Knights restrict Royals to 132/6

Backed by a good bowling performance on a slow turning wicket, Kolkata Knight Riders restricted Rajasthan Royals to 132/6 in their Indian Premier League encounter at the Eden Gardens Friday.

For the visitors, Sanju Samson top scored with 40 while for the Knights, offie Sachithra Senanayeke bowled splendidly to return figures of 2/26.

Packed with spinners and medium pacers, the hosts kept a tight leash on the Royals as their batsmen struggled to score and perished gradually in the endeavour to step up the run rate.

Opting to bat first, Royals made a slow start managing only 34 runs, losing two wickets-Opener Ajinkya Rahane (6) and pinch hitter James Faulkner (1) - in the first six overs.

However, opener Shane Watson, who has been in red hot form, partnered Sanju Samson to consolidate the innings as the duo added 44 runs in 6.2 overs to take the total to 71.

Only when Watson 35 looked settled for a bigger knock, Knight trump card Sunil Narine pulled yet another trick from his hat as he foxed the Australian catching him plumb in front.

Dishant Yagnik (10) departed after playing two cracking shots to the boundary before being bowled by Senanayeke.

Yet again Dravid chose to stay behind, as Owais Shah walked into the middle.

Much to the dismay of the home crowd, Knights keeper Manvinder Bisla dropped the simplest of catches when a Samson top edge managed to sneak out of his big gloves.

Samson though, failed to stay for long and perished in the very next over caught in the deep of the bowling of Rajat Bhatia.

Dravid came out to face the last three balls of the innings scoring 6 including a boundary.