Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kochi Tuskers Kerala

Kochi Tuskers Kerala (KTK) put on a lacklustre display against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the first innings of an Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter. The match, being played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 20 April, 2011, saw the Tuskers restricted to a meager 132 runs by the brilliant bowling of Yusuf Pathan.

KKR, after winning the toss, decided to put KTK into bat. Brendon McCullum and skipper Mahela Jayawardene opened the innings for the KTK and provided a blistering start of 49 runs with an average of seven runs per over. Both played exceptionally well and smashed the KKR bowlers all around the park.

The opening partnership was broken when McCullum was caught by Eoin Morgan off the bowling of Shakib Al Hasan. The Kiwi made 23 runs facing just 19 balls and smashed two fours and a six.

PA Patel came into bat as a one-down batsman. After the addition of just two runs to the total, Jayawardene was sent back to the pavilion. He was caught plumb in front of the wickets and was declared LBW after being bowled by Yusuf Pathan. He scored 25 runs from 27 balls and smashed five boundaries.

Once the captain’s wicket fell, right handed batsman, Brad Hodge, came into the middle to bat. The Aussie could not impress with the bat and after scoring just two runs off eight balls, he was clean bowled by Yusuf Pathan. RA Jadeja was the next man in and tried to establish the KTK’s innings but his senior partner on the crease could not support him for long and became the next victim of Yusuf Pathan’s off-spin. He was also judged LBW after scoring just nine runs from 11 balls.

KTK lost their four top order batsmen for just 65 runs and came under an immense pressure. However, Jadeja stood tall in front of the KKR’s bowlers to stablise KTK’s innings but none of the remaining middle order and lower middle order batsmen support him and the Tuskers kept on losing wickets at regular intervals.

Jadeja was out in the 16^th over after playing a handy knock of 29 runs off just 18 balls and claiming three huge sixes. After the wicket of Jadeja none of the KTK’s batsmen could even cross the 15 run mark. KM Jadhav scored 12 runs and was clean bowled by Al Hasan. Similarly R Vinay Kumar was sent back to the pavilion by Al Hasan after scoring 11 runs.

At the end of 20 overs, KTK managed to score 132 runs for the loss of seven wickets and asked KKR to chase the target with an average of 6.60 runs per over.

Yusuf Pathan was the pick of the bowlers for KKR and picked up three wickets for 20 runs and one maiden. Similarly Shakib Al Hasan also took three wickets and gave away 28 runs. 

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Gambhir takes defeat to Kochi as an eye-opener for batsmen

Kolkata Knight Riders’ captain Gautam Gambhir has said that the KKR’s narrow six-run defeat to Kochi Tuskers Kerala will prove to be an eye-opener for the middle-order batsmen, who are yet to show their magic in the Indian Premier League.

Kochi Tuskers thrashed the leading season IV side, Kolkata Knight Riders, on Wednesday. Chasing Kerala’s modest total of 132 runs, Gambhir and company could only manage to reach 126 for nine in 20 overs.

Manoj Tiwary, with his 46 runs, was the only batsman who showed some resistance against the Kochi bowlers. However, he could not take the side home single-handedly. All top Kolkata batsmen including Gambhir, Jacques Kallis, Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan were not able to reach even in the double figures.

Describing the poor middle-order batting as the biggest cause of team's humiliating defeat at the hands of Mahela Jayawardene-led Kochi outfit, Gambhir said, "It was a complete batting failure. The wicket was much better and we could have chased easily.”

Gambhir expressed that the team got a lot of depth in its batting order. The captain explained that with hard-hitters like Yusuf and Eoin Morgan in the lower order, Kolkata outfit has loads of talent in its line-up. However, the batsmen just need to realize their responsibility.

"Our middle order is not tested yet and I am sure this will serve a good wake up call for them. It`s not going to be one person`s day every day. Someone needs to put his hands up say it`s my day and take the team forward,” the skipper added.

Deploring on his batsmen’s not-so-impressive performance, the captain, however, admired the bowlers for restricting Kochi XI on a small total, especially after their flying start.

The Knight Riders are leading the IPL standings with their three wins out of five games. Considering the defeat as unfortunate, the skipper stated that the team can take a lot of positives out from this loss.

Gambhir made it clear that the side has done extremely well so far in the tournament. The classy left-hand batsman further hoped that the players would take the defeat just as a bad day, and show up with an improved performance in the upcoming games.

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JAMIE SIDDONS FEELS WC 2011 MEMORIES HAUNTED HIS SIDE AGAINST AUSTRALIA

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Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons feels ICC World Cup 2011 memories haunted his side against Australia

Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons feels his team might have been haunted by the bad memories of the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2011 as the hosts failed to chase Australia’s 270-run total in the opening One Day International of the three-match series.

The Bengali Tigers, while chasing a gettable 270-run total, fell 60 runs short of their target.

“It's difficult; 58 and 78 [against West Indies and South Africa in the ICC World Cup 2011] were really playing on the batsmen's minds,” said Siddons while talking to the media reporters. “Particularly once we lost No. 2, 3 and 4; the memory banks kick in pretty quickly for our guys.”

In an attempt to set a platform for the chase, Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan- the two hard-hitting batsmen of the home side- played one of the most cautious innings of their careers. Tamim, who was recently named as Wisden’s cricketer of the year, compiled 62 runs off 89 balls while the skipper Shakib took 90 balls to score 51.

“Shakib didn't really have a lot of answers for me when he came off as to why they went so slow, other than the wicket was very difficult. I didn't like the running between wickets, didn't like them walking between wickets,” said the Bangladesh coach.

He also rued the decision of taking the batting Powerplay after 45 overs and said that they should have taken the third Powerplay when the two experienced batsmen Tamim and Shakib were on the crease.

Siddons admitted that his side lacks experience. He added that the current Bangladesh team does not have any Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting or Kumara Sangakkara to guide them.

Siddons’ term with the Bangladesh cricket team ends at the end of the ongoing three-match series and he will be informed about his future with the side by Monday following a board meeting.

The next match of the series will be played at the same venue on Monday, 11 April, 2011.

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