Just as it seemed Mitchell Starc's challenging return to the Indian Premier League would reach a new nadir the 4.43 million-dollar man has held his nerve and avoided a horror defeat.
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Starc had gone for 54 runs from 16 balls at Eden Gardens, thrashed to all parts by the IPL's bottom team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Needing 21 off the final over RCB's No.9 batter Karn Sharma had smacked Starc's first four balls for three sixes.
But off his fifth ball Starc took a brilliant return catch, bending his 1.97m frame low to clutch Sharma's drive. Off the sixth new batter Lockie Ferguson could only scramble a single and Starc's Kolkata Knight Riders survived to win by one run.
That put KKR back to second in the table, and Starc's escape act could be just what the 34-year-old needs to turn his campaign around. The left-armer has now been hit for 287 runs off 25 overs in his seven matches, an economy rate of 11.48, picking up six wickets.
He also has gone for 44 boundaries, the most of any bowler in this year's competition.
This is not why KKR made the Australian the highest priced signing in the competition's history, but as long as they remain in the frame to reach the playoffs Starc has time to hit his straps.
KKR had made 6-222, Shreyas Iyer (50 off 36 balls), building on Phil Salt's explosive 14-ball 48. Cam Green took 2-35 in his four overs, including Iyer's wicket.
Bowling the second over of RCB's innings Starc began with a wide, then saw his third legal ball disappear over wide long-on, whacked there by Virat Kohli. With Faf du Plessis chipping a four off the last ball his opening over went for 14.
Starc returned to bowl the fifth, with RCB 2-52 and both openers dismissed, Kohli controversially given out caught-and-bowled off a waist-high full toss.
Will Jacks pulled his first ball over mid-wicket for six then, with Starc coming round the wicket, whipped him deep into the crowd for a 97m six. After two dot balls Jacks drove a 146.6kph ball into the stands over extra cover, then took four more off his legs to make it 22 off the over.
Starc retreated into the outfield and his team''s chances appeared to be receding with him when RCB reached 2-137 after 11 overs.
But Dre Russell and Sunil Narine took four wickets in the next 12 balls. Among them Jacks was caught on the long-on boundary off Russell for a 32-ball 55 and Green (6) caught on the fence off Narine trying to repeat the six he hoisted off the spinner the previous ball.
Russell returned to dismiss Dinesh Karthik (25 off 18) and Starc just about closed the match out.
In the second IPL game, left-arm spinner Sai Kishore took 4-33 to help Gujarat Titans beat Punjab Kings by three wickets with five balls remaining at Mullanpur.
No Australians featured in the match though Adelaide Strikers' Rashid Khan played a key role. The Afghanistan legspinner took 1-15 in four overs as Punjab were dismissed for 142 in 20 overs after Gujarat lost the toss.
Australian Associated Press
