KL Rahul, Deepak Hooda’s half tons lift LSG from poor start

LSG skipper KL Rahul en route his 68 v SRH yesterday. Pic/PTI

Lucknow Super Giants made a fine recovery after losing three wickets inside the Powerplay and posted a challenging total of 169 for seven against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL clash at the DY Patil Stadium on Monday.

Put in to bat by SRH captain Kane Williamson, LSG were in deep trouble at 27 for three in the fifth over.

A double strike by off-spinner Washington Sundar sent back left-handers Quinton de Kock and Evin Lewis, who had blasted 55 in 23 balls against CSK just the other day.

At the time of going to press, SRH were 40-2 after six overs.

De Kock was caught at short cover by a diving Williamson and then Lewis, who had escaped a leg before appeal in the same over due to the umpire's call in his favour, perished while trying to repeat the sweep shot and was struck on the pads; the umpire ruling in the bowler's favour the second time.

Then, Manish Pandey was packed off by Shepherd to leave LSG tottering before skipper and opener KL Rahul, who made a sedate 68 in 50 balls before he was out in the 19th over, and Deepak Hooda (51 in 33 balls), lifted the new franchise to 114 for 4 with a partnership of 87.

Hooda, who took his tally to 119 at the end of his knock that contained three sixes and as many fours, took the attack to the SRH bowlers and was particularly severe on Umran Malik by using the J&K bowler's extra pace well. The Baroda batsman and Rahul hit Malik for 20 runs, inclusive of a six and three fours, in the bowler's second over. Malik was taken for 18 runs in the third as Hooda reached his 50 in 31 balls. But he perished soon afterwards, caught on the fence off Shepherd. Natarajan claimed Krunal Pandya's wicket to return impressive figures of 2-26 while Sundar, who bowled his first three overs for 11 runs and two wickets, was expensive in his last over to end up with figures of 2-28.