KIMBERLEY, May 11: To pick the gauntlet after a nerve shattering loss needs character and Deccan Chargers showed plenty of that. A blitzkrieg from Dwayne Smith and two early wickets by Chaminda Vaas laid the platform for a famous win against Rajasthan Royals and buried the ghosts of the previous match to rest for good. The commanding 53-run win helped Chargers notch up their sixth win and move to third place on the points table.

The 167-run target was not too different from the one Kings XI chased on Saturday. It required a great deal of discipline from the bowlers. The margin of error with the new ball is minimal on this small ground. Vaas, eager to prove his selection right, picked a wicket with his first ball as Graeme Smith was sent packing.

R.P. Singh kept up the pressure. A smart piece of wicket-keeping from Adam Gilchrist led to the fall of Les Carseldine. The first six overs produced 30 runs and the next four an additional 29 as Chargers tightened the screws.

The last 10 overs required 108 runs. It looked beyond even the big hitting Yusuf Pathan. A terrible fielding lapse by T. Suman saw opener Swapnil Asnodkar add six to his tally. The next delivery was creamed past point for four. Things had started to look terribly familiar again for the Chargers, but Pragyan Ojha made it up by luring Pathan forward on the drive.

The pressure created by some tight fielding started to show. Asnodkar was left stranded in a bad mix up with Ravindra Jadeja and Venugopal Rao’s flat return did the trick. Jadeja was the last bet but it was too much to ask from one batsman. Rohit Sharma’s success with the ball continued. His three quick wickets helped hasten the end.

Earlier, the Chargers’ innings was hit by their now familiar middle overs slump. The fall of Rohit and Symonds in the space 12 balls put a lid on the scoring rate and it was the power of Dwayne Smith towards the end of the innings that lifted the score to 166/7 after Gilchrist won another the toss and for the eighth time in 10 matches, opted to bat first. The wicket had a brownish look which could have prompted the decision.

T. Suman walked out with Gilchrist. Morne Morkel was sent over square leg for a huge six. Munaf Patel was tight but he was on for only one over. Rajasthan had a plan in place for Gilchrist. A packed off-side field and strict line on the middle stump disallowed the cut. Gilchrist in a bid to make use of the field restrictions went for the sweep and missed the line.

Tony Hill made the elementary mistake of going in favour of the bowler when the ball had pitched clearly out side the leg stump.

Suman had already shifted gears. A straight six off Pathan was followed by 10 runs in three balls off Siddarth Trivedi. The youngster got carried away and pulled the next ball down to mid wicket. It was an innings that promised more.

Andrew Symonds did not waste time. He was brutal on Warne. The half way mark suggested satisfactory reading for the Chargers at 77/3.

Vaas promoted ahead of Venugopal and Ravi Teja primarily to counter the left arm spin of Jadeja did his bit, but it was Dwayne Smith who stood out with his timing, each of his four sixes exquisitely executed. The strong batting hand ensured the ball travelled a good distance.

Chargers made two changes. Vaas and Smith came in for Ryan Harris and Herschelle Gibbs while Rajasthan went in with Morkel in place of Harwood.