KKR notch 2nd win on the trot

KKR notch 2nd win on the trot


Media Release For immediate Publication

Kolkata Knight Riders off to a flying start in IPL 2010 with second successive win

Post Match Report: Match- 4: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers, Eden Gardens, 14th March, 2010.

Kolkata, March 14: Riding on a four-wicket haul by Angelo Mathews and 101-run stand between openers man of the match Manoj Tiwary and Brad Hodge, the Kolkata Knight Riders trounced last year’s finalists the Royal Challengers Bangalore, by seven wickets to record their second successive win in IPL 2010 at the Eden Gardens here today.

Chasing 131 for victory, the aggressive Tiwary (29-ball 50; 64, 2x6) and Australian opener Hodge put on the first century opening stand of the IPL 2010 to lay the foundation stone for a grand Kolkata Knight Riders’ show. Tiwary and Hogde hit some daring shots to unsettle the bowling attack of the Royal Challengers Bangalore as Praveen Kumar, Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn and skipper Anil Kumble failed to get an early breakthrough. The Royal Challengers Bangalore in fact, got their first wicket only in the 12h over when Tiwary was caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Roelef Van der Merwe. The solid Hodge, too, was out for 50 (45 balls, 7x4), caught in the deep. Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Sourav Ganguly batted for a 22-ball 23 and was out in the last over. Kolkata Knight Riders, who finished 136/3 in 19.2 overs, have thus made a great start to IPL 2010 after a disastrous bottom-placed performance last season at South Africa.

Early Ganguly’s decision to bowl first paid off as Angelo Mathews (4/19) continued his good run in IPL 2010 and this time he came up with an inspiring spell with the ball to restrict the Royal Challengers Bangalore to a paltry 130 for 7. The Lanka medium-pacer started his wicket-taking spree by dismissing the Indian batting sensation Manish Pandey, who chopped the ball on to his stumps after South African swing bowler had left-handed opener Sreevats Goswami caught at third man. The Royal Challengers Bangalore were in for further shock when Virat Kohli hit left-arm spinner Murali Karthik straight into Mathew’s throat at deep mid wicket. Exciting English left-hander Eoin Morgan failed to impress in his debut match. The left-hander struck one six before he tried to play a reverse sweep and was bowled by a Karthik’s slower delivery. The Royal Challengers Bangalore were thus strangled at 35/4 in 7.2 overs with their hopes now solidly hinging on the experienced pair of Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid. They added 38 runs but Dravid (16-ball 21) dragged a wide delivery to be bowled to give Mathews’ his second wicket.

Meanwhile Ganguly was a busy skipper, as he made the right bowling changes to keep the Kolkata Knight Riders firmly in the driver’s seat. Meanwhile the reliable Kallis, who arrived on the day of the match after playing the domestic cricket in South Africa, accumulated his runs in his usual style though the boundaries were hard to come. Varying the pace with slower deliveries, Angelo Mathews captured two more wickets in his last and fourth over. Robin Uthappa, who tried to rebuild the innings with Kallis, chased a wide delivery from Mathews and was caught behind. Roelef Van der Merwe sliced Mathews uppishly and was held smartly by Hodge at point. Kallis completed his fifth IPL fifty and remained unbeaten with 52-ball 65 (7x4, 1x6).

Kolkata Knight Riders coach Dave Whatmore the man who seemingly has a golden touch as a coach complimented his team for solid performance. "It was a solid team effort," he said.

Skipper Sourav Ganguly said he was impressed with his team's all round performance. “Two victories in two matches is a definitely a good start, after last year” he said.

Royal Challengers captain said Anil Kumble said the wicket was a slow one. “We lost too many wickets upfront and and it is a not great start to the season,” he said.

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