Hetmyer cameo in vain as Royals come up short

MUMBAI, India (CMC):

Shimron Hetmyer’s cameo was short of what was required as Rajasthan Royals produced a botched run chase to crash to a 37-run defeat to Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League here Thursday.

In pursuit of a challenging 193 at DY Patil Sports Academy, Royals got 54 from in-form Englishman Jos Buttler while Hetmyer chimed in with a 17-ball 29, but the remainder of the batting flopped, leaving the innings on 155 for nine off 20 overs.

With the win, Titans took sole possession of the lead on eight points from four wins in five matches, while Royals slipped to third but as one of five teams on six points.

Sent in, Titans were powered to 192 for four off their 20 overs by captain Hardik Pandya who belted an unbeaten 87 from 52 balls and Abhinav Manohar who struck 43 from 28 deliveries.

With the innings tottering on 15 for two in the third over, Pandya arrived to rescue his side, lashing eight fours and four sixes in putting on 38 for the third wicket with Shubman Gill (13), 86 for the fourth wicket with Manohar and a further 53 in an unbroken fifth wicket stand with South African David Miller, whose unbeaten 31 came from 14 balls and included five fours and a six.

In reply, Buttler gave the innings the required flying start, pummelling eight fours and three sixes but wickets tumbled around him, leaving Royals on 90 for five in the 11th over.

Hetmyer entered at number six and promised much, punching two fours and a six in a 26-run sixth wicket stand with Riyan Parag (18). However, with the required run rate climbing, he was caught at long on off new ball seamer Mohammed Shami in the 13th over.

New Zealand speedster Lockie Ferguson (3-23) and left-arm seamer Yash Dayal (3-40), who bowled the new ball, finished with three wickets apiece.

On Wednesday, rookie West Indies fast bowler Odean Smith kept Kieron Pollard’s Mumbai Indians winless in five games when he snatched a career-best four for 30 to help his Punjab Kings to a 12-run win at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

Pollard’s struggles also continued, the 34-year-old failing with ten and now has only 57 runs for the season.