KORBO LODBO JEETBOR RE !!!

Kolkata Knight Riders shock champions Decccan Chargers

in IPL 2010 Season Opener

Mumbai, March 12: Kolkata Knight Riders, who were bottom-placed last year, shocked defending champions the Deccan Chargers by 11 runs in the inaugural match of IPL 2010 at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Friday.

The IPL was back in India and the Sourav Ganguly-led Kolkata Knight Riders rode away to a fantastic victory. After a shaky start in the evening when they were 31 for four, the Kolkata Knght Riders recovered through 130-run unbeaten fifth wicket stand between man of the match Angelo Mathews (65; 46 balls, 5x4, 3x6) and Owasis Shah (58; 46b, 3x4, 3x6). Defending a modest total of 162, KKR restricted the Deccan Chargers to 150/7.

Unlike the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Deccan Chargers were off to a great start as VVS Laxman put on 61 runs in 5.5 overs for the opening wicket with left-hander Adam Gilchrist. Laxman fell to a skier as he tried to clear left-arm spinner Murali Karthik. He was caught and bowled for 14-ball 22.

The busy Gilchrist, who was dropped twice, went on to make 35-ball 54. The former Aussie wicketkeeper-batsman, who slammed 47-ball 109 against Mumbai Indians in 2008, completed his seventh IPL half-century. He reached his 50 with a superb inside-out six to cover region off Brad Hodge. But Hodge had his revenge by having Gilchrist caught at deep mid wicket. Herschelle Gibbs was soon to follow his skipper as he was caught at long off in the next over. The big-hitting Andrew Symonds continued his bad form with the bat. He made five off nine balls before Ishant Sharma had him caught at mid-wicket and Deccan Chargers were suddenly wobbling at 116/4 in 14.1 overs.

The Deccan Chargers, who rode nicely in the first 10 overs, got it all wrong in the next 10 overs. Rohit Sharma was out to a stupid stroke, a forehand tennis shot, after being deceived by a slower one from Mathews, who had a great day in the office. The wickets fell rapidly and the runs dried up. Ganguly’s brilliant captaincy saw the bowlers striking at the crucial phase of the match.

Left-arm medium pacer Chaminda Vaas gave a sensational start to Deccan Chargers and a nightmare start for the Kolkata Knight Riders as he struck with the first delivery of the third edition. Kolkata Knight Riers’s opener Manoj Tiwary holed it out to mid-wicket where Rohit Sharma made no mistake. Then three balls later skipper Sourav Ganguly was snapped at first slip by Anirudh Singh, the former ICL player. A fired-up Vaas had a dream first over 1-1-0-2.

Then the gangling Cheteswar Pujara heaved RP Singh uppishly and was caught at mid-on by Pragyan Ojha. KK were 31 for 3 in 4.4 overs. Jaskaran, the tall Punjab medium pacer, got his first wicket when Hodge (13), one of the top run-getters in Australian domestic circuit, smashed straight to Gibbs, the world’s best fielder, at short point. KK were reduced to 31 for four in 5.1 overs.

The road looked full of obstacles and the Bulls were all charged up. But the England batsman Owasis Shah, who switched sides from Delhi Daredevils to Kolkata Knight Riders in exchange of Australian all-rounder Moises Henriques this season, and the Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews warded off the early danger. They batted steadily and aggressively to take the early momentum away from the Deccan Chargers. Mathews was in punishing mood while Shah preferred to play the anchor’s role with solid batting. The first 10 overs yielded 57 runs. Mathews began shakily with a top-edge six behind the wicketkeeper off Jaskaran. But thereafter, Mathews adjusted to the conditions nicely and began to take a liking to the bowling. Shah also grew in confidence. The Englishmen, too, joined in the run-riot. The next 10 overs saw Knight Riders galloping away to score 104 runs.``I just kept going and needed to create a partnership with Shah,’’ said Mathews after the end of 20 overs. The two stitched 130 runs for the fifth wicket. Shah, who reached his 50 in the 20th over, praised Mathews. ``Full credit to Mathews. He really played well,’’ said Shah.

Vaas, who has retired from Test cricket, returned with fine figures of 2/22 off four overs. But RP Singh and Jaskaran Singh gave away 35 runs each. Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha bowled splendidly, particularly in the middle overs when Mathews and Shah were going great guns. He had the best economic figures of none for 19 in four overs.

Skipper Sourav Ganguly praised Mathews and Shah. ``But we can play better. We dropped a few catches,'' he said.

Chargers captain Gilchrist said that the Kolata Knight Riders played a smart cricket to win the match. ``It is a long way to go. We will come back,'' he said.