Andrew Symonds starred with bat and ball as the Deccan Chargers defeated the Delhi Daredevils by 10 runs in the Indian Premier League in Cuttack.
Rohit Sharma top-scored with a belligerent 45 and Symonds made 35, while Herschelle Gibbs (31) and Tirumalasetti Suman (29 not out) chipped in with useful contributions in the Chargers' total of 6-171 after Adam Gilchrist chose to bat first.
David Warner weighed in with a fiery 57 and Dinesh Karthik made 46, but Symonds claimed 3-21 and the Daredevils lost their nerve in a close finish, eventually falling short.
The Chargers kept their run-rate up despite suffering a blow in the first over and losing wickets regularly thereafter.
Karthik, the Daredevils' stand-in skipper, began with spin and leg-break bowler Amit Mishra had opener Monish Sharma bowled for one in the first over with the new ball.
But Gibbs, who replaced Monish, tore into Dirk Nannes, smashing the fast bowler for a six and two boundaries in the second over as the Chargers exploded into action.
Gilchrist too joined the party and blasted his way to a 14-delivery 24 - an innings dotted with four boundaries and a six - but Karthik persisted with spin and was rewarded when Sarabjit Ladda scalped Gilchrist.
Runs continued to flow after Symonds and Gibbs came together, the duo adding 28 together, before Gibbs was snared by Yogesh Nagar.
Symonds then fell soon after and the Chargers lost their way somewhat, but Rohit and Suman upped the tempo at the death and the Chargers sped past the 150-run mark.
Rohit spanked Umesh Yadav for a six and two fours in the 17th over and blasted Moises Henriques for two sixes in the next - 32 runs coming from those two overs alone.
Warner gave the Daredevils' chase an excellent start and had reached 29 before opening partner Virender Sehwag had even faced a ball.
Sehwag proved lacklustre and fell for three, but AB de Villiers, who was excellent in the field earlier on, revived the innings with a knock of 27.
Both Warner and De Villiers fell in quick succession and the Daredevils' challenge then withered, leaving Karthik fighting a lone battle.
The Daredevils were left needing 37 from the last three overs and Karthik brought that target down by hammering leg-spinner Rahul Sharma for 17, but Symonds returned in the 19th to snare Karthik and the Daredevils fell short.