Thu, 19 May 2011 - IP Pune vs IP Kolkata, IPL 2011, 65th Match - Bulletin

All-round Kolkata humble Pune

All the headlines in build up to this game belonged to Sourav Ganguly, playing against his old team Kolkata that decided not to pick him in auction earlier this year, but encounter turned out to be between the two sides with one much superior than other in the end. Pune was simply listless in all three departments failing to match strong and passionate Kolkata even in single department of the game.

Kolkata rounded off a target of 119 in 17th over without many jitters as skipper Gautam Gambhir anchored the chase with all the calm and class in the world to almost seal a place in play-offs for his side. Gambhir was well supported by two breezy knocks from Manoj Tiwary and Yusuf Pathan to back up their bowlers, spinners in particular, which were brilliant in restricting home team to a low score.

Alfonso Thomas removed Sherwat Goswami in the first ball but it was only real joy for home team in the field as Gambhir, opening the innings in absence of Jacques Kallis who sustained a finger injury while fielding, alongwith Tiwary to shut any chances of Pune miracle.

Gambhir remained undefeated on a 46-ball 45 punctuated with seven hits to the fence while Tiwary and Pathan went not before decent scores of 24 (24 balls) and 29 (25) respectively. Game, though, was won thanks to a superb all-round bowling performance which made life difficult for Pune and led to their poor performance.

Yet again Pune got their batting order deep with their muscle in the shape of Robin Uthappa and Yuvraj Singh batting at number five and six respectively. Certainly, a waste of power hitters considering the nature of the format. Pune were not helped by a turner of a pitch at DY Patil stadium and Kolkata had an army of spin bowlers to make most of the conditions.

Throughout the Pune innings, none of their batsmen could master the pitch as they struggled to get big shots away against disciplined and well thought-out bowling effort. Comprehending the pitch conditions, Gambhir employed his spin arsenal to the good effect, so much so, pacer Laxmipathy Balaji was only required for the last over.

If visiting side’s bowling was brilliant, Pune batsmen were equally bereft of a plan to handle them. At no point Pune batsmen were able to dominate Kolkata with most of them getting starts only to through their wickets away when they needed to kick on.

Pune’s beginning to the proceedings was very poor with opener Jesse Ryder having a brain fade hitting Pathan aimlessly straight to long-on’s throat. Manish, though, showed glimpses of what he possesses by hitting two classical boundaries but was undone by Iqbal Abdulla’s well disguised delivery that came with the arm to have batsman plumb infront of the stumps.

What followed was much awaited and talked about arrival of Sourav Ganguly, playing his former franchise, arrival at the crease but even he couldn’t change the course of the innings. While his partner Callum Ferguson was fluent and busy, the former Indian skipper scratched around looking the batsman who lacked match practice.

Pune’s trouble just got deeper when Shaqibul Hassan’s bowled a peach of ball that bounced and zipped past the charging Callum to see wicketkeeper Goswami whipping the bails. There was a piece of vintage Ganguly when left-hander charged down the wicket to deposit Abdulla over log-on boundary but either side of that shot there was nothing from Ganguly, eventually falling to Shaqibul for scratchy 22-ball 18.

Yuvraj and Uthappa also were tied down by impressive Kolkata as boundaries dried up and run rate never crossing six runs an over mark. Pune skipper did score 24 but consumed 26 balls and there was a breezy cameo fro debutant Sachin Rana who hit 2 fours in his 16-ball 18.

Balaji bowled a superb last over conceding only seven runs and getting a brace of wickets including that of Yuvraj. Eleven overs from Kolkata spinners just cost them 51 runs emphasizing their complete domination with Yusuf getting two wickets.

All the talk of Ganguly playing against his old team fizzled out as clinical Kolkata outplayed Pune with ‘prince’ of Kolkata failing to give prince-like performance.