Ross Taylor hit a massive six to seal a comfortable five-wicket away win over The Rajasthan Royals in the IPL to move into second spot on the points table. The BLACKCAP batting star came in with just 18 required after a blistering Kevin Pietersen half century got them within touching distance.
Bangalore's bowlers wrested the initiative early on and found regular success thereafter as Jaipur were restricted to a paltry 130 for six.
Pietersen then clobbered 62 off 29 deliveries as Bangalore overhauled the target with 26 deliveries to spare and ensured they stayed on track for a spot in the semi-finals, while all but ending Jaipur's hopes of progressing.
Rajasthan won the toss but suffered blows at the top of the order, stuttered through the middle-overs and were rescued by an unbroken half-century partnership between Adam Voges (28 not out) and Abhishek Raut (32no).
Opener Michael Lumb was run out in the third over, his replacement Amit Paunikar was removed for a first-ball duck and Naman Ojha joined the procession back to the pavilion when he skied Pankaj Singh to Manish Pandey at cover.
Shane Watson (22) and Abishek Jhunjhunwala briefly stemmed the tide, but Pietersen took an excellent catch at short square-leg to send back Watson and Jhunjhunwala was Pankaj's second victim as Jaipur crashed to 58 for five inside 12 overs.
Dale Steyn, who was the pick of the bowlers, then pegged back Yusuf Pathan's off stump, before Voges and Raut steadied the innings and provided a decent finish.
But Rajasthan were left defending a wholly unsatisfactory total.
Rajasthan then snared Jacques Kallis for a duck, but Pietersen - picked at the expense of Cameron White - soon got the chase up to speed as he smashed Watson for two boundaries in three balls and then hit fast bowler Kamran Khan for three boundaries and a six off consecutive deliveries.
Opener Manish Pandey (14) had contributed only eight in a stand worth 36 with Pietersen for the second wicket before he departed to a slower ball from Siddarth Trivedi, but Pietersen continued his onslaught.
Voges, who was introduced in the sixth over, was pummelled for three boundaries and Warne was hammered for a four over mid-off as the required rate dropped well below a run a ball.
Robin Uthappa (26) quickly hit stride too and the Royals attack was put to the sword from both ends.
Pietersen reached his half-century off 24 deliveries, smashing nine boundaries and a six along the way and was run out with only 18 runs required for victory.
Taylor finished off the chase with a massive six.
Teams
Rajasthan Royals: Michael Lumb, Naman Ojha (W), Amit Paunikar, Shane Watson, Yusuf Pathan, Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, Abhishek Raut, Adam Voges, Kamran Khan, Shane Warne (C), Siddharth Trivedi
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Manish Pandey, Jacques Kallis, Kevin Pietersen, Robin Uthappa (W), Ross Taylor, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, Vinay Kumar, Pankaj Singh, Anil Kumble (C), Dale Steyn
Courtesty of http://www.espnstar.com
