New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) Manoj Tiwary made a resilient unbeaten 61 off 47 balls as Kolkata Knight Riders outclassed Delhi Daredevils by 17 runs at their Ferozeshah Kotla home ground in an Indian Premier Legue (IPL) match here Thursday.

It was the Daredevils second successive defeat at home and they continue to languish at the bottom of the table with two wins from seven matches. In contrast, Knight Riders have climbed to the second place with four wins from their seven matches.

Choosing to field, the Daredevils' much criticised bowling attack finally got their act together and restricted Knight Riders to 148/7 in 20 overs. But the hosts' chase was stopped at 131/9 thanks to some reckless strokeplay by their batsmen.

Iqbal Abdullah emerged the best bowler of the Knight Riders with 3-25, while Lakshmipathy Balaji took 2-38.

Skipper Virender Sehwag, after winning the toss, had spoken of their capability of chasing any score if he and David Warner got going.

But Warner was bowled by Balaji in the second over while attempting to cut and after that, things never looked up for Daredevils.

Sehwag, with James Hopes (25), did give flight to Daredevils hopes during their 29-run partnership for the second wicket. Sehwag, particularly, looked dangerous during his 23- ball innings, smacking five fours and a six before Jaidev Unadkat struck.

The Delhi dasher looked bewildered by Unadkat's bouncer and mistimed a pull and Balaji made no mistake in taking the catch.

The rest of the Daredevils batsmen simply crumbled under the pressure.

Pathan, whose inclusion in the Daredevils' side for $1.9 million was invariably questioned, finally came good, conceding only 16 runs in his four overs and also giving the hosts the breakthrough in the form of the dangerous Jacques Kallis.

Umesh Yadav bowled fast for his 2-29 and even Ajit Agarkar impressed by picking the wicket of Shreevats Goswami off his first delivery and then bowling a tight last over.

Ironically, it was Daredevils' best bowler so far in the tournament who had the most forgettable day. Morne Morkel, who has been the backbone of Daredevils bowling, was tonked for 42 runs in his four overs, with the wicket of Ryan ten Doeschate his only solace.

The lanky South African was sent for 13 runs in his second over through three boundaries, with Kallis hitting him through the covers and point in consecutive deliveries.

It was Irfan Pathan who broke the 29-run opening stand of Kallis (11) and Goswami (22) by knocking the leg stump of the South African. Kallis failed to gauge the delivery, which came in and was bowled while attempting a flick.

Agarkar, who was introduced in the seventh over, dismissed Goswami in his very first ball when the opener got a nick while trying to steer a widish delivery and wicketkeeper Naman Ojha dived to his left to gobble up the catch.

Skipper Gautam Gambhir (18), who till last year played for the Daredevils, looked dangerous during his 35 minute stay and with Tiwary, weaved 40 runs for the third wicket.

Gambhir was given a life when Irfan dropped a top edge off Yadav at backward square leg. He was at 8 at that time.

However, he didn't stay for long and was caught was at the deep midwicket by Venugopal Rao while trying to clear Hopes over the boundary.

Tiwary held one end strong but Knight Riders lost their best hitters Yusuf Pathan and Eoin Morgan off successive deliveries of Yadav to slump to 105/5 at the end of the 14th over. Yusuf was caught at long-on by brother Irfan while Morgan was bamboozled by a shorter one and Ojha was swift to get under it for the catch.

Tiwary remained focused even as the wickets fell at regular intervals. His entertaining innings included two fours and three towering sixes. The first six came off Agarkar to deep square leg and he soon followed it up with his another one to the shot leg side boundary in the 13th over off the first ball of Morkel, who came to bowl his second spell.

It was then turn of Yadav, who was punished over long-on in the 15th over.

Delhi bowlers, however, bowled well at the death, with only three boundaries coming in the last three overs.