Super Sunday, turned into a floppy Sunday, with Challengers, favorites to take on the title, did nothing short of professional approach. Right from winning the toss and chasing the total with about 7.4 overs remaining, Anil could not hide his smile.
None of their batsman, barring Christopher Barnwell to an extent, seemed at ease on a pitch which had some extra bounce to interest the South Africans in Bangalore's attack, and some early movement for Praveen Kumar. Opener Travis Dowlin was perhaps the most unsettled: in a 17-ball stay he was beaten, struck on the pads, squared up while defending, got inside edges, and mishit a pull towards the bowler before finally gloving a short ball to short fine leg. That brought in Guyana's captain and most experienced batsman, Ramnaresh Sarwan. He struck an imperious six off the back foot over long-off but Kallis knocked back his off stump the following ball
It was all too easy for Bangalore from then on. Even left-arm spinner Nayan Doshi and medium-pacer B Akhil, who together sent down the fifth bowler's quota, weren't attacked. At the end of the 12th over, with Guyana gasping at 60 for 4, the normally grim-faced Anil Kumble was relaxed enough to laugh and exchange a joke with the umpire.
It was all too easy for Bangalore from then on. Even left-arm spinner Nayan Doshi and medium-pacer B Akhil, who together sent down the fifth bowler's quota, weren't attacked. At the end of the 12th over, with Guyana gasping at 60 for 4, the normally grim-faced Anil Kumble was relaxed enough to laugh and exchange a joke with the umpire.
It was Guyana's first game on the big stage, and they looked way out of their depth, as the highly rated Bangalore sounded an early warning to the rest of the field.
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