Rayudu sets up comprehensive win for Mumbai

Mumbai Indians 178 for 5 (Rayudu 55*, Tiwary 44, Ojha 3-26) beat Deccan Chargers 115 (Zaheer 2-10, Harbhajan 2-16, Pollard 2-26, McLaren 2-28) by 63 runs

Ambati Rayudu and Saurabh Tiwary once again outshone a glittering batting line-up to give Mumbai Indians a big total, which their bowlers defended smartly and comprehensively. The two added 65 in 7.4 overs for the fourth wicket to resurrect an innings that threatened to come undone, Rayudu went on to register his second fifty of the tournament and provide Mumbai a big finish.

In three overs, Pragyan Ojha and Rahul Sharma had brought Mumbai down from 53 for 0 to 62 for 3, but Deccan Chargers' fielders and death bowlers refused to play ball, dropping Tiwary twice, and going for 64 in the last five.

By the time Ojha was introduced in the seventh over, Sachin Tendulkar, along with Shikhar Dhawan, had scored quick risk-free runs as if it was everyday business. On a pitch assisting spinners - even Andrew Symonds bowled offbreaks from a long run - the real test would come against spin.

Dhawan stepped out to the first delivery from Ojha, found himself short of the pitch of the ball, and was stumped. In the next over, Rahul got Tendulkar with a slider, perhaps the first time he bowled to the batsman. In the next over, Ojha set Dwayne Bravo up with two big flighted offbreaks, both slow through the air, both teasing him, asking him to play the extravagant flick. The third ball was the quick arm ball, Bravo was slow, and the middle stump was no more.

It seemed that finally Kieron Pollard, yet to announce himself in the IPL, would have to bat in a pressure situation. Tiwary and Rayudu, though, had other ideas. They started off consolidating, and Rayudu's placement meant they didn't stagnate, recovering to 90 in 13 overs.

The 14th over proved to be crucial: Rahul came back for a return spell and should have had Tiwary twice. One of the chances went for a six, parried by Herschelle Gibbs, who was a few yards in from the boundary at long-on. The other, a low one to point, was dropped by Monish Mishra. Between those two deliveries came a hefty slog-sweep for another six. Insult and injury were having a round table.