Kolkata clinch hard-fought victory : Mendis took 2-22

Kolkata Knight Riders 181 for 3 (Ganguly 56, Mathews 46*, Gayle 40) beat Delhi Daredevils 167 for 8 (Sehwag 64, Gambhir 47, Mendis 2-22) by 14 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

In stark contrast to the silence that accompanied the listless defence against Kings XI Punjab, the Eden Gardens faithful responded passionately to a charged performance from Kolkata Knight Riders, which derailed Delhi Daredevils' chase to secure an invaluable 14-run victory. At the heart of the turnaround was Sourav Ganguly, who scored a half-century to build a challenging total, after which he fielded like few believed he could: the direct hit that ran out Gautam Gambhir ended a threatening 99-run partnership and turned the game Kolkata's way. The result took them level on 10 points with Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the fourth-placed team.

It nearly didn't happen for Kolkata though. Virender Sehwag, who was reprieved on 7 when the umpire failed to hear or see an edge, threatened to deliver Delhi their seventh win. His partnership with Gambhir put Delhi on course and he completed a 34-ball half-century, his slowest in the IPL. It was greeted with silence by Eden Gardens. Delhi needed 48 off 32 balls with seven wickets in hand when Ajit Agarkar's inswinger crashed into Sehwag's stumps, and the slide had begun.

Ajantha Mendis, chosen ahead of Shane Bond because of a dry pitch, had Kedar Jadhav caught at cover - Ganguly jumping to intercept a hard drive - in the 17th over. The next, from left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla, was pivotal. He bowled Farveez Maharoof with one that pitched middle and hit off, before reacting athletically to run out Rajat Bhatia three balls later.

The decisive blow was struck by Ashok Dinda in the penultimate over when Dinesh Karthik, Kolkata's last threat, pulled to Brendon McCullum at midwicket. His exit left Delhi needing 30 off 10 balls, a task too hard for Daniel Vettori and Amit Mishra. It was fitting that Dinda landed the last blow, for he had struck the first during an astonishing opening over. He hurried David Warner with four skiddy deliveries, cramping him for room, before beating him with the fifth - a quick one that uprooted offstump before Warner had brought his bat down. Delhi knew then that they were in for a scrap.

Unlike Ganguly, who used the pace of Dinda, Agarkar and Angelo Mathews, Gambhir instructed his bowlers - from Maharoof to Rajat Bhatia - to take the pace of the ball. It didn't work immediately for Kolkata made their best score at the end of ten overs this season - 88 - and had all wickets intact.

Chris Gayle, who had scored 40 off 21, fell soon after though, missing a swipe against Bhatia, and Ganguly followed in similar fashion against Vettori. Brendon McCullum was run out cheaply too and Kolkata scored only 30 runs between overs 12 and 16 to reach 130 for 3.

The innings needed acceleration and it was provided by Mathews and Tiwary. Mathews had been dropped Bhatia on 10 - a caught and bowled opportunity - and he made Delhi pay with two well-aimed blows over long-on. Tiwary joined in the hitting right at the end, and they boosted the innings by taking 18 runs off Mishra's last over. Their partnership was worth 70 in 6.5 overs, and it helped set Delhi a testing target in a match vital to Kolkata's semi-final chances.

George Binoy is a senior sub-editor at Cricinfo

Sri Lanka make sweeping changes for Bangladesh tri-series

Tri-Nation Tournament in Bangladesh, 2009-10

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

December 29, 2009

Lahiru Thirimanne would be eager to make his senior team debut in Bangladesh © Getty Images

Poor form and player injuries have prompted Sri Lanka's selectors to make sweeping changes to the squad for the tri-nation tournament in Bangladesh next month, also featuring India. Those dropped include batsmen Sanath Jayasuriya and Chamara Kapugedera, fast bowler Lasith Malinga and spinner Ajantha Mendis, all of whom had disappointing performances on the recent tour of India.

Sri Lanka lost the three-Test series 0-2, split the two Twenty20s and lost the five-match ODI series 1-3. Injuries to key players through the tour made the assignment in India all the more tough.

In fact, batsman Mahela Jayawardene, allrounder Angelo Mathews and bowlers Muttiah Muralitharan and Dilhara Fernando were not considered for the 15-man squad to Bangladesh, having picked up injuries in India.

Middle-order batsman Thilan Samaraweera was spared the axe, due more to Jayawardene's injury, and selection committee sources said the 33-year-old right-hander would add experience to the batting line-up and help ease the pressure on captain Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga.

Among the new inclusions are Chamara Silva, Lahiru Thirimanne, legspinner Malinga Bandara and fast bowler Thilan Thushara.

Silva, 30, finished as the top run-scorer in the domestic Premier League Tier A tournament, with 900 runs from 11 matches at 56.25 for Bloomfield, scoring three hundreds and four fifties during the campaign. Most impressive was his strike rate of 99.77. Having last played an ODI in August last year, and his last appearance for Sri Lanka being in the 2009 World Twenty20 final against Pakistan, he will keen to make the most of the opportunity.

"We think that Silva has a role to play in the World Cup. He is a fast accumulator of runs and he is a brilliant fielder," selection sources told Cricinfo.

Thirimanne, 20, finished as Ragama Cricket Club's leading run-getter this season, with 709 runs in eight matches at 59.08, including two centuries and five fifties. Selection panel sources said Thirimanne was an exciting prospect and his ability to finsh a game would be extremely handy.

His Ragama team-mate Bandara was also rewarded for his perseverence and was handed another opportunity to seal his place in the national side as a spinner. In fact, the uncertainty surrounding Muralitharan's availability for the 2011 World Cup has prompted the selectors to look elsewhere for spinning options.

Left-arm fast bowler Thushara also made a return to the side after a freak shoulder injury which forced him to return from India. Allrounder Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Suranga Lakmal and Suraj Randiv, who were replacements to India, have been retained.

The tournament will be played from January 4-13 with Sri Lanka taking on the hosts in the first match in Mirpur.

Sri Lanka squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), Tillakaratne Dilshan (vice-captain), Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Thilina Kandamby, Chamara Silva, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thissara Perera, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Malinga Bandara, Suraj Randiv, Thilan Thushara, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Kulasekara and Chanaka Welagedera

Ajantha Mendis misses out in Mumbai

Ajantha Mendis will not play in Mumbai © AFP

Ajantha Mendis has been omitted from Sri Lanka's playing XI for the decisive third Test in Mumbai, with the captain Kumar Sangakkara backing a third seam bowler at the Brabourne Stadium. Mendis was included for the second Test in Kanpur as the management opted for a three-pronged spin attack, but after taking 2 for 162 he has been axed.

"Mendis will have to sit out," said Sangakkara. "We'll probably go with an extra seamer than a spinner on this track, which doesn't look as dull as the one at Ahmedabad or Kanpur."

Nuwan Kulasekara, who has returned to full fitness, appeared to have the edge over Dilhara Fernando for the third pace bowler's spot. "In the last two to three series, [Nuwan] Kulasekara has been very consistent in both ODI and Test," said Sangakkara. "So, quality-wise I think Kulasekara has an edge. Dilhara Fernando is coming into the side after a while but he is bowling well and with a lot of pace. It is a tough choice and we'll have to make that tough choice today."

Sri Lanka's bowling combination that has won them 10 of their last 19 Test matches comprised three seamers. They paid the price in Kanpur, opting for a spin trio, and were thrashed by an innings and 144 runs inside four days. Trailing 1-0 in the three-Test series, it is now a must win situation for the visitors, as they look to avoid their first series loss in the last eight encounters, since losing 2-0 in Australia in 2007-08.

"We had a good one in the first Test, not a great game in the second," said Sangakkara. "It's a case of regrouping and keep doing the basics right. We have the side to beat any team in the world. This is another opportunity for us to do that.

"We created quite a few chances with the new ball in both innings of the first Test, and the second innings of the second Test. Creating opportunities is one thing and taking those chances is another. Those are the things that can turn a game especially when the batsmen go on to make big runs. We've got to make sure that our disciplines are good and our catching is right on the mark from ball one."

Sangakkara defended his key spinner Muttiah Muralitharan on the poor form he had shown in the series so far. "Murali is a bowler who has done so much for Sri Lanka and can sometimes have an off day. That's the way cricket goes. That doesn't mean he is any worse a bowler, he is still our best spinner and in my view the best spinner in the world. When you have that quality in the side you have to back that quality and that ability it's no different for tomorrow. Murali is still the spearhead of our attack and we back him 100% to turn it around and win a match for us."

Sa'adi Thawfeeq