An all-round performance by Rajasthan Royals helped them win their second match in a row as they defeat Kolkata Knight Riders by 22 runs in the IPL at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium here this evening. And the credit goes to Brad Hodge (44), local lad Ashok Menaria (40) and Kevon Cooper (3 for 28).
Chasing a target of 165 runs, Knight Riders could manage to score 142 runs all out in 20 overs. Knight Riders started badly and they lost three consecutive wickets in a row for just 8 runs.
First of all Jaques Kallis (5) was sent back to pavilion by Amit Singh on the fifth ball of the second over and in the very next ball KKR lost their skipper Gautam Gambhir (0).
In the third over, the hosts got the better off dangerous Brendon McCullum who was leg before out by pacer Ankeet Chavan. Only Manoj Tiwari could resist to the opponent bowlers making
59 runs off 49 balls.
Apart from him, all other batsman failed to play big innings. Tiwari and Brett Lee (25) tried hard to make the match alive for the visitors as the Australian pacer score 19 runs in the 18th over of the innings with two sixes and one fours and three singles but in the next over West Indies’ Cooper bowled Lee out
to turn the match again in the favor of the hosts. In the next ball, Cooper bowled Sunil Narine to make it 132
for nine for KKR.
After two consecutive two wickets, Knight Riders once again came under pressure and almost the match gone from their hands.Cooper was the main destroyer grabbing three wickets for 28 while Chavan, Amit Singh and S Trivedi took two wickets each. J Botha chipped in with one wicket.
Earlier, a brilliant 64-run partnership between Hodge and Menaria helped Rajasthan to make a competitive total of of 164 runs for five after KKR asked them to bat first.
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