Delhi v Deccan, IPL, Delhi

Pietersen ton keeps Deccan winless

Cricket +

Delhi Daredevils 162 for 5 (Pietersen 103*, Steyn 2-19) beat Deccan Chargers 157 for 8 (Pathiv 45*, Nadeem 3-16) by five wickets 

Deccan Chargers dropped Kevin Pietersen three times on his way to 103, the second century of IPL 2012. It was an innings that condemned Chargers to their fourth defeat this season and left them winless at the bottom of the table. After taking three early wickets in defense of a below-par score of 157, Chargers were on course to turn their fortunes around, but Pietersen denied them. He took Delhi Daredevils to the top of the table with his authoritative knock, his highest score in Twenty20 cricket and hit the most sixes in an IPL innings this season - nine - in the process.

Daredevils held the advantage from the halfway mark, when they restricted Chargers to under 160. Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem and South African pace bowler Morne Morkel took three wickets apiece to keep to pull Chargers back from 101 for 2 after 11 overs. Despite another spell of fury from Dale Steyn, Chargers were unable to keep Daredevils from joining Rajasthan Royals at the top of the table, with a game in hand.

20 overs Deccan Chargers 157 for 8 (Patel 45, Nadeem 3-16) v Delhi Daredevils 

	Shahbaz Nadeem took a wicket in each of his first three overs © AFP  Enlarge

Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem and South African pace bowler Morne Morkel took three wickets apiece to keep Deccan Chargers to under 160 at the Feroz Shah Kotla. With Chargers on 101 for 2 after 11 overs, a score of around 175 seemed possible, but Nadeem pulled them back with three wickets in each of his first three overs. Morkel struck at the start and end of the innings to keep the pressure on a Chargers side that was searching for their first win.

The Chargers innings was built on one impressive stand, 71 runs in 6.5 overs, between Shikhar Dhawan and Parthiv Patel. None of the other batsmen built on their start as the Chargers were guilty of being too circumspect in parts and lost wickets at important times, when they should have pushed on.

Morkel removed Kumar Sangakkara in the third over, getting a leading edge to a ball he was trying to hoist over the on-side and was well caught by Yogesh Nagar who negotiated the swirl well.

Instead of the wicket holding the Chargers up, it opened the flood gates. Dhawan and Parthiv's stand was headlined by their speedy running between the wickets. Boundaries came often as well, mostly on the leg-side or behind square on the off side as Parthiv led the charge with two cut shots and a glorious pull off Irfan Pathan.

Dhawan showed similar intent to what he employed against Rajasthan two days ago. He mixed aggression with finesse well, captured best by his two pair of fours down the ground, first off Kevin Pietersen and then Ajit Agarkar. Once again, Dhawan had built a solid platform and should have built on it but he gave it away when he attempted the reverse sweep off Nadeem and was trapped in front.

Parthiv kept the fight alive and continued to pull with power, despite his size. He was largely responsible for the most profitable over of the innings - the 11th bowled by Umesh Yadav. Parthiv slapped him for six and then cut viciously but was caught on the third-man boundary, only for the delivery to be called a no-ball for height, giving Parthiv his first lifeline.

In the next over, Parthiv got another when he pulled to fine leg and Pietersen lost the ball in the sun and could not take the catch. Nadeem had the last laugh though, when Parthiv pulled again and was safely caught by Mahela Jayawardene at deep square leg. In his next over, Nadeem had JP Duminy caught at mid-on to end the South African's innings before he had been able to get stuck in.

Although Nadeem did not take a wicket in his fourth over, he completed the catch that saw Daniel Christian dismissed the ball after Nadeem's spell ended. By then, Chargers' run-rate had been pulled back from 9 runs to the over, to 7.8 and Nadeem was the man who dragged them back.

Enough pressure was put on the lower order for them to perish as they tried to accelerate. Abhishek Jhunjhunwala edged behind as he tried to clear Morkel over long-off and Dale Steyn tried to hit a short ball over Sehwag at cover but could only hit the ball straight to him. Bharat Chipli was able to take advantage of Agarkar's width to hit him for a six and two fours in this third over and take Chargers over the 150 mark, which may not prove enough against Delhi Daredevils.