PHIL WORTH HIS SALT FOR KNIGHT RIDERS

Opening batter Phil Salt’s magnificent 89 not out complemented pacer Mitchell Starc’s brilliant bowling show as Kolkata Knight Riders began its five-match home stretch with a one-sided eight-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League here on Sunday. The IPL’s record buy Starc, who copped criticism for taking just two wickets from four matches and leaking 11 runs per over, grabbed 3/28, while Sunil Narine returned with figures of 1/17 in his miserly spell as LSG scored a below-par 161/7 after KKR opted to bowl.

The duo’s bowling show eventually denied 20-30 runs for LSG which suffered its first ever defeat against KKR.

Salt smashed three sixes and 14 fours in his 47-ball 89 not out, while captain Shreyas Iyer overcame a wobbly start to remain unbeaten on a run-a-ball 38 as KKR chased down the target of 162 with 26 balls to spare.

The duo stitched an unbroken stand of 120 from 76 balls to take KKR to 162 for 2 in 15.4 overs.

West Indies’ Gabba Test hero against Australia, Shamar Joseph capped a forgettable debut for LSG and he began by leaking 22 runs in an eventful first over in which he bowled two wides and two no-balls.

Salt added salt to the injury by spanking the 24-year-old pacer over midwicket, that set the tone for his 26ball fifty. He then smashed Arshad Khan for successive boundaries to race to his fifty, his second of the season -both coming at their home turf.

The only bright spot for LSG was Mohsin Khan’s first two overs when he exhibited a fine display of leftarm pace bowling and took the key wickets of Sunil Narine (6) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (7).

He also nearly dismissed Shreyas Iyer with an incoming delivery that went through the batter’s defence before darting away.

Apart from that, it was a oneway traffic with Salt at his devastating best.

At the end of power play, KKR was well on course with Salt’s aggressive innings (strike rate of above 189) taking it to 58/2.

Iyer initially looked out of sorts and he had some anxious moments against left-arm pacer Mohsin whose deliveries troubled the KKR skipper.

With no scoreboard pressure, Salt’s fluent innings also rubbed off on Iyer who overcame an anxious start.

Earlier, playing his 14th successive season for KKR, Narine yet again showed his craft at Eden Gardens when he stifled LSG in the middle overs in his boundary-less show that eventually proved to be decisive.

The Trinidadian came right after the power play just when captain KL Rahul and Badoni were looking to capitalise with 49/2 on the board.

BRIEF SCORES: LSG 161/7 in 20 overs (N Pooran 45, M Starc 3/28) lost to KKR 162/2 in 15.4 overs (P Salt 89*)