CENTURION, May 6: Rohit Sharma may have failed to get a move on with the bat, but was more than adequate with the ball. Two wickets in as many balls when the match was on a tightrope took Deccan Chargers to the doorsteps and in the next over he had J.P. Duminy caught behind to put the issue beyond doubt.

Rohit's hat-trick effort was the perfect foil to a lion hearted effort from R.P. Singh and a spell of nagging accuracy from Tirumalasetti Suman. Chargers, having scored 145/6 restricted the Indians to 126/8 to win by 19 runs and secure their fifth win. They thus regain the top spot in the table alongside Delhi with R.P. Singh taking back the Purple Cap.

With only 145 to defend Chargers required a special effort with the ball and R.P. provided just that by pinging Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar in successive deliveries. With the back of the batting order broken, Chargers were firmly on top. It required a disciplined effort from the back up bowlers to keep Mumbai out of the contest. They failed initially but wickets at regular intervals helped plot a comeback.

Dwayne Smith and S.M. Shoaib proved easy fodder. Pinal Shah who had faced seven balls in IPL this year was promoted to use the long handle. The attack lacked teeth as Shah ran amok. His 19-ball 29 provided the impetus. Duminy controlled the innings from the other end after Shah was out to T. Suman. At the strategy time out Mumbai had moved to 71/3. A score they would have settled for after the early wickets.

The break supposedly a batsman's nightmare did not affect Duminy or Dwayne Bravo. It brought out the worst in Harmeet Singh who pitched the ball only twice in his third over. An asking rate under eight was never going to test Mumbai. Adam Gilchrist in a bid to break the partnership got on Ryan Harris but he was not upto the mark either. But R.P. Singh pulled things back with another tight over and set the stage for Rohit's dramatics with the ball.

Earlier, Chargers' struggle against the new ball continued. After they decided to bat, it was important for Gilchrist and Gibbs to be watchful against the new ball, but the latter attempted a drive and Tendulkar was safe as house at first slip.

With Zaheer Khan missing out and Lasith Malinga wicketless in his first spell, the Chargers would have hoped for better returns in the powerplay. Harbhajan Singh introduced in the fourth over was treated with contempt by T. Suman. Dancing down majestically, Suman struck the ball sweetly over the fence. Bhajji coming around the wicket met with the same response.

As things looked brighter, Suman in trying to force Bravo inside out nicked to Pinal Shah. Rohit Sharma was trying to hit the ball too hard and did not get his timing right. The run rate kept dipping and Gilchrist, playing a subdued innings, missed the line when he tried to force Rohan Raje across the line. The misery was complete.

There was some urgency in Dwayne Smith's approach. It was much needed after the top-order had let the team down yet again.