NEW DELHI, India, CMC – West Indies opener Dwayne Smith stroked an up tempo half-century while seamer Dwayne Bravo remained calm under pressure to bowl a decent final over, as Gujarat Lions held on to beat Delhi Daredevils by a single run in the Indian Premier League here yesterday.
Playing at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Lions piled up 172 for six after being sent in with the right-handed Smith carving out 53 and opening partner Brendon McCullum top-scoring with 60.
In reply, South African Chris Morris hammered a career-best unbeaten 82 to get the hosts within touching distance of their target.
However, with 14 runs required from the final over, Bravo managed to hold his nerve to and see the visitors over the line.
The victory was Lions’ fifth in six outings and it pushed them top of the standings on ten points, two ahead of the chasing Kolkata Knight Riders.
Delhi, meanwhile, remained third on six points.
Smith and McCullum gave Lions a flying start, putting on 112 off 64 deliveries.
In only his second game of the IPL, Smith faced 30 deliveries and clobbered five fours and three sixes while New Zealander McCullum hit six sixes and three sixes in a 36-ball knock.
Smith eventually fell in the 11th over when he missed one from leg-spinner Imran Tahir which skidded on, and was lbw.
His wicket signalled a collapse which saw six wickets tumble from 30 runs.
Seamer Dhawal Kulkarni then grabbed three wickets to stun Delhi and leave them on 16 for three in the fourth over before Morris and JP Duminy, with 48 off 43 balls, came to their rescue.
Morris faced only 32 balls and slammed four fours and eight sixes while Duminy hit three fours and a six off 43 deliveries.
Bravo claimed one for 40 from his four overs but more importantly, managed to keep Morris quiet in the final over.
