Kolkata, April 7: Skipper Sourav Ganguly led from the front to steer Kolkata Knight Riders to a morale-boasting 14-run win over Delhi Daredevils in Match 39 of the IPL-2010 at Eden Gardens here on Wednesday. Kolkata Knight Riders rode away to 181/3 and then contained Delhi Daredevils to 167/8.
After making a brilliant 46-ball 56, Ganguly’s fielding inspired Kolkata Knight Riders spirits to record their fifth win from ten matches. But the home side remained at the sixth spot behind Chennai Super Kings with 10 points. Despite the shock defeat, Delhi Daredevils were in the second position with 12 points from ten matches.
Medium pacer Ashok Dinda rocked Delhi Daredevils with the fifth ball when he uprooted left-hander David Warner’s off stump. Then Kolkata Knight Riders believed that they had the danger man Virender Sehwag caught behind off Dinda but umpire Rudi Koertzen turned down the confident appeal.
Sehwag and skipper Gautam Gambhir repaired the early damage with a 99-run stand for the second wicket. The left-handed Gambhir (47 off 29 balls; 6x4, 1x6) looked in great touch but he ran himself out while going for a quick single. Ganguly’s accurate throw from mid-off had a desperate Gambhir short of crease at the non-striker’s end. This was the fourth time that Gambhir was run out this season.
Carom ball bowler Ajantha Mendis removed the England all-rounder Paul Collingwood, who was caught in the deep for 2. Kolkata Knight Riders were back in the match. But Sehwag cruised away to a 34-ball 50. He indulged in big hitting that put Kolkata Knight Riders on the back foot.
Seasoned campaigner Ajit Agarkar brought life into Kolkata Knight Riders’ camp by shattering Sehwag’s stumps. The opener made 40-ball 64 (6x4, 3x6) to put Delhi Daredevils in a spot of trouble at 134/4. The match turned in the home side’s favour when Mendis dismissed Kedar Jadhav, caught splendidly by Ganguly at short covers (144/5). Delhi Daredevils lost their sixth wicket as Maharoof was bowled by left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla in the next over. There was no looking back for Kolkata Knight Riders who cantered home easily. Dinda and Mendis were the most successful bowlers with two wickets each.
Earlier, Ganguly meant business as he hit New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori for three fours in his first over. Chris Gayle made a subdued start before he opened out against leg-spinner Amit Mishra’s second over, striking two fours and one six. The West Indies captain raced away to 21-ball 40 (5x4, 2x6) before he was deceived by a slower one from Rajat Bhatia to be bowled. But Gayle had done his job by putting on 94 runs in 10.2 overs for the opening wicket with Ganguly. The Kolkata Knight Riders skipper, who reached his 50 off 42 balls, followed Gayle ten runs later. Vettori bowled Ganguly for 56 (46b, 8x4, 1x6). New Zealand master blaster Brendon McCullum, who joined Kolkata Knight Riders team last week, made a less than interesting start to his outing in IPL-3. He lasted seven balls for his six before being run out. Kolkata Knight Riders slipped to 111/3.
However, Manoj Tiwary (18-ball 26) and Angelo Mathews (28-ball 46) took Kolkata Knight Riders to a good 181/3. Tiwary and Mathews were involved in an enterprising 70 runs in 41 deliveries partnership for the fourth wicket. Mishra, the Purple Cap holder, went wicketless today and gave away 41 runs in four overs. Vettori who was expensive in the first over, came back strongly to end up with fine figures of 1/30.
Kolkata Knight Riders made some important changes to the team. The dashing New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum was drafted into the team. But pace bowler Shane Bond was not included. Ajantha Mendis played his first match of this season. Left-arm spinner Murali Kartik was injured and did not play today. There was no Ashish Nehra in the Delhi Daredevils team.
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