Kolkata clinch two-run thriller

Kolkata Tigers clinched a narrow two-run win today against Mumbai Champs, having first converted a score of 62 for 3 to a competitive total of 146 for 5 and then bowling tightly to defend the score and send Mumabi crashing to their second straight defeat.

It looked like a familiar story for Kolkata Tigers midway through their innings, as their top order once again wastefully gave away their wickets to leave the team in limbo. At 62 for 3 Abhishek Jhunjhunwala and Rohan Gavaskar had a vital 30-run stand for the fourth wicket to stem the

rot. A late onslaught by Gavaskar and New Zealander Andre Adams got the Tigers score past 140.

Adams removed Champs opener S Jayantha in the first over. Raviraj Patil made a brilliant counter-attack with a half-century as Nathan Astle opened out with some big shots but Adams removed Astle and Van der Wath in his second spell as rest failed.

Brief scores : Kolkata Tigers : 146/5 in 20 overs (R Gavaskar 41, R D Khirid 2/17); Mumbai Champs : 144 all out in 20 overs (R Patil 52, A Adams 3/35)