Coulter-Nile cranks it up after spin show

Star turn

When Kolkata Knight Riders capitulated after a Powerplay score of 65 for 1, spinners were the perpetrators for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Discounting Samuel Badree's opening over which was taken for 18, the spinners had combined figures of 6 for 36 in 10 overs. Gautam Gambhir had preferred Colin de Grandhomme's medium pace to Shakib Al Hasan's left-arm spin. In a brief moment of hindsight, that might have seemed a bad decision. But everything changed the moment Chris Gayle crossed over to hand the strike to Virat Kohli in the first over of the chase.

Nathan Coulter-Nile hit the perfect line and coupled it with enough swing snuff out Kohli at second slip. It was of a vintage that has troubled him in the past. On this occasion, it troubled his entire team as well, as it forced them to send an out-of-form Mandeep Singh in at No. 3.

By the time Coulter-Nile started his next over, Mandeep had fallen too. AB de Villiers then came out with a clear plan to counterattack and quickly reverse the panic. So when Coulter-Nile moved his short ball marginally away from him and managed to find his top-edge, he had effectively ended their resistance. When Kedar Jadhav also went for the counterattack next over, Coulter-Nile found his leading edge too.

If there is one thing RCB's famed top four can do, it is to change the game quickly. Coulter-Nile removed three of them before they could get into it, and kept the other quiet. With a thin lower-middle order, they stood no chance after his spell. And neither did KKR's spinners.

The wow moment

Coulter-Nile started KKR's defence with a huge no-ball. Gayle had let that ball go, so he retained strike for the free-hit ball. Also retained was the forward short leg that had been put in place for him for the first ball. The free-hit ball was the perfect bouncer, climbing sharply at Gayle who swiped at it but was completely cramped for room. He could only manage to balloon it off his body, and short leg held on. It was a sign of things to come. His next effort ball was the second-fastest of the game at 147.5 kph. It was the one that got de Villiers to top edge a short ball outside off stump.

Stats that matter

• Coulter-Nile was the only bowler to breach 145 kph on the day - his average speed for the wickets he took was 145.1 kph

• Not a single run Coulter-Nile conceded today was scored in front of the wicket

What they said

"Credit to the bowling attack, especially Coulter-Nile and Umesh for bowling quick. Not a lot of teams have pace like we have. Got three guys who can bowl over 140. The plan was to hit the deck hard and the plan worked."

Gautam Gambhir

"So, bowlers do still win matches"

Dale Steyn, on Twitter