Rajasthan Royals beat Kolkata Knight Riders

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Royals beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 19 runs at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.

Chasing 145 for victory KKR were all out for 125 runs.

Defending a a total of 144, the Royals` pace attack performed as a unit to bowl out KKR for 125 in 19 overs.

Only Eoin Morgan tried his best with a gutsy 51 off 38 balls (3x4, 3x6) but didn`t get support from the other end.

Royals` ploy of playing on a seaming track at the Sawai Mann Singh worked wonderfully well as veteran domestic workhorse Siddharth Trivedi (3/23) and young unheralded Jharkhand boy Rahul Shukla (2/28) ran through the top-half of the opposition to pave the way for an easy victory.

Kevon Cooper, then, bowled brilliantly at the death to polish off the tail with figures of 3/15.

Gambhir attacked Sreesanth straightaway as he hit the Kerala pacer for a boundary and a huge six over deep square leg to get 14 runs from the opening over.

Shukla surprised one and all as he worked up a lively pace in the mid 140 kmp to knock back Manvinder Bisla`s (1) stumps and then got one to kick up from short of length as Jacques Kallis (0) helpless edged one to Dishant Yagnik.

Manoj Tiwary (14) was trapped leg before off Trivedi`s very first over as KKR were reduced to 40 for three.