Gayle remains on a roll

BANGALORE, India (CMC):

Big-hitting opener Chris Gayle continued his sensational form, cracking a cameo 12-ball 38 to propel Royal Challengers Bangalore to a four-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders yesterday and into the play-offs of the Indian Premier League.

In a match reduced to 13 overs because of rain, Gayle's fireworks proved the catalyst as the hosts overhauled their target of 102, reaching 105 for six with three balls to spare.

Sent in to bat at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Gayle's former side Kolkata reached 69 for three after 11 overs before the rains arrived. Left with two overs to bat, they reached 89 for four with Yusuf Pathan top scoring with 36 from 24 balls.

The left-handed Gayle, who has amassed 436 runs from seven innings, then gave Royal Challengers an astonishing start, dominating a frenetic opening stand of 44 off 16 balls with Luke Pomersbach (16).

He took four of his six fours from the first over of the innings bowled by Brett Lee and then launched teenaged seamer Jaidev Unadkat for two successive sixes in the next over - the first peeling off the edge over third man and the second sailing over long on.

By the time he skied a catch to Jacques Kallis off Brett Lee in the next over, Royal Challengers were already racing towards victory.

The win was Royal Challengers' seventh consecutive and it put them top of the standings and into the next round.