Devils top after Warner ton
Aussie thrashes deccan bowling before Royals and Super Kings held up by rain
Hyderabad: Opener David Warner smashed a century as Delhi Daredevils climbed back to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) standings with a nine-wicket win over Deccan Chargers yesterday.
Warner bludgeoned 109 not out off 54 deliveries with seven sixes and 10 fours. He featured in a 189-run unbroken stand for the second wicket with Naman Ojha (64 not out) to lead Delhi to 193-1 in 16.4 overs after Deccan had scored 187-4 after electing to bat at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.
Last night's late match between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings was thrice held up by rain early on. The Royals went on to struggle to a score of 126 for six after being put in to bat by Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Warner hit a variety of strokes in only his second game for Delhi, who are now missing Kevin Pietersen as the England batsman has returned home for an international series against the West Indies.
Second IPL century
Playing pace and spin with ease, the Australian left-hander smashed 20 off an over from pace bowler Ashish Reddy. He registered his second IPL century — after hitting 107 not out against Kolkata Knight Riders at Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium in 2010. "It's a great feeling to be at the top of the points table and credit to the bowlers for the way they've bowled in this tournament," Warner said. "We knew that it (ball) was going to move around, and we tried to take that away from them by going after the bowling very early."
Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan (84) and Cameron White (65) boosted Deccan's innings. Dhawan clobbered five sixes and nine fours during his 49-ball knock, which included two consecutive sixes off left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem.
Dhawan added 126 for the third wicket with White but was run out by a direct throw by Nadeem.
White, who smashed two sixes and seven fours off 40 deliveries, followed a little later when he skied a lofted shot and wicketkeeper Naman Ojha took a fine catch.
Delhi now have nine wins and three losses from 12 games. Kolkata are second with eight wins, three losses and a no-result from 12 outings.
