1st ODI ENG 247/6 (39) V SL 144 (ENG win by 81 runs on D/L)

Chris Jordan enhanced his growing reputation as England beat Sri Lanka by 81 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method in the first match of the one-day series at The Oval.

His unbeaten 38 off 13 balls carried the hosts to 247-6 off 39 overs, which also featured 64 from Gary Ballance, 50 for Ian Bell and 45 from Joe Root.

Jordan, 25, then claimed 3-25 and James Tredwell 3-38 as Sri Lanka - chasing a twice-revised target of 226 in 32 overs - were bowled out for 144 with 4.1 overs unused.

Victory was significant in that it represented England's first against a Test-playing nation since Peter Moores was reinstated as coach last month.

Test Match Special analysis

Michael Vaughan Ex-England captain & TMS summariser

"Chris Jordan's innings really gave England momentum because it gave them an above-average total, and then he bowled really well.

"I think England have found a good death bowler in Harry Gurney, too."

He will also be buoyed by the comprehensive margin of victory over a team that had won their last 10 ODIs.

Jordan, too, deserves credit for the manner in which he responded to a chastening display in Tuesday's Twenty20 defeat by Sri Lanka, when he conceded 22 in what proved to be the game's pivotal over.

Having impressed on England's limited-overs tour of West Indies earlier this year, he seems certain to play a central role in what captain Alastair Cook has described as England's "new era".

"I came in to try to score with a flurry," said man of the match Jordan. "We wanted as many runs as we could because Sri Lanka bat really deep and we were wary of that.

"Malinga finished off the game for them well the other night so it was nice to get one over on him."

If England's batting left room for improvement after they lost the toss - three batsman fell when well set on a largely true pitch - a polished bowling performance augurs well for the rest of the five-match series, which continues at Chester-le-Street on Sunday.

England were thankful for Jordan's late assault with the bat, which yielded 60 off the last four overs alongside Jos Buttler, who made 28 not out off 20 balls.

Their innings began inauspiciously as Cook, advancing to Nuwan Kulasekara, was caught behind via the outside edge.

Bell, batting fluently, and Ballance led the recovery by adding 79 for the second wicket, only for Bell to perish to the last ball before rain arrived when he swept Angelo Mathews to backward square leg.

England v Sri Lanka

20 May: T20 international, The Oval - Sri Lanka won by nine runs
22 May: 1st ODI, The Oval - England won by 81 runs (D/L method)
25 May: 2nd ODI, Chester-le-Street
28 May: 3rd ODI, Old Trafford
31 May: 4th ODI, Lord's
3 June: 5th ODI, Edgbaston
12-16 June: 1st Test, Lord's
20-24 June: 2nd Test, Headingley

A two-and-a-half-hour break shortened England's innings by 11 overs and accounted for Eoin Morgan, who played on to Sachithra Senanayake in the first full over after the resumption.

Having put on 41 with Root, Ballance swung Senanayake to deep midwicket in an attempt to increase the rate, and Bopara was lbw sweeping to reduce England to 152-5 with fewer than eight overs remaining.

Much-needed late impetus was provided by Root before he became Senanayake's third victim.

Jordan then hit five fours and two mighty sixes to leave Lasith Malinga nursing figures of 0-71 off eight overs, his most expensive in ODIs against England.

Sri Lanka's pursuit of an initial target of 259 was undermined by the loss of Lahiru Thirimanne and Kumar Sangakkara inside the first six overs.

A second rain delay, which left Sri Lanka - the world Twenty20 champions - needing 166 off 18.3 overs, persuaded Tillakaratne Dilshan to slash Jordan's first ball back to third man.

It sparked a collapse that saw the last eight wickets tumble for 81 runs, Jordan having Dinesh Chandimal and Kulasekara caught behind after Mahela Jayawardene, who top-scored with 35, slicked off-spinner Tredwell tamely to midwicket.

The outcome had long since ceased to be in doubt by the time Ravi Bopara cleaned up Malinga.

Sri Lanka captain Mathews said: "It was a pretty poor performance by our whole team, starting off with our bowlers." 


ENG 247/6 in the 39 overs

Players have been off since 1430 due to rain, re-start at 1700 (39 overs per side) 

WICKET- Cook c Sangakkara b Kulasekara 11 (Eng 22-1)

Cook steps down the pitch, gets an edge and is caught behind! Only he will know whether he was feeling scoreboard pressure, as it was the first time he'd looked to be consciously attacking the bowling.

WICKET- Bell c Malinga b Mathews 50 (Eng 101-2)

Having been reprieved, Bell falls tamely as he helps an easy catch to Malinga at short fine leg.

WICKET - Morgan b Senanayake 3 (Eng 104-3)

Off-spinner Senanayake to continue against England's two left-handers - and he bowls Morgan as he attempts to chop through the off side but gets a bottom edge onto his stumps, having swept the previous ball for two.

WICKET - Ballance c Chandimal b Senanayake 64 (Eng 145-4)

Ballance pulls a shorter ball from Senanayake and it's straight down the throat of the man on the cow corner boundary. Just when it looked as though he could go on for a really big innings.

WICKET - Bopara lbw b Senanayake 3 (Eng 152-5)

Bopara is trapped in front and hit on the back leg as he tries an aggressive sweep, umpire raises his finger and he's gone.

What will make it worse for the Essex man when he gets back to the dressing-room is that replays show the impact was outside the line of off-stump. Had he used England's one DRS review, he would have been reprieved.

WICKET - Root lbw b Kulasekara 45 (Eng 193-6)

Good decision by the ump, the ball-tracker shows it was cleanly hitting the top of the stumps. Root is out, having taken a four and a two off the first two balls of Kulasekara's over.

England Innings 247 for 6 (39.0 overs)

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Cook	c Sangakkara	b N Kulasekara	11	21	23	1	0
Bell	c Malinga	b Mathews	50	88	56	4	1
Ballance	c Chandimal	b Senanayake	64	89	72	5	1
Morgan		b Senanayake	3		3	0	0
Root	lbw	b N Kulasekara	45	55	41	2	1
Bopara	lbw	b Senanayake	3	6	6	0	0
Buttler	not out		26	38	20	1	1
Jordan	not out		38	17	13	5	2
Extras		0nb 5w 1b 1lb	7
Total		for 6	247	(39.0 ovs)

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Malinga	8.0	0	71	0
N Kulasekara	8.0	1	60	2
Lakmal	6.0	0	34	0
T Perera	3.0	0	25	0
Mathews	6.0	0	25	1
Senanayake	8.0	0	30	3

Fall of Wicket
22	Cook
101	Bell
104	Morgan
145	Ballance
152	Bopara
193	Root

Rain reduced SL innings from 39 to 32 overs needed to get 226.

SL 141/9 (Target in 32 overs)

WICKET - Thirimanne lbw b Anderson 0 (SL 0-1)

It pitched on middle, it's umpire's call for hitting the top of the stumps but Thirimanne has gone without a run on the board. Great start by the Burnley Express.

WICKET - Sangakkara b Gurney 8 (SL 19-2)

Sangakkara chops on and Gurney has his maiden ODI wicket. A big scalp for the Notts left-armer, and a key wicket for England.

WICKET - Dilshan c Ballance b Jordan 33 (SL 63-3)

Dilshan swipes at the recalled Jordan and is pouched on the third man boundary. A Dilswipe rather than a Dilscoop, but that's the end of him.

WICKET - Jayawardene c Morgan b Tredwell 35 (SL 88-4)

Oh, big, big wicket as Jayawardene flicks the ball straight to the delighted Morgan at mid-wicket.

WICKET - Chandimal c Buttler b Jordan 8 (SL 108-5)

Chandimal perishes, attempting a pull shot and edging to the keeper the ball after missing with a similar hook shot off a fast bouncer which whistled past his helmet.

WICKET - Kulasekara c Buttler b Jordan 0 (SL 108-5)

Nuwan Kulasekara is the new batsman - I've seen him win a one-day game with the bat before now, but he perishes for a third-ball duck as the hostile Jordan induces Kulasekara to sky one into the night air and Buttler takes the catch.

Safe to say, these wickets mean the D/L par score will be sky-rocketing...

WICKET - Mathews c Cook b Tredwell 18 (SL 114-7)

What a catch! It's all over for Mathews as Captain Cook catches a top-edged reverse sweep over his shoulder, running back towards third man. A great comeback by England, two balls after Mathews had found the boundary with another aggressive reverse sweep. This match is only going one way now.

WICKET - T Perera c Root b Tredwell 2 (SL 118-8)

Now Perera perishes as he lifts Tredwell to Joe Root at long-on as he attempts to hit the ball into the next London borough

WICKET - Senanayake c Bell b Gurney 11 (SL 138-9)

England turn back to Gurney's left-arm seam as they look to wrap up the innings. Despite a couple of no-balls, he captures the ninth wicket when he induces Senanayake to hole out at long-on. Start the tuk-tuk!

WICKET - Malinga b Bopara 10 (SL 144 all out)

Buttler misses a stumping chance, standing up to Bopara's medium pace, but it's all over as Malinga slogs, misses and Ravi hits. England win by 81 runs on Duckworth-Lewis.

Sri Lanka Innings

Thirimanne	lbw	b Anderson	0
Dilshan	c Gurney	b Jordan	33
Sangakkara		b Gurney	8
M Jayawardene	c Morgan	b Tredwell	35
Mathews	c Cook	b Tredwell	18
Chandimal	c Buttler	b Jordan	8
N Kulasekara	c Buttler	b Jordan	0
T Perera	c Root	b Tredwell	2
Senanayake	c Bell	b Gurney	11
Malinga		b Bopara	10
Lakmal	not out		4
Extras		2nb 6w 5b 2lb	15
Total		all out	144

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Anderson	5.0	1	22	1
Gurney	5.0	0	20	2
Jordan	6.0	0	25	3
Root	1.0	0	7	0
Bopara	4.5	0	25	1
Tredwell	6.0	0	38	3

Fall of Wicket
0	Thirimanne
19	Sangakkara
63	Dilshan
88	M Jayawardene
108	Chandimal
108	N Kulasekara
114	Mathews
118	T Perera
138	Senanayake
144	Malinga

12.38: SL win toss & bowl first

12.41: Teams 

England: Alastair Cook (capt), Ian Bell, Gary Ballance, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler (wk), Chris Jordan, James Tredwell, James Anderson, Harry Gurney.

Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews (capt), Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga.

IPL Match 50 CSK V SRH

Sunrisers Hyderabad 189 for 4 (Warner 90, Dhawan 64*) beat Chennai Super Kings 185 for 3 (Dhoni 57*, Hussey 50*, Smith 47) by six wickets

Sunrisers Hyderabad needed to win this game in Ranchi to avoid elimination and David Warner's punishing innings secured the two points that took his team to fifth place in the league. Chennai Super Kings' third successive defeat weakened their hold on second place, and narrowed the gap between them and the other contenders, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.

While Super Kings relied on three batsmen to achieve a formidable total, Sunrisers needed only one to gun it down. By the time Warner was done, the game was all but won, and Shikhar Dhawan saw Sunrisers through to the finish with an unbeaten half-century that was the ideal foil to his aggressive opening partner.

Everything seemed to fall in place for Sunrisers at the start of the chase. Warner, who had scored 59 in his previous innings, began in high gear and received generous helpings of loose deliveries from Mohit Sharma and R Ashwin. He got the lion's share of the strike too, with Dhawan playing only 11 balls in the Powerplay, and powered Sunrisers to 64 in six overs.

With the pitch offering no movement for the seamers, Mohit gave Warner several opportunities to free his arms and paid the price by watching the ball disappear between point and cover. 

Unlike the previous game in Ranchi, there was no turn tonight, and Warner was able to hit Ashwin down the ground without risk. The serious acceleration came in the sixth over, from John Hastings on season debut, when Warner collected five boundaries in the Vs behind and in front of the wicket to pass fifty off 25 deliveries.

The other Super Kings spinners - Ravindra Jadeja and Pawan Negi - were also punished by Warner and by the time he dragged Hastings on for 90 off 45 balls, Sunrisers needed only 70 off 52 balls.

Having contributed only 22 to the opening stand of 116, Dhawan now took over, finding the leg-side boundary with regularity against the spinners to get to 50 off 40 balls. 

Though Sunrisers lost three wickets in 13 balls towards the end, the asking rate was entirely under control, and Dhawan ensured the job was done.

Given how rough the game was on the bowlers, the period between the seventh and 14th overs in the Super Kings innings was an understated yet defining period of play. 

Dwayne Smith had set off at cracking speed and Super Kings had scored 60 in the Powerplay, but the next eight overs yielded only 40 runs for two wickets, as MS Dhoni and David Hussey bided their time. Hussey was on 15 off 19 balls and Dhoni on 11 from 19 when they decided to accelerate, but perhaps they could have done more with the time they took to consolidate a powerful start.

Once they flicked the switch, though, Hussey and Dhoni were unstoppable. They targeted the gentle seam of Irfan Pathan and Darren Sammy, and the speed of Dale Steyn, alike. 

Five of the last six overs went for ten or more, and Dhoni saved his best for the end. He was striking at less than a run a ball at the start of the 20th over, but deposited Steyn's first ball over the midwicket boundary. Another six and a brace of fours followed as Dhoni took 24 off the final over - no batsman has scored more in a Steyn over in Twenty20 cricket.

However, while Super Kings may have left their surge too late on a placid surface, Warner wasted no time at all and won the game. 

IPL Match 49 KKR V RCB

Kolkata Knight Riders 195 for 4 (Uthappa 83*, Shakib 60) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 165 for 5 (Takawale 45, Narine 4-20) by 30 runs

Robin Uthappa was little more than a spectator for eight overs. Royal Challengers Bangalore displayed the intent of a side fighting for survival. Three Kolkata Knight Riders batsmen were in the hut just after the Powerplay and Uthappa was 20 off 18. 

He finished an unbeaten 83 off 51 to confirm his team's place in the playoffs by extending their unbeaten run to six matches. Royal Challengers' loss meant they were out of the tournament.

They did have the resources to threaten a target of 196. But they persisted with a misfiring Chris Gayle and endured another poor start. 

Yogesh Takawale, inducted in the XI to offset Gayle's dot balls, looked scratchy early on and when he was becoming fluent, he perished. Sunil Narine's script was near flawless against Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh - who made a brief fist of it when he swatted Umesh Yadav in a 22-run 16th over - and AB de Villiers to scupper any chance the visitors had.

The pitch had offered early evidence of stopping on the batsmen a couple of times. Uthappa decided nudging around was too risky and enacted a counterattack. Concise footwork added power to his straight hits. His indulgence in unorthodoxy went as far as sweeping and reverse-sweeping, but more often than not he concentrating on guiding the ball into gaps with necessary angling of the bat. 

A caress to third man gave him the orange cap and his ninth 40-plus score in 13 matches ended up becoming his first unbeaten innings this season. Eden Gardens was rumbling "Uthappa, Uthappa" as he drilled the final ball of the innings - a full toss on middle - into the sightscreen to reach his highest IPL score.

Shakib Al Hasan was a brilliant deputy. Knight Riders were 56 for 3 in the eighth over when he joined Uthappa. The 121-run partnership took shape with singles and twos before Shakib, batting determinedly deep in his crease, brought out his bottom-handed swipes. 

The bowlers obliged by failing in their search for the blockhole and both batsmen began finding the boundaries with ease. When Yuzvendra Chahal was razed for 24 in the 15th over, with three towering sixes, Royal Challengers were rattled beyond recovery. 

They offered width, full tosses and bungled an easy run-out of Uthappa in the penultimate over to enable 78 runs off the last six overs.

Royal Challengers' hopes were pinned to an 85-run stand between Kohli and Takawale. They needed to balance the construction of a springboard for their finishers with an asking-rate that was persistently above 10. Rotating strike was not a problem and Vinay Kumar was carted for 17 runs in the ninth over to tempt their fans. 

However, with 26 runs and two wickets coming in the next four overs and 103 needed in the remaining seven, the dire need for big hits overcame the batsmen's ability. 

IPL Match 48 MI V KXIP

Defending IPL champions Mumbai Indians still have an outside chance of reaching this year's playoffs after beating top-of-the-table Kings XI Punjab by seven wickets this evening.

Playing in their first home game of the tournament in Mohali, Punjab lost the toss and were put into bat by the visitors.

They struggled to ever really get going, with opener Virender Sehwag (17), after getting off to a good start, run out by Praveen Kumar in the third over.

Manan Vohra (36) and Shaun Marsh (30) then put on a 64-run third-wicket stand that looked to be setting up Punjab for a decent score.

However, both men were gone before the end of the 11th over and George Bailey (39) was the only other Kings XI player to score well as they finished on 156-8, with the tournament's leading scorer Glenn Maxwell notching just two before he was caught and bowled by Shreyas Gopal.

Lendl Simmons set the tone for the Indians right from the off, finishing on exactly 100 not out - the highest score of this year's IPL that included 14 fours and two sixes in 61 balls.

He provided the bulk of the runs, with Rohit Sharma's 18 the next highest score for the Indians as they reached their victory target with one over remaining.

Mumbai climb up two places to fifth in the table and now need to win all their remaining games to have a chance of reaching the playoffs.

Only T20 ENG (174/7 V SL (183/7) SL win by 9 runs

Another excellent innings from Alex Hales against Sri Lanka could not prevent England from slipping to a nine-run defeat in the one-off Twenty20 International at the Oval.

Having made England's first - and only - century in the shortest format of the game against the same opponents at the ICC World Twenty20 earlier this year, opener Hales managed a top score of 66 for the hosts.

However they still fell short in their bid to overhaul Sri Lanka's total of 183-7 that owed much to Thisara Perera's brutal knock of 49 in the closing stages.

Although some desperate late hitting by Ravi Bopara (28 not out) left the equation at 12 needed off the last two balls, Suranga Lakmal conceded just two singles to finish.

England will look back and lament a costly miss in the field, Michael Carberry, who was not helped by the close presence of skipper Eoin Morgan, spilling a skier that would have seen off Perera when he had 20 to his name.

It did not take long for the all-rounder to make them pay, Chris Jordan going for 22 from the final five deliveries of his spell. The left-hander was denied recording the fastest T20 half-century for Sri Lanka when he was run out off the final ball of the innings, just the 20th he'd faced.

Still, his power hitting gave his team just the finish they needed to an innings that had seen them lose wickets just when they seemed to be gaining momentum.

Tillekaratne Dilshan (14) swept the first ball of the match from Joe Root for four but both he and fellow opener Kusal Perera, who managed a six and a four in his 10, perished with the score on 24.

Dominated

Twenty20 debutant Kithuruwan Vithanage dominated a third-wicket stand of 54, taking Ravi Bopara for three successive boundaries before cutting Chris Woakes out to Carberry to depart for 38.

Lahiru Thirimanne had contributed just 15 runs in the partnership but did begin to blossom as his innings progressed, hitting a six and three fours as he made 40.

Yet when he hit impressive debutant Harry Gurney (2-26) out to the bowler's Nottinghamshire team-mate Hales in the deep, England had reduced Sri Lanka to 141-6 with just 17 deliveries remaining.

Perera, though, hit five fours and a six in the closing stages and with Nuwan Kulasekara also managing a late boundary, their total always looked competitive.

So it proved, with the home team's new-look top order struggling up front. Carberry - the fourth oldest T20 debutant for England - mustered seven, while Root and Morgan contributed just five runs apiece.
Ian Bell did reach double figures batting at No 3, though he used up 17 deliveries to make 13 before falling to the exceptional Lasith Malinga (3-28).

The paceman then returned to devastating effect in the closing stages; he cleaned up Hales with a superb slower ball and then leaked just four runs from the penultimate over, in stark contrast to England's earlier efforts.

Jos Buttler blazed 26 and Bopara at least kept the contest alive for as long as possible. In the end, though, Malinga and Sri Lanka held their nerve. 

They will hope to use the result as a springboard for success in the five-match one-day series, the first game of which takes place at the same venue on Thursday.

ENG 174/7 (target 184)

WICKET Carberry c Kulasekara b Mathews  7 (9/1)


One down. Michael Carberry takes a step forward to Angelo Mathews but slices a steepling catch to a diving Nuwan Kulasekara at third man. Don't worry though, Ian Bell's the next man in.

WICKET Bell c K Perera b Maliinga 13 (45/2)


It's third time lucky for the Sri Lankans, who catch opportunity number three presented by Ian Bell. The opener miscues one straight to Kusal Perera who recovers from a little slip and a slide to pouch the catch in the covers

 

WICKET- Root c Chandimal b Lakmal 5 (Eng 58-3)

England have really stalled now and Joe Root is strangled down the leg side by Suranga Lakmal. The hosts now need 126 runs from 12 overs as Eoin Morgan strides to the crease.

WICKET- Morgan c Lakmal b T Perera 5 (Eng 85-4)

A big, big wicket for Sri Lanka as Eoin Morgan chips the ball down the ground and Suranga Lakmal, diving forward, takes a superb, tumbling catch at long-off.

WICKET- Buttler c Dilshan b Kulasekara 26 (Eng 124-5)

Jos Buttler is gone, finished, out. He goes for another almighty blow into the leg side but doesn't quite middle it and picks out the safe hands of Tillakaratne Dilshan on the boundary. Ravi Bopara is the new batsman.

WICKET- Hales b Malinga 66 (Eng 139-6)

Alex Hales slaps one Lasith Malinga slower ball to the boundary for four, but from the next one he's bowled. Another sparkling 41-balls knock comes to an end. Get him in the one-day team? I would...

WICKET - Jordan b Malinga 5 (Eng 158-7)

Lasith Malinga. A slower-ball cutter. Chopped on. Out. Enter Chris Woakes.

IPL Match 47 KKR V CSK

Kolkata Knight Riders 156 for 2 (Uthappa 67, Shakib 46*) beat Chennai Super Kings 154 for 4 (Raina 65, Narine 1-24) by eight wickets

Robin Uthappa made his fourth half-century of the season to lead Kolkata Knight Riders to an eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings with two overs to spare. The win took Knight Riders level on Rajasthan Royals with 14 points from 12 games, helping them break further away from the crowded middle portion of the table. 

Uthappa, who was put down twice, and Gautam Gambhir put on 64 for the opening partnership in seven overs, and Knight Riders were in control of the chase of 155 after such a beginning. Shakib Al Hasan belted an unbeaten 46 off 21 to hasten the end.

Uthappa middled the ball consistently on a pitch where most batsmen had to rely on muscling it. Both sides had wanted to chase on the untested surface in Eden Gardens' first match of the tournament, and Super Kings were to find out that despite the green tinge, the ball wasn't quite coming on, and there was some help for the spinners as well.

Super Kings went below run a ball for almost two-thirds of their innings. In contrast, Uthappa began with a flurry of boundaries. He eased the first ball of the innings from Ben Hilfenhaus between extra cover and mid off for four and also clipped the fifth through square leg for four more. The two shots were to bring him plenty of runs through his innings. 

He also deftly guided deliveries past slip, and resorted to the slog-sweep as his innings progressed.

In his eagerness to drive, Uthappa offered two chances to slip early on, and Super Kings reprieved him each time. First, R Ashwin dropped him on 6 off Hilfenhaus in the first over. MS Dhoni immediately replaced Ashwin with Suresh Raina in that position. 

In the third over, Raina let a harder, diving chance off Mohit Sharma go down, with Uthappa on 24. 

By the time Uthappa timed a lofted drive off Ravindra Jadeja to wide long-off in the 12th over, Knight Riders had almost reached 100. In his previous seven innings now, Uthappa's lowest score has been 40.

Knight Riders needed 57 off 50 when Uthappa fell. Manish Pandey struggled to get going but Shakib more than made up with some powerful hitting. Slogging, paddling and lofting his way to eight boundaries in 21 balls, Shakib shut the door firmly on Super Kings.

Shakib had opened the bowling and had contributed in tying down the Super Kings top order. At the other end, Pat Cummins bowled Dwayne Smith with his second ball on IPL debut. The pace of Umesh Yadav and the spin of Sunil Narine was as hard to get away.

Raina took nine deliveries to get off the mark in a slow 55-run partnership with Brendon McCullum but accelerated later to make 65 off 52. Shakib could have had Raina on 16, but Yusuf Pathan dropped a difficult chance diving at the straight boundary in the eighth over. 

Raina opened up against Piyush Chawla, hitting him for three sixes but his attempt to clear long-on in the 18th over failed. Raina's effort enabled Super Kings to go past 150, but it was quite insufficient against Uthappa and Shakib.

IPL Match 46 SRH V RCB

Sunrisers Hyderabad 161 for 3 (Dhawan 50, Warner 59) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 160 for 6 (Kohli 67) by seven wickets

Sunrisers Hyderabad appeared to be coasting towards their target of 161 after a strong opening stand, but managed to drag the chase into the last over to win by seven wickets and upset Royal Challengers Bangalore's plans of making the playoffs. Sunrisers needed 20 off the last two overs but Darren Sammy's salvo took them through with two balls to spare. Despite the victory, Sunrisers still need other results to go their way, as do Royal Challengers - both have ten points with two remaining games.

A predominantly one-sided chase turned competitive at the start of the 17th over, when Sunrisers needed 35 off 24 with nine wickets in hand. David Warner, set on 59, carved a high full toss from Varun Aaron straight to cover and his exit increased the required rate as Yuvraj Singh bowled a tight 18th over, giving away just seven runs. It came down to 17 off ten and a boundary was needed. Naman Ojha then sent the ball soaring over the second tier at deep cover and Aaron had his revenge when Ojha tamely scooped the next ball to cover.

Darren Sammy didn't need any sighters as he bashed his first ball flat over the straight boundary, bringing the equation down to less than a run a ball. He sealed the win by chipping a slower ball from Mitchell Starc over cover, giving Sunrisers a foot in the door as the scramble for fourth place got tighter.

Just as pleasing for Sunrisers was the fact that Shikhar Dhawan, who was relieved of the captaincy for the sake of his batting form, scored his first fifty. Sunrisers were dominant in the Powerplay, scoring 51. 

Dhawan scored boundaries off more conventional strokes while Warner wasn't afraid to play the reverse sweep against Muttiah Muralitharan. Royal Challengers used five bowlers inside the first ten overs but they had to wait till the 13th over for their first breakthrough. It came via a run-out, as Warner pushed the ball to backward point and set off but Dhawan wasn't quick enough to beat Yuvraj's throw.

The spinners did well in parts to keep the runs down, but when Warner struck Yuzvendra Chahal for consecutive sixes, the pressure was released. Royal Challengers did well to stay in the game after Warner departed, but 160 was only competitive, but insufficient.

Royal Challengers began sluggishly, scoring just two boundaries in the Powerplay. Sunrisers, in contrast, scored nine. Chris Gayle limped his way to 14 before falling cheaply and Yuvraj fell for a chancy 25-ball 21.

Royal Challengers managed only 48 off the first ten overs, but in the second half the innings picked up. Kohli took 19 off a Karn Sharma over with big hits down the ground and in two overs, they had scored 31. Sammy leaked 19 off his only over as Kohli and AB de Villiers helped themselves to a six each.

Kohli, who hadn't scored a fifty in the competition, finally got the monkey off his back. 

He lofted Irfan Pathan over long-on but was caught the following ball in attempting to clear long-off. He wasn't smiling in the end though, as Royal Challengers were left expecting favours from other sides to go through to the last four.