Hodge blitz helps Kochi down Kolkata

A disciplined performance in the field and an explosive 35 off 19 balls from Brad Hodge helped Kochi Tuskers overcome Kolkata Knight Riders in the last match at the Nehru stadium. Hodge's last over blitz, in which he took 21 runs off countryman Brett Lee proved to be the difference between the two sides, as Kochi defended 156 by 17 runs.

Kochi began the last over of their innings on 134 and Raiphi Gomez, who was to star with the ball later on, did the wise thing by picking a single first ball. Hodge took strike and belted Lee over square leg for a monstrous six. Lee had dropped short and Hodge got into position early to dispatch the ball into the stands. Lee's attempts to get a yorker through failed, as Hodge, twice, made room to launch the ball over the covers for boundaries the same over. Interspersed between those boundaries was another six, this time over midwicket, to a ball that was pitched up on middle. Lee managed to bowl in the blockhole the last ball, but the damage had been done.

Lee, during Kolkata's unsuccessful chase, came in to bat in the last over with 25 needed, in poetic justice what he conceded in the last over of Kochi's innings. He was run out and the task proved too steep.