The Rajasthan Royals' decision to deploy Johan Botha up the order again worked a treat for the former champions as they landed a thorough six-wicket win over Delhi in Tuesday's Indian Premier League clash in Jaipur.
The South African all-rounder, who weighed in with an unbeaten 67 in Saturday's victory over the Deccan Chargers, stepped to the crease after the fall of the first wicket and never looked back.
His unbeaten 39 from 32 balls formed the backbone of Rajasthan's pursuit of a testing 152-run target after former India captain Rahul Dravid had laid a good foundation with 38 runs at the top of the order.
While Ashok Menaria (22) and Ajinkya Rahane (18) threw their good starts away with ill-disciplined shot selection, Dravid and Botha operated with choice stroke play typical of their status as international stars, leaving Ross Taylor and his love of the midwicket fence to seal the deal with nine balls to spare thanks to a couple of hefty closing boundaries.
Earlier half-centuries from David Warner and Venugopal Rao carried Delhi to 151 for six across a testing pitch.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag fell to pace ace Shaun Tait (two for 40_ in the first over of the match and then watched from the pavilion as captain Shane Warne (two for 1&) routed the middle order with two scalps in his opening over.
At 36 for four inside eight overs Rajasthan's knock seemed dead and buried.
However, Australian Warner and his Indian team-mate orchestrated a fightback. The duo added 83 runs for the fifth wicket at a rate of 8.16 to the over.
Rao's 60 from 40 deliveries and Warner's 54 from 44 went long way to setting up a 140-plus total and Irfan Pathan's late-order cameo at the expense of Tait's figures carried the hosts to a formidable score.
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