INTERNATIONAL NEWS - Gujarat Lions opening batsman Dwayne Smith produced an astonishing bowling analysis of 4-0-8-4 to inspire his team to a comprehensive six-wicket victory against the Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL match at Green Park in Kanpur on Thursday.
Smith’s remarkable spell reduced KKR to a modest 124 for eight and Lions captain Suresh Raina made light work of early wickets in the run chase to guide his team to 125 for four and victory with an enormous 39 balls to spare.
The unassuming medium pace of the portly Smith produced 18 dot balls out of the 24 he bowled – the most by any bowler in this year’s tournament – as the Knight Riders' batsmen crashed and burned just when they needed a big performance to cement their place in the playoffs.
Captain Gautam Gambhir (8) began the slide when confusion with Robin Uthappa allowed Shadab Jakati to produce a brilliant run out with a direct hit from short mid-wicket but Smith claimed the next four wickets to fall.
Manish Pandey edged to Lions skipper Suresh Raina at slip for a single before Uthappa edged to wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik for 25 from 19 balls.
Piyush Chawla’s surprise promotion to No 4 backfired when Smith hit the top of middle stump for 11 from 16 balls and Shakib al Hasan (3 from 8 balls) uppercut a long hop to third man.
Left-arm spinner Jakati had Suryakumar Yadav caught in the deep for 17 and the Knight Riders plunged to 120 for seven when top scorer Yusuf Pathan drove a full toss from Dhawal Kulkarni to deep cover.
The unassuming medium pace of the portly Smith produced 18 dot balls out of the 24 he bowled – the most by any bowler in this year’s tournament – as the Knight Riders' batsmen crashed and burned just when they needed a big performance to cement their place in the playoffs.
Captain Gautam Gambhir (8) began the slide when confusion with Robin Uthappa allowed Shadab Jakati to produce a brilliant run out with a direct hit from short mid-wicket but Smith claimed the next four wickets to fall.
Manish Pandey edged to Lions skipper Suresh Raina at slip for a single before Uthappa edged to wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik for 25 from 19 balls.
Piyush Chawla’s surprise promotion to No 4 backfired when Smith hit the top of middle stump for 11 from 16 balls and Shakib al Hasan (3 from 8 balls) uppercut a long hop to third man.
Left-arm spinner Jakati had Suryakumar Yadav caught in the deep for 17 and the Knight Riders plunged to 120 for seven when top scorer Yusuf Pathan drove a full toss from Dhawal Kulkarni to deep cover.
