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Royal Challengers Bangalore with an incisive spell of bowling to hand Kolkata Knight Riders its first victory of IPL-V. Balaji took four for 18 from his four overs as RCB capitulated in its pursuit of 165, losing by a dismal 42 runs.
Brett Lee and Jacques Kallis's contributions to the cause were no less significant, their controlled, early spells throttling the home side.
Wicket every over Balaji, who bowled his four overs on the trot, picked up a wicket in every over. Brought on in the sixth over, he struck immediately, dismissing Virat Kohli. He then claimed A.B. de Villiers (with a beauty as the ball straightened sharply after pitching), Mayank Agarwal and Daniel Vettori to finish with four wickets.
RCB's innings never really got off the ground, frequent wickets ensuring the contest was dead long before the completion of the 20 overs. Earlier, a minor electrical fire delayed the start of the match. RCB will wish it had never begun.
KKR made a frenetic beginning to its innings, making the most of the PowerPlay overs though neither opener had to exert himself unduly. The visitor, put in, was poised to make an imposing score after quick partnerships for the first and second wickets (60 and 65 respectively), but a glut of wickets saw the innings disintegrate.
Captain Gautam Gambhir scored an easy-on-the-eye 64 (39b) while Manvinder Bisla cudgelled a 29-ball-46. The target 166 for a victory should not have been beyond RCB's reach, particularly with Chris Gayle back in the team. But Kallis removed the Jamaican for two, the latter top-edging a pull to mid-on.
Scoreboard
Kolkata Knight Riders: J. Kallis c de Villiers b Vettori 22 (23b, 3x4, 1x6), G. Gambhir c Harshal b Zaheer 64 (39b, 9x4, 1x6), M. Bisla st. de Villiers b Muralitharan 46 (29b, 2x4, 3x6), Yusuf c Gayle b Vinay 1 (3b), M. Tiwary c Agarwal b Zaheer 2 (5b), R. ten Doeschate c Vettori b Muralitharan 3 (4b), Shakib Al Hasan c Pujara b Vinay 4 (5b), L.R. Shukla c Zaheer b Harshal 5 (8b), B. Lee (not out) 8 (3b, 1x6), R. Bhatia not out 4 (1b, 1x4); Extras (lb-4, w-2): 6; Total (for eight wkts. in 20 overs): 165.
Fall of wickets: 1-60 (Kallis), 2-125 (Bisla), 3-126 (Pathan), 4-139 (Gambhir), 5-140 (M. Tiwary), 6-143 (Tendoeschate), 7-151 (Shakib), 8-154 (Shukla).
RCB bowling: Zaheer 4-0-31-2, Vinay 4-0-18-2, Harshal 4-0-46-1, Muralitharan 4-0-31-2, Vettori 3-0-22-1, Kohli 1-0-13-0.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: C. Pujara c Yusuf b Kallis 6 (9b, 1x6), C. Gayle c Shukla b Kallis 2 (8b), V. Kohli c M. Tiwary b Balaji 6 (14b, 1x4), A.B. de Villiers b Balaji 10 (10b, 1x4), S. Tiwary c Shukla b Tendoeschate 18 (19b, 1x4), M. Agarwal c Gambhir b Balaji 5 (6b), D. Vettori b Balaji 20 (12b, 3x4, 1x6), Vinay Kumar c Shukla b Shakib 25 (26b, 1x6), Harshal Patel b Shakib 10 (9b, 1x4), Zaheer Khan (not out) 11 (7b, 1x4); Extras (b-1, lb-1, w-8): 10; Total (for nine wkts. in 20 overs): 123.
Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Pujara), 2-8 (Gayle), 3-20 (Kohli), 4-25 (de Villiers), 5-33 (Agarwal), 6-60 (Vettori), 7-78 (Tiwary), 8-106 (Harshal), 9-123 (Vinay).
KKR bowling: Lee 4-0-21-0, Kallis 2-0-7-2, Balaji 4-1-18-4, Bhatia 4-0-30-0, Tendoeschate 3-0-24-1, Shakib 3-0-21-2.
Man-of-the Match: L. Balaji.