IPL CRICKET 2010 - Kolkat Knight Riders Vs Kings XI Punjab

IPL CRICKET 2010

Kolkata Knight Riders Vs Kings XI Punjab

LANKAN KINGS RULE EDEN

Jayawardene, Sangakkara Show The Way

As Preity's Boys Return To Winning Says

Kolkata:Lankan duo of Mahela Jayawardne (110 off 59 balls ) and Kumar Sangakkara came good just in time to pull off an incredible eight-wicket victory and earn a sweet revenge against the Kolkata Knight Riders who beat them at their den in Mohali during their last meeting.

           Although the win did not lift the Punjab outfit in the points table, but it dented a huge blow to the KKR's semifinal hopes. KKR coach Dav Whatmore's fears ultimately came true as the Kings' men proved to be a party spoiler against them at the Eden Gardens on Sunday. 

          Very few must have expected this result after Chris Gayle's hurricane 42-ball 88 runs innings saw KKR reach the highest IPL total at the Eden Gardins and became the first team to score 200 runs at the venue after skipper Sourav Ganguly elected to bat.

        But the 98-run second wicket partnership between Jayawardne, who came in place of injured Shaun Marsh, and Sangakkara took the match away from the Knights.

        KXIP's second victory in this IPL came as welcome relief for a team pegged by reports of internal rift and low on morale after successive defeats. KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan must be a dejected man as he rushed back from Sepang after Formula One only to see his players being sent on a leather hunt as captain Ganguly tried out seven bowlers to stop the onslaught but in vain.

        It was a sublime batting display by the Lankans who paced their partnership so well on a slow wicket where stroke making was not that easy. Instead of going for the aerial route, the two started playing in the gaps and put the pressure on the Knights by taking quick singles. And in between they hit the boundaries to keep the required run tare always under control.

        It was a T20 baptism by fire for Saurashtra under-19 player Jaydev Unadkat who gave away 32 runs in his 2.2 overs. Although skipper Sangakkara perished late in the chase for 38, Yuvraj Singh came good hitting 16-ball 33 runs as Man-of-the-Match Jayawardene remained unbeaten on 110 (59b, 4x14, 3x6) to seal the issue.

        Earlier Gayle, who had not really fired in this IPL so far, Lived up to the faith being imposed on him by the team amnagement who preferred him ahead of New Zealand's Brendon Mc Cullum.

      The West Indies opener began quietly, playing second fiddle to in-form Ganguly after the skipper won the toss and elected to bat.

       Ganguly once again gave the side a good start and looked good for another big one after his 88-run innings in the last match against the Deccan Charters. But his soft dismissal, being caught and bowled by Ravi Bopara for 36, suddenly saw KXIP's Ravi Bopara and Ramesh Powar put the screw on the runflow.

         It was then that the big West Indian decided to rise from his slumber. He hit Bopara for four consecutive sixes in the 13th over of the innings which yielded 33 runs, the highest so far in this IPL and virtually took over the reins of the match.