Cameos by Gayle and Smith

MUMBAI – West Indians Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith entertained with cameos that produced contrasting results for their teams in the Indian Premier League yesterday.
Gayle smashed 34 off 16 balls with six fours and a six but could not prevent Royal Challengers Bangalore from losing a thriller by four wickets off the penultimate ball against Rajastan Royals.
Royal Challengers Bangalore made a competitive 171 for six off their 20 overs but Rajastan Royals sealed victory from the fifth ball of the final over when Stuart Binny lifted a slower ball from pacer Vinay Kumar over midwicket for four.
With six runs needed from the final over, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s hopes were raised when wickets fell off the second and third balls before Binny decided the match.
West Indies pacer Ravi Rampaul had earlier picked up two for 28 in four overs.
In the other match, the in-form Smith made 33 off 32 balls before captain Rohit Sharma blasted an unbeaten 79 off 39 balls and Keiron Pollard chipped in with 20 not out off 21 balls that guided Mumbai Indians 174 for three.
This match also went down to the wire with King’s Punjab XI needing five runs off the last ball but Praven Kumar was caught. (HG)