Pollard led Mumbai defeats Delhi

Kieron Pollard’s late display of pyrotechnics set up a 39-run win for the Mumbai Indians over Delhi Daredevils at Brabourne here tonight.

The Daredevils began well with both David Warner and Virender Sehwag going after the bowling. But after a few lusty blows, Dilhara Fernando's slower one did the trick, getting rid of the Australian Warner. Sehwag seemed to have caught the Daredevils’ run-out bug and lost his wicket to a splendid piece of fielding by Pollard.

Gautam Gambhir had the responsibility of seeing Delhi to a victory, but was tricked by Harbhajan Singh to give an easy return catch.

After that, none of the Daredevils could counter Mumbai’s bowlers capitulating meekly, scoring 144 for seven in their allotted 20 overs.

Earlier, the Mumbai Indians got off to a steady start. There were no early fireworks as Sachin Tendulkar and his new opening partner Chandan Madan milked the Daredevils for the occasional boundary.

The Daredevils were disciplined in their bowling, keeping a tight line and length to deny the Mumbai batsmen any opportunities to really get going. Madan, playing his first match in IPL, tried to up the pace, but fell like so many Indian batsmen to a bouncer. Tendulkar was also getting frustrated at the other end and this led to him trying to clear the in-field in the 10th over only to find a fielder.

Mumbai’s middle-order mainstays - Ambati Rayudu and Saurabh Tiwary - did add a touch of excitement managing to score at a run-rate of nine an over before Tiwary was bowled by a beautiful slower delivery from Pradeep Sangwan.

Pollard hasn’t set the IPL on fire till date, but he took it upon him today to set the record straight. The tall Trinidadian brought an unseasonal shower – that of sixes – at the Brabourne with his lusty hitting. From 133 for four, when he walked in to join JP Duminy he attacked the Daredevils with five huge sixes to take the score to 183. Pollard’s pyrotechnics included a ‘Dilscoop’ off Ashish Nehra.

The last three overs saw MI score fifty runs, including 25 from the last over with Pollard going berserk and hitting Andrew McDonald for three massive on-side sixes.