Van der Merwe powers Somerset past KKR

Van der Merwe's explosive knock of 73 powers Somerset to 5-wicket victory over Kolkata

Van der Merwe's explosive knock of 73 powers Somerset to 5-wicket victory over Kolkatau00a0

Roelof van der Merwe smashed a blazing 40-ball 73 to power Somerset to a five-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in their Group B Champions League Twenty20 match here yesterday.


Up it goes: Roelof van der Merwe launches an attack during his 40-ball
knock of 73 yesterday. Pic/AFP

It was Somerset's second consecutive win over Kolkata as they had beaten them in the qualifying stage too.

Electing to bat, Kolkata scored a healthy 161 for three, thanks to Jacques Kallis and a marauding Yusuf Pathan, who sent the Somerset bowlers on a leather-hunt in the last six overs. Kallis batted through the innings for his unbeaten 74 and Pathan hit a 21-ball 39 as the duo shared 90 runs for the fourth wicket.

Somerset responded with tremendous power-hitting through van der Merwe and chased down the target with two balls to spare. When van der Merwe departed, Somerset were comfortably placed at 119-1 in 13 overs but they made it difficult for themselves by losing three quick wickets before sealing the win.

van der Merwe's powerful knock was adorned with nine fours and two sixes and he shared 115-run stand with Peter Trego (28).

For Kolkata, returning skipper Gautam Gambhir was out for a first-ball duck when caught at mid-off off Lewis Gregory.

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