| Scorecard: | Kolkata Knight Riders v Perth Scorchers |
| Event: | Champions League 2012/13 |
DateLine: 17th October 2012
Kolkata Knight Riders v Perth Scorchers
Match Preview
Champions League T20 2012
When the four IPL teams were installed as the favourites for this tournament, many were looking at current League Champions Kolkata to take the CLT20 trophy. This was a strong unit led by Gautam Gambhir and having taken that IPL crown earlier this year, they clearly had the experience needed to win major events. As this match approaches however, the KKR have suffered two defeats in two matches and another loss here to Marcus Norths Scorchers will send Gambhir's side home. Kolkata Knight Riders and Perth Scorchers have both yet to win a game in this seasons T20 cricket Champions League. Defeat for either team will effectively end their campaign for another year and that should result in a close and possibly a cagey contest as the betting below suggests.
On paper at least, KKR have the strongest side but they are struggling in both the batting and bowling departments. The problem may be that Gambhir's men are relying too heavily on overseas imports such as Brendon McCullum and Sunil Narine while the home based players have been struggling to offer any assistance. McCullum scored 40 against Auckland but the only support he received came from opener Manvinder Bisla who made 38. Their sides total of 137 always looked to be below par and the seven wicket loss came with more than two overs to spare. New Zealands McCullum is the top ranked batsman in T20 cricket and he will obviously be crucial once again. But if the Knight Riders are to mount or chase a challenging total then the likes of Gambhir, Manoj Tiwary and Jacques Kallis will have to perform better. A similar problem exists in the bowling department where the skipper relies heavily on Narine's mystery spin. The West Indian may be one of the most penetrative and economical bowlers in the business but he needs support from Kallis, Shakib Al Hasan and Lakshmipathy Balaji.
The Scorchers were criticized ahead of this competition for having an ageing team that included veteran players such as Herschelle Gibbs, Simon Katich, Paul Collingwood and Brad Hogg. Durham's Collingwood was left on the sidelines for the Titans game but the remaining three players struggled for form as Perth were ousted by the Titans in their first match but they could be forgiven for a sloppy show given they were still getting used to conditions. Herschelle Gibbs and Mitchell Marsh are charged with getting them off to a fast start with the bat.
Both teams will rely on their all-rounders to get them out of the hole they have found themselves in. Mitch Marsh will be the key for the Scorchers, while Jacques Kallis will be the go-to-guy for the Knight Riders. The form of these two men has been chalk and cheese so far. Kallis' defence has been Swiss cheese like, facing only four deliveries in his two at bats. Marsh, on the other hand, has been chalking up the runs, scoring a powerful 52 in the tournament opener. The Knight Riders need a lot more from their classy superstar, who will be keen to get on top of the Australian bowlers before next months Test series. While he has been batting well, Marsh will be disappointed with his bowling. On his day, he can terrorize batsmen with his mix of yorkers, bouncers and slower balls. He might get his chance to shine against a batting line-up that looks in disarray.
This will be the first meeting between the two sides, although a lot of players have met in the various T20 tournaments played across the world.
(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
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