KKR win to keep their hopes alive

The possibilities in the Group B viz-a-viz semi-final lineup were thrown wide open after Kolkata Knight Riders defeated group leaders Warriors by 22 runs as per Duckworth Lewis (D/L) method at Chinnaswamy stadium, Bangalore. Kolkata were going great guns in their pursuit of Warrriors’ target of 156, with scoreboard reading 83 for one at the end of nine overs.

Kolkata’s march towards the victory was intervened by rain with IPL side ahead by 22 run according to D/L calculations. The comfortable victory gives Kolkata four points in as many games with a slight advantage in the net run rate. Kolkata’s fortunes now rest on performance of its group mates.

Skipper Gautam Gambhir and opener Jacques Kallis put Kolkata on course with an unbeaten 48-run stand off 33 balls for the second wicket. Both the classic batsmen unleashed some glorious strokes to punish Warriors’ bowlers who failed to hit right lines and lengths.

Gambhir hit three fours and one six in his unbeaten 33 off 23 while Kallis took only 19 balls for 31 punctuated with three fours and a six.

Things could have been altogether different, though had Kallis and Gambhir not being dropped once each early in their innings. Unlike a South African side, Warriors fielded poorly to give far too many easy runs to Kolkata batsmen.

The openers had started the chase in a rapid fashion with Manvinder Bisla hitting two fours and six over point in a quick 35-run stand with Kallis. The wicketkeeper batsman failed to kick on falling Wayne Parnell for 19 off 12 balls.

Earlier, a solid eighty run stand for the second wicket between opener JJ Smuts and Collin Ingram (61 runs) and breezy knock of 38 from wicketkeeper Mark Boucher took Warriors past 150. After losing Ashwell Prince, who was castled by Kallis, cheaply, Smuts and Ingram played some delightful strokes to lay strong platform for Boucher to provide the innings the late charge.

Smuts continued on his good form with the bat hitting half a dozen fours on his way to a 43-ball 46 and engaged himself with left hander Ingram to guide Warriors’ progress. Ingram was aggressor of the two going for big shots regularly as duo took only 61 balls for eighty runs.

Smuts was dismissed L Balaji when batsman miscued an attempted pull shot for Iqbal Abdulla to take a well judged catch at mid-off. It brought Boucher to the crease who took his time before playing a couple of cheeky shots off Kallis to provide impetus to the scoring.

Ingram slammed three sixes and as many fours during his 47-ball stay at the crease slowed down after he got his fifty. Boundaries dried up for Warriors between 15th to the 18th over which resulted in Ingram’s wicket. The Ingram-Boucher stand yielded 46 but consumed 40 balls.

The seasoned campaigner Boucher found two boundaries each in 19th and final over to add some quick runs. He remained unbeaten on a 27-ball 47 including five fours.Lee was good with the ball tonight conceding only 25 in his allotted four overs and claimed Ingram’s wicket.