Duminy scripts Mumbai win against Kolkata

JP Duminy smashed an unbeaten 52 off 37 balls to help Mumbai Indians carve an 9-run victory against a fighting Kolkata Knight Riders in their Indian Premier League match here on Friday.

Duminy hit four towering sixes and a four to propel Mumbai to 148 for six after skipper Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and elected to bat while Kolkata, despite Brad Hodge's brilliant 73 off 60 balls, could manage only 139 for six in their reply at Buffalo Park.

Duminy also stitched a 35-run partnership with dubutant Ajinkya Rahane (10) to hand Kolkata their second defeat in five days in the tournament.

Kolkata gave a good fightback to come close to achieving the target but fell to the bowling of Zaheer Khan who returned 3 for 31 while Graham Napier and Abhishek Nayar plucked one wicket each.

In their previous match, Mumbai had defeated Kolkata by 92 runs.

Duminy took charge of the proceedings when his team was struggling after star openers Sanath Jayasuriya (6) and Sachin Tendulkar (34) were removed by Knight Riders inside eight overs.

Kolkata pace spearhead Ishant Sharma started by conceding nine runs in the opening over but Ashok Dinda gave Knight Riders a big breakthrough in the fourth over.

Dinda made Jayasuriya pay for playing a loose shot as he had the Sri Lankan veteran caught by Dutch-born Morne van Wyk.

Dinda, who also fielded well by saving a couple of boundaries early in the innings, effected the dismissal of Harbhajan Singh (6), who came to bat at number three, by catching him out at deep mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Murali Kartik's delivery within a space of 15 balls to reduce the Mumbai Indians to 40 for 2 in 5.5 overs.

Tendulkar, however, continued with his big-hitting ways but the dangerous-looking Mumbai captains' end came soon at the hands of paceman Ajit Agarkar who sent him packing after being hit for a boundary and a towering six in the eighth over.

Tendulkar's 30-ball 34 knock was adorned with two sixes and three fours. He was given a reprieve in the fifth over when he escaped a strong appeal off Laxmi Ratan Shukla.

Halfway-through the innings, Mumbai Indians were struggling at 61 for 3 with both their star openers cooling heels in the dugout.

After Abhishek Nayar followed, contributing just 10 runs to the team total, Graham Napier shared the crease with Duminy.

Napier, who was dropped by Brendon McCullum off England-bound star West Indian Chris Gayle in the 14th over, eventually returned to the pavilion as the Kolkata skipper made amends and caught him in 16th over to leave Mumbai reeling at 96 for 5. 

With next batsman Rahane and then Zaheer Khan at the other end, Duminy went on with his pyrotechniques to keep the team score swelling.

Kolkata began their chase on a disappointing note, losing openers Sourav Ganguly and Chris Gayle on golden duck and a meagre seven respectively to be reduced to eight for two in just three overs, thanks to pace spearhead Zaheer Khan's double blow.

But Hodge stabilised the innings with van Wyk (35-ball 32, 3x4) on the other end of the crease. The duo stitched an 89-run partnership for third wicket.

Hodge also made most of his second life after he was dropped by Nayar off his own bowling in the early eighth over and went on to stitch an 89-run partnership with van Wyk.

Going into the strategy break the team had recovered enough to be 59 for 2 and required just to maintain the momentum to pull off the game.

Hodge, who suffered cramps, pulled through the 19th over but was run out by Duminy because of his slowed speed. Brendon McCullum followed after contributing just 5 runs.