Kochi hammer hapless Royals

Kochi dump Rajasthan out to keep ILP hopes alive

Last updated: 15th May 2011  

Kochi hammer hapless Royals

Hodge celebrates a wicket with teammates

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A stellar performance with both bat and ball from Brad Hodge kept Kochi's IPL hopes alive at the expense of the Rajasthan Royals.

The occasional off-spinner took 4-13 in four overs to help restrict Shane Warne's Royals to a paltry 97 from 18.3 overs at Indore.

Hodge then blasted an unbeaten 33 from 17 balls to secure an emphatic eight-wicket victory and dump his fellow Aussie's side out of the competition.

Having won the toss Kochi opted to field first and the decision paid off as openers Faiz Fazal (16) and Rahul Dravid (1) fell in the second and third overs respectively.

Shane Watson added 20 from 13 balls before he was bowled by Prasanth Parameswaran to bring Ashok Menaria to the crease.

Bludgeoned

Menaria top-scored for Rajasthan, making 31 from 28 balls, before holing out to Owais Shah at long-off off Hodge.

Fazal , Watson, Menaria and Shaun Tait (10 not out) were the only four players to reach double figures before Parameswaran finished things off by having Nayan Doshi caught for nought.

Kochi cruised to their modest target with 76 balls and eight wickets remaining, despite the early loss of Mahela Jayawardene.

Fellow opener Brendan McCullum powered to 29 from 12 deliveries, bludgeoning four sixes and a four, before seeing his stumps flattened by Doshi after mis-timing an attempted smash over mid-wicket.

But by then the damage was done and Parthiv Patel (21 not out), together with Hodge, wrapped things up with the minimum of fuss.

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