Ganguly fireworks lead Kolkata to 23-run win
Posted on May 11, 2008 at 15:37 | Updated May 12, 2008 at 14:20
3 Comments
Email 
Print
Hyderabad: Obituaries were almost prepared for some of India's favourite sons with performances failing to capture the imagination in the IPL. However, it may be put off for a bit, as Sourav Ganguly turned it on with the bat, hammering 91 from just 57 balls to lead his side to a 23-run victory over Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium here on Sunday.
The Kolkata captain found form in a game where his side needed a sizeable total to intimidate the Hyderabad team boasting of fair firepower themselves. But despite Venugopal Rao's terrific counterattacking 71 not out off 42 balls, Hyderabad had lost the battle in the early stages of their run chase as fast bowler Ashok Dinda bagged a fine three-wicket haul that included the wickets of Adam Gilchrist, Herschelle Gibbs and Rohit Sharma.
Chasing 205, Hyderabad got off to a nightmarish start with Herschelle Gibbs' wicket but Gilchrist flayed Dinda and Ishant Sharma to seize the early momentum until he was undone by a short ball for 24.
Hyderabad continued with their stop-start run chase with Rohit Sharma picking up the pieces after quick dismissals of Ravi Teja and Scott Styris, but Dinda's reintroduction resulted in Sharma's dismissal for 33 as it all but ended any chances of a come-from-behind act.
Ganguly, already in top contention for the man of the match honours, took charge of the ball to take two wickets to cap off his day in the office.
Hyderabad once again suffered from their batting coming away. All their matches have seen a stand alone performer with little contribution from the rest. Venugopal Rao's valiant knock got them ever so close, as the home side would have rued not having given him a platform.
It was as much Ganguly's brilliance to pierce the field as it was for some woeful fielding from the Hyderabad outfit that included dropped catches from the likes of Herschelle Gibbs and Chaminda Vaas. The bowling, too, was appalling with Vaas, RP Singh and Scott Styris unable to stamp their authority as Kolkata ended on a mammoth 204-4.
| Ads by Google |
Total Comments: 3
Read All Comments | Post Comment
Posted By Pravee
Venu bowled with the best economy in the match and he hammered 6 sixers & 4 fours and u write
Read Comment
Posted By Aswathykutty
Finally some relief for all saurav fans.Its very much a pleasure to see dada in this kind of form...All the
Read Comment
Posted By LVISS
Until this match Ganguly was unsure of himself.It is surprising becoz he was one of theIndian batsman who could clear
Read Comment