Lumb blows away Punjab with quick-fire 83

Michael Lumb, recently selected in England's World Twenty20 squad, smashed a superb half-century as the Rajasthan Royals handed the Kings XI Punjab a humiliating nine-wicket defeat in the Indian Premier League in Jaipur yesterday.

The Kings XI finished with a below-par 153 for 6. Lumb then clobbered 83 off only 43 deliveries and put on 109 for the opening wicket with Naman Ojha (44 not out) as the Royals eased to victory with five full overs to spare.

The opening pair got the Royals off to a flyer, initially benefiting immensely from ordinary, and at times comical, fielding from the Kings XI. Lumb hit new-ball bowler Sreesanth for two boundaries in the first over and thereafter continued to deal in boundaries as he raised the Royals' 50 off a only 27 deliveries.

The Hampshire batsman's half- century – his first in the IPL – came off only 28 deliveries and by the time he departed, after smashing 16 boundaries and two sixes, the Royals needed only 45 from more than 10 overs. Ojha and Yusuf Pathan (21 not out) were never under pressure thereafter.