambati Rayudu had see Mumbai Indians to a highly improbable win, breach their three-match losing streak. The win set up a replicate clash between the two teams in the eliminator, an equal of a quarter-final.

In all the disorder of the last over, which astonished the full house at Eden Gardens, Chennai Super Kings emerge the biggest gainers. Had Kolkata won the game, which they should have in spite of all those edges, Chennai would have ended third, and would have had to win two games in order to make the final? Now they need win only one of the two.

Mumbai gained too: they wanted to end the chase off in 5.1 overs to make it to the top two, but by thrashing Kolkata they could have ensure a psychological benefit in their eliminator. For the best part of their 19 overs of batting, Mumbai scarcely look like a team that could do so. Iqbal Abdulla uninvolved T Suman in the second over, the pinch-hitter Harbhajan Singh manage 30 off 29, and Rajat Bhatia's leg-rollers broke the batting order's back with three wickets in three overs.

Bangalore come to an ending on top of table


Royal Challengers Bangalore 129 for 2 (Gayle 75*) strike Chennai Super Kings 128 for 8 (Dhoni 70*, Vettori 2-15) by eight wickets

Chris Gayle indulges himself after his bowlers controlled Chennai Super Kings to a below-par 128 to ensure Royal Challengers Bangalore will completed top of the points table. The result also protected their berth in this year's Champions League.

Chennai were always opposite inevitable beat once their top order crumbles six over into the game. Tottering at 22 for 4, MS Dhoni consolidate at first before looting quick runs in the end, but 128 wasn't leaving to test Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Particularly with Gayle unleash hell.

Gayle left his blot on the chase and it was violent. A six flew over third man; another vanished over cow corner, a third, off Suresh Raina, landed in the upper tier of the long-on stands and a fierce directly drive rammed into Albie Morkel's shin. A limp Morkel constant bowling after getting some action but Gayle punctually dispatched a short delivery over the deep midwicket boundary. But while Gayle delighted the home mass, it was the bowlers who won the game for Bangalore.

Vettori: Gayle did the circle


The player who twisted belongings approximately for the team is the in-form Chris Gayle, said Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Daniel Vettori.

Bangalore thrashes defensive champions Chennai Super Kings to take the top place with 19 points in the Indian Premier League.

Gayle shattered an unbeaten 70 to pave the way for his side's simple win and also claim the Orange Cap with a tally of 511 runs from nine games.

"Gayle has been in charge for the circle. He has been outstanding. Our fielding and bowling has been good as well, particularly Zaheer. With Dilshan leaving we had to try out a few things. The entire department is responsibility well, and even Aravind and Mithun did well," Vettori said.

The West Indies batsman said he is enjoy the boiling form in this season of the IPL. "This has been one of the best runs I have ever had, in terms of constancy. The team has been wonderful, the fans as well. All the hold has been huge. You need to have the courage to go out there to obtain the job done; it is God's gift so I am grateful. Teams are going to come with new strategy at us. We were chase a low total, one of us had to be there till the ending," Gayle said.

Chennai captain MS Dhoni blamed top-order failure for the defeat. "If you are 4-5 down in the start, it is always hard to catch up in this format. We tried to get a honest total on the board in the end," he said.

Oram: I feel disengaged with IPL


New Zealand player Jacob Oram says he felt detached with the IPL as the "after-match parties, Bollywood stars and manner parades" seem far detached from actuality.

"Being at this point for six weeks, not playing much, preparation firm but not in fact getting on the ground has been kind of strange. In a way I feel like I haven't in fact got concerned in the event," Oram, who play for Rajasthan Royals as an injury replacement for Paul Collingwood, tell the Dominion Post.

"I haven't watched it on TV and I couldn't tell you the standings, partly because I know our sides out of it. I feel a bit detached from the tournament," he added. Speaking about his knowledge in the league, the impressive 32-year-old said it was strange at times.

"After almost every game there's an after-party, there's Bollywood stars there and way parades; the drinks are free and the cheerleaders are around. It's a dissimilar world.

"Sometimes you speculate if you're here for cricket or not. Ultimately you are. It is good fun, but at the same time I don't think its realism," Oram said. Oram also recall his connections with Rajasthan captain Shane Warne's performer girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley.

"She (Hurley) was here for a week, halfway throughout the event. She's a very nice lady and has an organic farm herself, so with my wife's family being organic farmers there was an exchange starter there.

"She brings her kids across and Shane had his three kids there, and nannies and a bit of safety so there was a massive associates for a while," Oram said. One of the pleasant experiences of the IPL, according to Oram, was sharing the bandage room with Warne and veteran Indian batsman Rahul Dravid.

"He (Warne) is a nice guy, actually simple to talk to. He's about to give up work and that knowledge will last forever. I'm glad I had that opportunity. I played alongside Rahul Dravid; there's some attractive cool things I've knowledgeable," he said.