A spectacular run-chase by the Kolkata Knight Riders stunned the Chennai Super Kings by seven wickets in a thrilling last-ball finish at the Super Sport Park on Monday. After Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni powered the Super Kings to 188-3, Brendon McCullum came out with all guns blazing, smashing a 48-ball 81. Brad Hodge finished the job for the Knight Riders by plundering an unbeaten 71 that came off just 44 balls. Chennai now have to win their next game against the Kings XI Punjab to be guaranteed a semi-final spot.

Scores:

Chennai Super Kings innings (20 overs maximum)
PA Patel       run out (Shukla)     25
GJ Bailey     run out (Hodge)     30
SK Raina      c Shukla b Dinda     52
MS Dhoni     not out                      40
JA Morkel   not out                       21
Extras     (b 4, lb 3, w 13)     20

Total     (3 wickets; 20 overs)     188

Fall of wickets: 1-59, 2-78, 3-152

Bowling: AB Dinda:4-0-29-1-7.25, Anureet Singh:1-0-12-0-12.00, AB Agarkar:4-0-45-0-11.25, M Kartik:3-0-27-0-9.00, BJ Hodge:2-0-12-0-6.00, A Mendis:4-0-38-0-9.50, DJ Hussey:2-0-18-0-9.00

Kolkata Knight Riders innings (target: 189 runs from 20 overs)
BB McCullum     b Jakati                                  81
SC Ganguly         b Muralitharan                      4
BJ Hodge             not out                                    71
DJ Hussey           run out (Murali/Dhoni)     3
WP Saha               not out                                   25
Extras     (lb 4, nb 1)     5

Total     (3 wickets; 20 overs)     189

Fall of wickets:1-34, 2-124, 3-133

Bowling:JA Morkel:3-0-39-0-13.00, S Tyagi:3-0-29-0-9.66, M Muralitharan:4-0-16-1-4.00, SB Jakati:4-0-36-1-9.00, SK Raina:3-0-25-0-8.33, L Balaji:3-0-40-0-13.33

Player of the match: BJ Hodge (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Tags: Albie Morkel, Brad Hodge, Brendon McCullum, Chennai Super Kings Vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai vs Kolkata, David Hussey, George Bailey, IPL 2009 News, IPL Scores, IPL Updates, L Balaji, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Shadab Jakati, Shah Rukh Khan, Suresh Raina

Related posts

• NZ Vs India Second test Preview (0)
• Deccan Chargers Vs Mumbai Indians: MI looking to stop DC win (0)
• Deccan Chargers Vs Rajasthan Royals: Rajasthan beat Deccan Chargers (0)
• Dravid among Champions trophy probables (0)
• Dilshan and Raina led their Teams to success (0)

Ross Taylor smashed an unbeaten half-century as the Royals Challengers Bangalore kept themselves in contention for an Indian Premier League semi-final spot with a six-wicket victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Taylor’s 81 off 33 deliveries overshadowed an unbeaten 84 off 64 from Brendon McCullum, which had helped the Knight Riders reach 173 for four after being asked to take first strike.

David Hussey chipped in with a knock of 43 from 27 deliveries and put on 70 runs for the third wicket with McCullum, but Taylor stole the show.

The Royal Challengers began their chase confidently with openers Jacques Kallis (32) and Jesse Ryder (22) putting on 58 for the opening wicket in fairly good time.

McCullum used five bowlers inside the first six overs but the duo had smashed 46 in the powerplays when Murali Karthik halted the scoring with a tidy spell and a brace of wickets.

The left-arm spinner first sent back Kallis, although the wicket came more through a brilliant catch from McCullum at short cover.

Robin Uthappa was his second victim – caught in the deep – and when Ryder fell to Ajit Agarkar shortly after, the Royal Challengers’ line-up was in danger of unravelling.

But Taylor went on the attack immediately, clubbing Karthik for consecutive sixes in the bowler’s final over and hitting Angelo Mathews for successive boundaries in the next over.

Taylor dragged the Royal Challengers back on course with a 48-run stand for the third wicket with Rahul Dravid and continued to hit boundaries at will after Dravid’s fall in the 16th over.

The Royal Challengers needed 94 from the last eight overs but Taylor reduced the gap to 55 from the last five and 21 from the last two overs, and eventually to five from the last over. He then brought up victory with a six, as the Royal Challengers reached their target with four deliveries to spare, and with Mark Boucher not out on 13.

Tags: Anil Kumble, Bangalore Royal Challengers, Bangalore Vs Kolkata, Brendon McCullum, David Hussey, IPL 2009 News, IPL Scores, IPL Updates, Jacques Kallis, Jesse Ryder, Mark Boucher, Murali Karthik, Rahul Dravid, Robin Uthappa, Ross Taylor, Royal Challengers Vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Shah Rukh Khan, Vijay Mallya

Related posts

• Delhi Daredevils Vs Rajasthan Royals: Rajasthan won by 5 wickets (0)
• Deccan Chargers Vs Mumbai Indians: Deccan Chargers Top IPL II with win over Mumbai (0)
• Royal Challengers Vs Rajasthan Royals: RC won toss, opt to bat (0)
• Squad announced for ODI series against Australia (0)
• Rajasthan Royals dropped Kaif (0)

Delhi Daredevils’ winning streak is unlikely to face much challenge from a battered Kolkata Knight Riders when the two sides square off in an Indian Premier League match on Sunday.

Daredevils and Knight Riders faced each other for the first time in the competition on Tuesday and Brendon McCullum’s men, without a win for the past seven matches, were completely outplayed by the Delhi side.

With a semi-final berth out of bounds for Kolkata, the team would be playing to restore some of the lost pride against a side which has emerged as a strong contender for the title with its consistent show.

Such has been Delhi’s domination that it has remained unaffected by a bowler of Glenn McGrath’s stature being reduced to a bench-warmer.

Skipper of England’s Twenty20 World Championship squad Paul Collingwood came and left without padding up even once but Delhi remain unfazed.

Little-known pacer Dirk Nannes has done the job for it with the ball and Delhi have been more than happy to give him a spot in the playing XI ahead of McGrath.

Collingwood, meanwhile, never seemed required in a line-up that already boasts of Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, David Warner and Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Kolkata, on the other hand, are in desperate search for that one match winner who can turn things around for the beleaguered side, which lies at the bottom of the table. The pressure of captaincy seems to have silenced McCullum’s bat significantly and Sourav Ganguly too has not come up with anything extraordinary so far.

The explosive Chris Gayle is gone and the only positive development for the side in a while is the availability of Australian David Hussey, who is expected to be inducted immediately into the struggling line-up.

Poor batting has meant that the bowlers have had very little role to play in deciding Kolkata’s fortunes even though the likes of Ishant Sharma have not done too bad.

On current form, Delhi, semi-finalists last year, are certain to make the cut even this time around. In contrast, Kolkata are fighting a grim battle to avoid being at the bottom of the heap.

The contrasting form makes Delhi overwhelming favourites on Sunday and it would be nothing short of a stunner if Kolkata manage to pull off an elusive win.

Tags: Brendon McCullum, David Hussey, David Warner, Delhi Daredevils Vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Vs Kolkata, Dilshan, Gautam Gambir, Glen McGrath, IPL 2009, IPL 2009 News, IPL Scores, IPL Updates, Michael Hussey, Nannes, Paul Collingwood, Shah Rukh Khan, Sourav Ganguly

Related posts

• Tit-Bits: India Vs New Zealand, Day 4, Final Test, Wellington (0)
• Chennai Super Kings Vs Kings XI Punjab: Chennai makes it to the semis (0)
• Royal Challengers Vs Rajasthan Royals: Rajasthan hopes to take revenge on Bangalore (0)
• Tit-Bits: Kings XI first team to hit 102 sixes in IPL (0)
• Royal Challengers Vs Mumbai Indians: Mumbai won toss, elect to bat (0)