Rahane, Cooper star for Rajasthan
Ajinkya Rahane smashed a brilliant 98, while IPL debutant Kevon Cooper took four wickets as the Rajasthan Royals got their 2012 campaign off to a flying start with a 31-run victory over the Kings XI Punjab on Friday.
Ajinkya Rahane smashed a brilliant 98, while IPL debutant Kevon Cooper took four wickets as the Rajasthan Royals got their 2012 campaign off to a flying start with a 31-run victory over the Kings XI Punjab in Jaipur on Friday.
Rahane delivered his brilliant knock off just 66 balls while fellow opener Rahul Dravid added 28 in an opening-wicket stand of 77. Brief cameos from Brad Hodge (21 not out) and Owais Shah (14 not out) got the Royals up to a sensational 191 for four off their 20 overs which was the highest score of the 2012 tournament.
At that point, Kings XI Punjab captain Adam Gilchrist would have been ruing his decision to put the opposition in to bat as his team would need a near ten runs per over for victory.
Gilchrist got his side off to a brisk start by smashing a few early boundaries, but the wicketkeeper could only make 27 off 18 balls as he mistimed one, only to be caught by Cooper in the area between mid-on and mid-off.
Fellow Australian Shaun Marsh couldn't make much of an impact as he scored just seven before he and Paul Valthaty becames victims one and two of Cooper.
It was wicket number three for the young West Indian when Abhishek Nayar top-edged to wicketkeeper Shreevats Goswami for ten, leaving the Punjab side staring down the barrel at 61 for four.
With the required run-rate on the increase, the search for boundaries also went up which prompted further wickets falling for the Kings XI. Cooper bowled Piyush Chawla with a brilliant slower ball and then could not be kept out of the action and also inflicted the run out of Praveen Kumar.
In the end, the Punjab side could only manage 160 for nine in their 20 overs, as Cooper found himself involved in seven of the nine dismissals thanks to four wickets, two catches and a run-out as Rajasthan completed the 31-run victory.
Latest
-
NewsHeather Knight excited by freedom on offer after New Zealand quarantine
England Women will be able to break out of the coronavirus ‘bubble’ lifestyle in a country which has effectively contained the disease.
-
NewsSri Lanka v England day one: Tourists carve out dominant performance in Galle
The tourists skittled Sri Lanka for 135 then replied with 127 for two.
-
NewsStuart Broad and England in ‘dream world’ after superb first day in Sri Lanka
Broad took three wickets and Dom Bess five before Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow took England within eight runs of their hosts’ total.
-
NewsEngland dominate day one of Sri Lanka Test after brilliant Stuart Broad start
Broad’s early scalps set the tone for a day England ended just eight runs behind their opponents with eight first-innings wickets intact.
-
NewsBoucher says its time for Proteas to get back to Pakistan
Mark Boucher will direct the Proteas on their first tour of Pakistan since 2007 which gets underway later this month.
-
NewsStuart Broad and Dom Bess run through lacklustre Sri Lanka on day one
The hosts made just 135 after winning the toss and electing to bat.
-
NewsEngland make early inroads as Stuart Broad strikes
Sri Lanka slipped to 65 for three on the first morning after opting to bat in Galle.
-
NewsJos Buttler: I felt anxious and out of place at start of international career
Buttler admits to feeling daunted at being in close proximity to established stars.
-
NewsJacques Kallis admits to warming to the idea of helping arch enemy England
The South African is the third-highest run-scorer in the history of Test cricket.
-
NewsGraham Onions admits coaching chance is a huge relief after premature retirement
A back issue sustained on the eve of the Bob Willis Trophy led to the 38-year-old announcing his retirement.