6 May, 2008
Marsh stars for Punjab

Kings XI Punjab remain the form team in the Indian Premier League after recording its fifth consecutive victory, by six wickets, against Bangalore, to go level at the top of the table on Monday.

The away side's win was set up by a confident display with the ball as it skittled Bangalore for 126 from 19.2 overs, with five of the home players failing to score.

Teenage leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was the pick of the bowlers taking 3-25 while Sreesanth, who claimed two wickets in his opening over, finished with 2-16.

Rahul Dravid provided the only resistance, hitting 66 from 51 balls to save his side from total humiliation.

Shaun Marsh again led the Kings XI's run chase, smashing 39 from 34 balls as Punjab passed their target with 10 balls to spare.

Yuvraj Singh's decision to bowl reaped immediate rewards as Sreesanth claimed the wickets of Wasim Jaffer and the recalled Cameron White, both without scoring, in his opening over.

Bangalore's start got even worse when Jacques Kallis also fell for a duck, run out by Marsh following a mix-up with Virat Kohli, to leave the home team 3-15.

Kohli and Dravid stabilised the innings with a stand of 54 from 52 balls before Kohli (34) misread an Irfan Pathan slower ball to swat his attempted drive to Sreesanth at long-off.

That good work was soon undone, however, as the visitors again lost two wickets in an over.

Chawla trapped Misbah-ul-Haq (eight) leg before wicket before Praveen Kumar became the fourth batsman to fall for a duck, caught behind attempting to cut.

Chawla was proving a handful and he claimed his third wicket, and the fifth batsman without scoring, when he bowled Zaheer Khan with a googly.

The home side was indebted to some typically combative batting from Dravid, who combined his iron will with fine strokeplay to hit nine fours and a six in his score of 66.

Dravid was the final man to fall when he was caught by Mahela Jayawardene at third man from the bowling of VRV Singh.

Despite losing James Hopes (five) early on in their reply, a 54-run stand between Ramnaresh Sarwan and Marsh for the second wicket set the foundation for another Kings XI victory.

Praveen Kumar had Sarwan caught behind for 31 off 29 balls, but by the time Marsh was dismissed, bowled by Zaheer, the visitors needed just 21 runs from 34 balls.

Jayawardene and Pathan, who both finished unbeaten on 17, then guided the Kings XI home to draw it level at the top of the IPL table with Rajasthan Royals on five wins.