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With some of their top order batsmen not available because of international commitments Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne made the inspired decision to use Botha as a makeshift No 3. The South African did not disappoint either hitting an unbeaten 67 off 47 balls to help set up a comfortable victory over the Deccan Chargers.
Dale Steyn was in form for the latter, taking 2/18 in his limit of four overs.
There were several other Proteas in good batting form. AB de Villiers hit five sixes on his way to an unbeaten 54 off 40 balls to get the Royal Challengers Bangalore away to victory against one of the two new franchises, the Kochi Tuskers Kerala.
Ryan McLaren rescued the Kings XI Punjab from a desperate position when they were 9/4 against the other new franchise, the Pune Warriors. McLaren batted through most of the innings to be unbeaten on 51 off 43 balls with 6 fours and a six. It was not enough to set a defendable target but it was easily McLaren’s best performance in the IPL to date.
In the same match Alfonso Thomas had an opening burst of 2/8 in two overs for the Warriors while Wayne Parnell also did well, taking an economical 1/20 in four overs.
Jacques Kallis was also on the losing side for the Kolkata Knight Riders who went down by two runs to the defending champions, the Chennai Super Kings. He took two wickets albeit at the slightly expensive price of 36 runs in three overs and he followed that with an innings of 54 off 42 balls.
In the same match Albie Morkel hit a six and a four in the last over (15 not out off 9 balls) which proved decisive in such a close finish.
