The Hindu : Sport : R.P. Singh revels as KKR capitulates

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R.P. Singh revels as KKR capitulates

Deccan Chargers was 69 for two in 10 overs
Batsmen dismissed were Gilchrist and Laxman

— Photo: AFP

TELLING BLOWS: Deccan Chargers players celebrate one of R.P. Singh’s (third from left) four strikes against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Cape Town: Pacer R.P. Singh led a disciplined bowling effort by Deccan Chargers to bundle out Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a paltry 101 in their Indian Premier League campaign opener here on Sunday.

R.P. Singh got the swing and bounce on a Newlands pitch, which was damp after rain, to return figures of four for 22 from 3.4 overs to help Chargers bowl out KKR in 19.4 overs.

He was well supported by Scott Styris (two for 32) and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha (two for 14). Opening bowler Fidel Edwards bowled with a lot of pace and accuracy and conceded just six runs from his allotted four overs.

Australian Brad Hodge top-scored with 31 for Knight Riders as only three other other batsmen — Chris Gayle (10), Aakash Chopra (11) and Murali Kartik (10) — could reach double figures.

Put in to bat, KKR had a disastrous start with the openers, skipper captain Brendon McCullum and Gayle, returning to the dugout by the fourth over with just 12 runs on the board, both victims of R.P. Singh.

Sourav Ganguly was expected to let the willow speak following the captaincy controversy but the former India skipper’s vigil at the crease lasted 12 balls for just one run.

Hodge, who scored his runs from 34 balls with four fours, fell while trying to slash a Scott Styris rising delivery only to be plucked brilliantly by Herschelle Gibbs.

Hodge’s fellow Australian Moises Henriques went to a classy catch by Rohit Sharma, who also effected a brilliant run out of Ajit Agarkar. — PTI

SCOREBOARD

Kolkata Knight Riders: B. McCullum c Gilchrist b R.P. Singh 1, C. Gayle c Harmeet b R.P. Singh 10, S. Ganguly c Laxman b Harmeet 1, B. Hodge c Gibbs b Styris 31, A. Chopra st Gilchrist b Ojha 11, L. Shukla st Gilchrist b Ojha 8, M. Henriques c Rohit b Styris 6, A. Agarkar (run out) 7, M. Kartik (not out) 10, I. Sharma b R.P. Singh 9, A. Dinda b R.P. Singh 2; Extras (lb-4, w-1) 5. Total (in 19.4 overs) 101.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-12, 3-16, 4-34, 5-48, 6-72, 7-73, 8-81, 9-99.

Deccan Chargers bowling: Edwards 4-1-6-0, R.P. Singh 3.4-0-22-4, Harmeet 4-0-23-1, Ojha 4-0-14-2, Styris 4-0-32-2.

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