Slow bowlers take Kolkata to dramatic win

Kolkata Knight Riders 121 for 6 (Bisla 45, Kallis 33, Mills 2-24) beat Auckland Aces 119 for 6 (Vincent 40, Yusuf 2-21) beat by two runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Kolkata Knight Riders recovered to successfully defend 121 against Champions League debutants Auckland Aces. Having chosen to bat first, Kolkata ran away with 72 for 0 in the first eight overs before the tenacious Auckland side pulled the game back with just 49 runs in the remaining 12. Lou Vincent then scored 30 of his 40 runs in boundaries, threatening a huge net run-rate advantage, but his run-out was followed by Yusuf Pathan's two wickets in two balls, and a squeeze then by Kolkata's slower bowlers on a two-paced pitch. It came down to 22 off the last two. Andre Adams hit Jacques Kallis for a straight six to get 11 off the 19th, but Brett Lee's yorker proved to be too good for him and Kyle Mills.

Kolkata Knight Riders 121 for 6 (Bisla 45, Kallis 33, Mills 2-24) v Auckland Aces 
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

We often tend to pigeonhole New Zealand sides for their tenacity, but Auckland Aces did little to correct that preconceived notion on their first day in the Champions League T20, 2011. Kolkata Knight Riders were a runaway train at the start of the sides' first qualifier, racing away to 72 for 0 in eight overs, but, led by Michael Bates' left-arm seam, Auckland pulled the game back through accurate bowling and athletic fielding. Twice bowlers hit the stumps, twice did the fielders, and Kolkata's last 49 runs came for the loss of six wickets in 12 overs.

It was all going swimmingly for Kolkata until Bates, all of whose overs went for fewer than six, intervened. The openers, Manvinder Bisla and Jacques Kallis, liked the early pace on offer, and hit the new ball cleanly. The inside-out shot over extra cover was a favourite for both, and Bisla was especially harsh on Chris Martin who bowled Test lengths to begin with. Bisla found them easy to pull and drive on the up. Auckland tried to change the pace through Andre Adams' medium pace and Ronnie Hira's left-arm spin, but Bisla and Kallis had little trouble clearing the field, which still looked to cut the singles.

Bates came back for his second spell in the 10th over, and produced a leading edge off a full toss. Bisla fell for 45 off 32, and Bates welcomed Yusuf Pathan with three straight dots. His 2-0-6-1 were easily the most respectable figures at that moment.

It was still going to plan for Kolkata. Kallis was still the anchorman, and they had made the bold move to try to capitalise on the big start from Bisla through Yusuf's promotion. However, Hira and Martin now choked up the runs a bit. Seven came off 15 balls after Bisla's dismissal. Yusuf grew impatient, and took Hira on. One boundary resulted, but he soon slogged all over a straight delivery from Adams.

Mills bowled the next over, and Kallis' frustration showed as he drop-kicked one straight to Rob Quiney at deep midwicket. His last 11 balls produced eight runs. Two balls later, Manoj Tiwary slogged, and the stumps lay splayed again. Now was the time for the fielders to hit the stumps. First Jimmy Adams, from short point, halfway between the stumps and regular point, took his time to aim and run Ryan ten Doeschate out. Adams did the same to Shakib Al Hasan from a single-saving mid-off.

In between Bates bowled another one-over spell for just two runs. The regular wickets meant there was no final charge, and Bates finished off with just five off the 20th over.