HYDERABAD: Big Bash champions South Australian Redbacks bounced back in style to hammer Kolkata Knight Riders by 19 runs to record their first victory in the Group ‘B’ match in the Champions League T20 tournament on Tuesday. After being outplayed by Warriors in their first match, the methodical Redbacks proved too strong for KKR.
Callum Ferguson (70 n.o., 40b, 5x4, 4x6) and Daniel Christian (47, 27b; 4x4, 2x6) set Redbacks on the road to victory with a game-changing partnership of 84 runs off 44 balls in the first session. Redbacks posted 188 for 5 in 20 overs. KKR, in pursuit of highest run chase, fumbled at the start before finishing at 169 for 9 in 20 overs.
The highlight of the night’s play was Redbacks’ spectacular catches that saw the back of Jacques Kallis and Yusuf Pathan. It was second straight loss for the Shahrukh Khan’s franchise.
Ferguson and Christian set the ball rolling with a breath-taking batting display. The Redbacks fourth-wicket pair basked in glory. Taking the battle into the enemy’s camp, Christian joined Ferguson after Cameron Borgas was dismissed in the 11th over.
But Ferguson had a big slice of luck. He was dropped by Kallis at long on off Pathan. The batsman was on 18. That lapse proved costly for KKR as Ferguson scored another 52 runs while Redbacks got 102 runs.
Hitting the ball hard and long, Ferguson dismantled the KKR attack. He drove, pulled and played daring shots to reach 50 (33b, 4x4, 2x6) off a massive six over long-off off Brett Lee. Christian, who played for Deccan Chargers in IPL, gained in confidence in the company of Ferguson.
The two collected runs at a furious pace with Redbacks mustering 74 runs in the last five overs. Christian’s breezy knock finally came to an end when he was out to birthday boy Lakshmipathy Balaji, who was the best KKR bowler on view. Ferguson finished the Redbacks’ innings with a massive six over long-on off Lee.
Pathan, who leaked 20 runs in his fourth over, and Lee were the most expensive bowlers for KKR. KKR struggled from the start. Manvinder Bisla was out in the second, Shakib Al Hasan in the fifth over and Gautam Gambhir in the seventh over. Gambhir hit two fours, played nine balls, survived a close stumping chance before holing out to extra cover.
Redbacks, who omitted pace bowler Shaun Tait and leg-spinner Adil Rashid, showed more discipline with their bowling and fielding. Daniel Harris’stunning one-handed caught and bowled effort saw the back of Kallis (19-ball 20). Pathan entered when KKR were in a big hole. Pathan’s long handle tactics failed. He fell for 5 to yet another spectacular catch and this time Aaron O Brien held the top edge with a diving effort. The dismissal triggered a collapse and Redbacks closed all the escape routes to seal victory.
Manoj Tiwary was the top scorer with a 31-ball 40 before falling to a slower ball.