Sachin blows KKR away

MUMBAI MASSACRE

The signs were ominous for Kolkata Knight Riders very early when one of their lead bowlers,young Anureet Singh,who impressed on his maiden outing against Rajasthan,injured his ankle while trying to stop a boundary on just the fourth delivery of the innings. But almost nothing could have prepared them for the carnage that was to follow at Port Elizabeth,as two of the most destructive batsmen in the history of the game turned back the clock and set the IPL stage ablaze on Monday night.

Sachin Tendulkar got the show going as he upper-cut Ashok Dinda’s first ball over the point boundary for six,before dispatching an attempted Ishant Sharma bouncer over the mid-wicket fence. Sanath Jayasuriya soon joined the party,smashing Sourav Ganguly for two consecutive sixes in the sixth over.

What mystery?

Ajantha Mendis too got a harsh welcome,as Tendulkar stepped out and sent the ball soaring out of St George’s Park,and the spinner held no mysteries for the Mumbai openers,who hit him for a six each in his next over. Tendulkar and Jayasuriya smashed eight sixes in all in their partnership of 127,which came off a mere 74 balls.

The mini fightback

The Knight Riders staged a comeback after the strategy break,as Laxmi Ratan Shukla dismissed Tendulkar for a 45-ball 68,and got rid of Jayasuriya in his next over for a 32-ball 52. But the middle-order failed to capitalise on the start,and Mumbai — who had reached 111 for no loss after 10 overs — finished at 187-6.

NIGHTmare Continues

The night only got worse for the Knight Riders. Captain Brendon McCullum’s horror-run continued as he fell for one,while Gayle edged a rising Bravo delivery to Tendulkar at slip. Ganguly (34 off 30) hit a couple of sixes,and put on a 54-run partnership with Hodge,but they never looked like going all the way. Kolkata lost their last seven wickets for just 24 runs as the Knight Riders crashed to a 92-run humiliation.

FORGET THEM NOT

• Laxmi Ratan Shukla’s spell of 3-25 put the brakes on Mumbai.

• Abhishek Nayar may have run himself out during Mumbai’s innings,but he picked up crucial wickets and ended with figures of 3-13.