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Port Elizabeth - The Rajasthan Royals recovered from a disastrous start to edge the log-leading Deccan Chargers by three wickets in their Indian Premier League fixture at Sahara Oval St George's on Saturday.
Set 142 for victory, the Royals lost their first three wickets, including that of Graeme Smith, for only three runs in 12 deliveries.
But an electric stand of 38 runs in 17 balls for the seventh wicket between Abhishek Raut and Yusuf Pathan led the Royals to brink of victory. Raut finished unbeaten on 36 off 23 balls while Pathan clubbed 24 off 14 deliveries including two fours and two sixes. Australian Lee Carseldine added a valuable 39 at the top of innings before he fell victim to a shocking leg before wicket decision from Indian umpire Sudhir Asnani.
Captain Shane Warne also weighed in with a quick 21 (17 balls, two sixes).
RP Singh was the pick of the Deccan bowlers taking two wickets for 18 runs in his four overs.
It was the third victory for the Royals in seven matches and the Chargers' second consecutive loss.
Earlier, the Deccan Chargers innings was based around a fourth-wicket 59-run partnership between Rohit Sharma and Tirumalasetti Suman off 42 balls.
The pair came together with the Chargers in a spot of bother at 58 for three in the 10th over and set about restoring some order to the innings. After slow start, Sharma found his timing and slammed two sixes and two fours and was eventually out for 38 (32 balls) trying to force to the pace in the 17th over.
Suman was particularly severe on Shane Warne hitting the legendary leg-spinner out of the attack on his way to making an unbeaten 41 off 30 balls. He hit two fours and a towering six off Warne.
Herschelle Gibbs (8) and Adam Gilchrist (39) got the innings off to a quick start but Gibb's dismissal at the start of the fifth over brought about a gradual decrease in the scoring rate. Gilchrist eventually became frustrated and was out driving to short mid-wicket where Yusuf Pathan took a good catch off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja. Gilchrist hit five fours and two sixes off 35 balls.
Australian Shane Harwood was the most successful of the Royals bowlers taking two for 25 in his four overs.
