IPL 2012: Kolkata Knight Riders Surge Into Top Spot

IPL 2012: Kolkata Knight Riders Surge Into Top Spot

Brendon McCullum's half-century helped set up a win for the Kolkata Knight Riders

©REUTERS / Action Images

Kolkata Knight Riders 154-4 (McCullum 56) beat
Delhi Daredevils 153-9 (I Pathan 36) by 6 wickets
Indian Premier League 2012, Delhi
Scorecard

In a top-of-the-table Indian Premier League 2012 clash, Kolkata Knight Riders beat Delhi Daredevils by six wickets, chasing down a target of 154 to win at the Feroz Shah Kotla.

This means that the Daredevils, still on 16 points, have been unseated from their top position and Kolkata now lead with 17 points.

Delhi won the toss and elected to bat first. Virender Sehwag was partnered by David Warner on his return from the Caribbean and they put on 40 for the first wicket. Sehwag was first out, not before making 23 off only nine balls and taking possession of the Orange Cap.

He hit three fours and one six. Warner was joined by Mahela Jayawardene, who had a slight altercation with Kolkata skipper Gautam Gambhir over an caught behind appeal that was not given out.

Warner, meanwhile, was out for 21 off 19 balls, with two fours and one six. At that stage the score read 49 for two in the sixth over.

Ross Taylor came out to bat next, completing Delhi’s heavy top order and added 46 runs with Jayawardene for the third wicket. Their partnership was broken in the 13th over when a pumped up Gambhir ran out Jayawardene. He made 30 off 27 balls with three fours and one six.

From 95 for three, it seemed a perfect launch pad for Delhi but they missed Kevin Pietersen sorely as Kolkata tightened the noose hereon. The scoring rate was strangled and wickets started falling at regular intervals.

Taylor, woefully out of form, made 16 runs off 27 balls as Naman Ojha and Yogesh Nagar followed him back to the hut soon after. Delhi’s lower order was held together by Irfan Pathan who came good with the bat, scoring a useful 36 off 22 balls. He hit four fours and one six, enabling Delhi reach 153 for nine.

For Kolkata, Jacques Kallis took two for 20 and Sunil Narine finished with two for 23 from their respective four overs.

Gambhir and Brendon McCullum then gave Kolkata a terrific start. The duo put on 68 runs in seven overs before the former was bowled by Varun Aaron on his return from injury. He scored 36 runs off 21 balls wih four fours and one six.

McCullum went on to complete his half-century and was joined by Kallis as they scored 60 runs for the 2nd wicket. It took away any hopes Delhi had of making a comeback into the match, though they did have a glimmer of hope when Umesh Yadav removed both off successive balls in the 16th over.

McCullum made 56 off 44 balls, with seven fours. Kallis was out for 30, his runs coming off 27 balls and including three fours.

From 128 for three, it wasn’t a tough task and despite losing Manoj Tiwary, Kolkata cantered home with eight balls to spare and surged to the top of the table.

© Cricket World 2012