Singh sets up Chargers win

Ashok Dinda has his stumps rearranged by RP Singh, who claimed 4-22 in an eight-wicket triumph for the Chargers

RP Singh led a solid bowling display to set Deccan Chargers on their way to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.

The India left-arm seamer claimed 4-22 and was given good support from Pragyan Ojha (2-14) and Scott Styris (2-32) as Kolkata could only set a lowly target of 102.

Brad Hodge, who made 31, was alone in keeping the Chargers at bay with the bat before Herschelle Gibbs hit an unbeaten 43 and Rohit Sharma 36 not out to hurry them home.

Kolkata got off to a poor start, losing their first wicket when Brendon McCullum – the New Zealander who set the tournament alight last season when he smashed 158 in the opening match – gloved the first ball of the second over, bowled by Singh, down the leg side to Adam Gilchrist.

Two overs later Chris Gayle top-edged the same bowler to Harmeet Singh, running in from long-off, before the catcher turned wicket-taker when he drew a thick edge from Sourav Ganguly, which VVS Laxman pouched at first slip.

That left the Knight Riders 16 for three in the sixth over, partly because of the stingy spell of bowling from Fidel Edwards at the other end, the West Indies paceman boasting figures of 0-2 off three overs.

Ojha removed Aakash Chopra and Laxmi Shukla cheaply, both stumped by Gilchrist, before Hodge and Moises Henriques put on 24.

Two wickets in an over from Styris – he accounted for Hodge and Henriques – reduced Kolkata to 73 for seven, and Ajit Agarkar, Ishant Sharma and Dinda perished in quick succession as they were bwoled out for 101 in 19.4 overs.

Deccan never looked troubled in their response despite losing Gilchrist in the third over.

Laxman departed two overs later after being sent back as he went in search of a single, but Gibbs and Sharma played freely, plundering eight fours and three sixes between them to wrap up victory with almost seven overs to spare.