Parameswaran does damage to Delhi Daredevils

Beaten Delhi captain Virender Sehwag hails man of the match Prasanth Parameswaran as a "good find for India".

Brendon McCullum’s 37 off 19 balls provided a steady platform for Kochi’s win yesterday.

Beaten Delhi Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag hailed man of the match Prasanth Parameswaran as a "good find for India" after the Kochi Tuskers Kerala bowler took two vital wickets to help end the Tuskers' three-game losing streak.

Kochi had suffered a home loss to the Daredevils only last Saturday but yesterday required just 15 overs to chase down a 141-run target, with Brendon McCullum (37 off 19) providing a solid start and Parthiv Patel's 37-run cameo getting them over the line comfortably.

Earlier, Parameswaran and Vinay Kumar grabbed two wickets each as Delhi - who were 43 for three at one stage - needed a 54-run stand from Venugopal Rao and Yogesh Nagar to reach their respectable total.

"This wicket was good to bat on and the way I started I thought 170-180 was a good total here," said Sehwag. "It's very difficult to defend 140 on this track.

"I heard the name of Parameswaran and asked who he was. I was told that he is a new bowler from Kochi.

"He recovered well after that six and took the wicket. He is a good find for Kochi and for India also."

Parameswaran, who also dismissed Rao (40), said of taking Sehwag's scalp: "To play and pick up a wicket like Sehwag was great. Even though he hit me for a six, I was confident I could take his wicket."

Having lost the toss, Delhi stumbled along to 62 in 10 overs after the loss of their top order comprising Sehwag (13), David Warner (15) and Naman Ojha (13), before Rao and Nagar came to the rescue with a spate of boundaries to ease the home side's nerves.

Kochi paceman Kumar at last broke the pairing as Nagar was caught out for 18, before Rao, who had looked good for his 40 off 36 balls, was undone by Parameswaran.

Travis Birt (27) then led a late assault, smashing five boundaries before his dismissal, but Delhi only managed five off the final over.

In reply, Kochi raced away to 61 in just five overs as opener McCullum racked up his 37 by carting Umesh Yadav for 20 off four boundary shots. Delhi at last had some respite as McCullum and Michael Klinger (18) fell in quick order, and some terrible calling soon left Kochi captain Mahela Jayawardene run out for seven.

Patel, however, kept Kochi on top of the run-rate and a quick-fire 52-run stand with Brad Hodge, who was unbeaten on 24, was enough to see the visitors to victory.

* Compiled by The National staff with agencies