Bailey blasts Kings XI past Mumbai

George Bailey blasted an unbeaten 61 to lead Kings XI Punjab to an 18-run victory that keeps Ricky Ponting's Mumbai Indians winless in the Indian Premier League.

Bailey, squeezed out of Australia's World Cup XI by Michael Clarke, showed his class by hitting three sixes and four boundaries in a 32-ball 61 that guided his side to 5-177, despite Glenn Maxwell falling at No.3 for just six.

Mitchell Johnson then won his personal battle against fellow World Cup teammate Aaron Finch, bowling the Australia opener with his second ball with a full and fast delivery that pitched and straightened to cannon into Finch's off-stump.

"I was pleased with our bowlers, we deserved to win by more because they were outstanding," Bailey said at the post-match presentations.

"Every team knows this is a long race and you have to be consistent, we still have plenty of work to do. It is always important to celebrate a win so I am sure a cold drink will be found somewhere."

Finch faced 14 balls for his eight runs and seemed rooted to the crease, his front foot barely twitching as an attempt at a booming drive left a huge gap for the straightening delivery to sail through.

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Johnson celebrates after bowling Finch // BCCI

Mumbai's top order collapsed. By the time Johnson had his second wicket, Mumbai were reduced to 5-46 after 11.5 overs.

Some late-order hitting from Harbhajan Singh, who blasted a 24-ball 64, kept things close but the reality is Ponting has much work to do after his side turned in a second successive below-par performance as they reached 7-159 from their 20.

Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma put Kings XI into bat and openers Virender Sehwag and Murali Vijay were off to a rollicking start as they raced to 57 by the end of the powerplay.

Mumbai's spinners, led by Harbhajan's 2-20, helped stem the flow, and Maxwell strode out at No.3. His stint at the Wankhede, however, was shorter than his five-ball stay in their opening game against Rajasthan.

Maxwell helped himself to a couple of singles to get off the mark, before a rank poor delivery from IPL debutant Jagadeesha Suchith was swept hard past the diving Vinay Kumar for a four behind square. And then he got out off the next.

In an attempt to dominate the youngster, Maxwell slog-swept an away turning delivery across the line but failed to find the middle of the ball. It popped up nicely for the deep mid-wicket to claim the catch.

While Maxwell failed again, Bailey had a fruitful time at the crease. Having admitted after the last game he had erred by pushing himself down the order against Rajasthan, Bailey walked in at five, at around the halfway stage in the innings. And by the time he was done, he had ensured Punjab hadn’t frittered away that good start the openers had provided them.

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Bailey hits out during his innings // BCCI 

The Punjab captain had played 22 IPL games before this one. And his previous best was an unbeaten 40 that he had got last year, which seemed an anomaly for a cricketer who had made his Twenty20 International debut before he played any other format.

By the time the Punjab innings had ended, he had set that record straight hitting his maiden IPL half-century, a knock of 61 that came from just 32 balls.

Mumbai's reply stalled at the start once Sandeep Sharma’s banana inswing breached Rohit’s defences second ball. He missed it completely and was trapped plumb in front.

Sandeep would go on to bowl his four in one spell and it was a performance that laid the foundation of a Punjab win. He ended with figures of 1-12 from his quota, as the Mumbai batsmen found themselves at sea facing up to his alarming movement obtained from impeccable lines and lengths.

Brought on at first change for the sixth over of the innings, Johnson got his first ball to swing back and hit Finch on his pads, but it was shaping down the leg-side.

The umpire was not needed the next delivery. Frustrated at being tied down, Finch went for a full-bloodied drive, found air and was bowled. Johnson finished a wicket maiden and Mumbai ended the Powerplay on 3-17.

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George Bailey and Ricky Ponting speak after the match // BCCI

He came back with another brilliant over, the ninth, that tied the usually aggressive Pollard and allowed just a single off it before returning to pick up his second wicket in his third.

Ambati Rayudu nicked a full-ball from Johnson to the keeper after taking a step down the pitch, Corey Anderson was declared out stumped off Axar Patel.

Facing one of the biggest defeats in IPL history, Harbhajan's hitting brought them within range of an unlikely upset.

When Mumbai lost Pollard as their sixth, they were in need of 119 runs from 38 balls. Harbhajan hit six sixes and five fours in his 24-ball innings and left many of the 21,000 home-town fans wondering what might have been if the top-order had held their ground.