Tuskers trample Riders

Great bowling performances by Raiphi, Prashant, Sreeshant and V Kumar made Kochi win.

A glorious 22 runs off the last over of Brett Lee by fellow Aussie Brad Hodge lifted Kochi to a respectable 156. Hodge hit Lee for two sixes and two fours in the last over. That over made all the difference, admitted Gambhir after the match, as Kochi triumphed by 17 runs.

Earlier Eoin Morgan's half century went in vain as the Tuskers trampled upon the Knights with a clinical bowling and fielding performance.

Y Pathan, Gambhir, Kallis all perished in the run chase. Kallis had his stumps shattered by a slow leg cutter from Raiphi and in the next ball Gambhir was out to Raiphi. Kolkotta 69/0 at one stage with Kallis and Morgan going strong were 69/2. Raiphi had brought Kochi back into the match.

Morgan slammed 8 fours and 2 sixes in a blistering display of batting, hitting the Kochi bowlers to all parts of the field. Morgan took the attack to the bowler's end, as the fall of the two wickets did not deter him. Morgan clobbered R P for a four and a six then blasted V Kumar for two fours. Morgan broke the shackles after Tiwari departed, blasting Sreshant for a six and a four to accumulate 13 runs in that over.

When 31 runs was required in the last two overs, Morgan and Y Pathan tried to accelerate the scoring, but that only ended in Morgan's run out. The Mahela took a great catch to send back Pathan and then it was more or less curtains for the Riders.

Earlier, Mahela led from the front, with a stylish 55 off 41 balls, with two fours and two sixes, while Hodge smashed 35 off 19. The other batsman to impress was Klinger, who scored 29. Mahela added 50 runs with Michael Klinger. For KKR, Unadkat finished with 2/29, Y Pathan 1/16 and Bhatia 1/22.

Brendon departed early caught at slip off Undkat. P Patel clobbered Lee for two fours in the third over and then Unadkat dismissed him with a ball which lured the w k to miscue a pull shot. Then Klinger and Mahela did the repair work with some good batting. Mahela crossed 1000 runs in the IPL yesterday. Klinger's tenure at the crease was cut short by Y Pathan and Kochi were in dire straits.

Mahela completed his half century in the 19th over with a four towards point off Kallis. But a mix up with Hodge and the Sri Lankan went back to the pavilion.