RCB crushed as Gayle struggles again

BANGALORE, India, (CMC):

Superstar Chris Gayle's slump continued as Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered at the hands of a quick-fire hundred by South African opener Quinton de Kock, crashing to a seven-wicket defeat to Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League here yesterday.

Sent in at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB rallied to an imposing 191 for five off their 20 overs, behind captain Virat Kohli's 79 and South African star AB de Villiers' 55, with seamer Mohammed Shami taking two for 34.

In reply, de Kock plundered 108 and Karun Nair, an unbeaten 54, as Delhi roared to victory with five balls to spare.

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson claimed two for 25 with his four overs of medium pace.

The victory was Delhi's second in three outings, while RCB have won one of two.

Gayle fell

RCB were early trouble when Gayle fell to the third ball of the game without a run on the board, caught at first slip by JP Duminy off a tentative push at an out-swinger from left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan.

Since his blistering hundred against England in the opening game of the Twenty20 World Cup last month, Gayle has struggled with scores of of 4, 5, 4, 1 and 0.

Kohli, who struck seven fours and three sixes off 48 deliveries, put on 107 for the second wicket with de Villiers and another 63 with Watson, who made 33, to rebuild the innings.

West Indies seamer Carlos Brathwaite took one for 18 from two overs.

De Kock then took the game away from RCB with an innings that required 51 balls and included 15 fours and three sixes.

At 50 for two in the sixth over, the game was still open, but de Kock and Nair put an end to RCB's hopes in a 134-run third-wicket stand.