Boucher brilliance not enough

A blistering unbeaten half-century from Mark Boucher has proved in vain as the Bangalore Royal Challengers slipped to a five-run defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.

The South African cracked 50 from 40 balls as Bangalore fell just short of its 130-run victory target in a match reduced to 16 overs because of rain.

Economical bowling from Sourav Ganguly in particular, who finished with figures of 1-7, limited Bangalore to 4-124 - and left it rooted to the foot of the IPL table.

Earlier Dale Steyn had taken 3-27 as Kolkata struggled to 7-129, but late runs at the end of the innings allowed the hosts to halt a run of four straight defeats.

Having posted a far from intimidating total, the dismissals of opening pair Jagadeesh Arunkumar (22) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (seven) gave Kolkata early hope.

And that turned to genuine belief when Rahul Dravid was bowled by his India team-mate Ganguly for just five to leave the Challengers languishing on 3-51 in the 10th over.

Boucher and Cameron White put on 45 in an impressive fourth-wicket partnership, but when the latter was run out for 30 to leave the visitors 34 runs from victory with less than two overs remaining the writing was on the wall for Bangalore.

Earlier, the Royal Challengers had struck quickly to remove Aakash Chopra (two) and Brad Hodge (10) in successive overs, the Indian trapped lbw by Steyn and the Australian holing out to Vinay Kumar at deep square leg off Zaheer Khan.

David Hussey came to the crease and immediately looked to hit out, following up a huge six down the ground with a textbook cover drive for four.

Ganguly had also looked in good touch on his way to 20 from 22 balls before some sluggish running between the wickets saw him run out by White.

Hussey pulled another maximum over long on before he too fell victim to a needless run-out, his quickfire 27 coming off just 12 balls.

Tatenda Taibu (15) became Steyn's second victim after top-edging a delivery for wicketkeeper Boucher to pouch before a shorter delivery from the South African did for Laxmi Shukla (12), who sliced it on to his own stumps.

And Prasanta Saha and Murali Kartik made a rapid 17 apiece at the death as Kolkata's total just proved sufficient.

Kolkata Knight Riders
A Chopra lbw Steyn 2 (5)
B Hodge c Kumar b Khan 10(11)
S Ganguly run out (White) 20 (22)
D Hussey run out (Steyn/Boucher) 26 (12)
T Taibu c Boucher b Steyn 15 (12)
L Shukla b Steyn 11 (9)
W Saha not out 17 (10)
M Kartik c & b Kumar 17 (13)
U Gul not out 6 (2)
Extras (lb 3, w 2) 5
Total (7 wickets; 16 overs) 129
FoW:1-9, 2-20, 3-46, 4-64, 5-80, 6-88, 7-122

Bowling
D Steyn 4-0-27-3
Z Khan 3-0-27-1
P Kumar 3-0-36-1
R Kumar 3-0-15-0
A Kumble 3-0-21-0

Bangalore Royal Challengers
J Arunkumar run out (Hodge) 22 (17)
S Chanderpaul c Kartik b Sharma 7 (11)
M Boucher not out 50 (40)
R Dravid b Ganguly 5 (11)
C White run out (Kartik) 30 (16)
P Kumar not out 4 (2)
Extras (lb 3, w 2, nb 1) 6
Total (4 wickets; 16 overs) 124
FoW: 1-17, 2-32, 3-51, 4-96

Bowling
A Dinda 3-0-20-0
I Sharma 4-0-25-1
U Gul 3-0-30-0
S Ganguly 3-0-7-1
M Kartik 2-0-24-0
L Shukla 1-0-15-0