CHENNAI: There’s something about Chepauk, something in the wicket, in the rich air of this Southern city that disallow visitors to leave with their beloved result, despite having been accorded a king’s welcome.
On Friday evening, Deccan Chargers realize as much. Having confined the home team to 160 after M.S. Dhoni selected to bat, the Hyderabad team had their nose in front in the 1st half of the chase, only to finally lose the stumble upon by 10 runs. Suresh Raina was Man of the match for his all-round show - a 24-ball 32 and the crucial caught-and-bowled of Kumar Sangakkara.
Chargers were going big guns before the customary Chennai vicissitudes performed a volte face, turning the match around in the time one may well mouth ‘Krishnaswamy Kasturirangam’. At 77-1 in the 11th over, the basement dweller was most likely eyeing a much-needed third win of IPL-V, when the reversal began. The well-set Shikhar Dhawan was run out by a trait of fate, as Cameron White’s full-blooded drive ricochet off the bowler (Bravo) and on to the non-striker’s stumps.
8 runs later, Suresh Raina pulled off a one-handed wow of Kumar Sangakkara, and suddenly the position for Chargers was no longer paved with pansies. It was left to the 2 Aussies – Cameron White and Daniel Christian – to get their side the 55 they needed off the last 4 overs. But knowing the venue and its point treachery to chasers, the task was a climbing one. White mainly played the lone hand with his 53-ball 77 – a remarkable innings on a stroke-unfriendly track - and struck controlling blows against the million dollar wastrel Ravindra Jadeja, but was run-out going for a go-getting 2nd run.
White’s the sack signaled the end for Chargers, as Hilfenhaus came on to bowl the final over with 20 compulsory for an unlikely win. Although Christian nick a boundary on the 1st ball, Chennai emerge victors by 10 runs, setting their war back on the same track as the previous two seasons, which had also demand an almost not possible backs-to-the-wall curative action from them. Earlier, on a wicket where winning pace off the ball was paying dividend, Chennai posted a spirited 160, thanks to Faf du Plessis (42), Suresh Raina (32) and Dhoni (34).
The total resulted as Chargers dropped several catches – 2 each of du Plessis and Bravo (12, 4b), and the hosts maintain a constant run-rate of around 8-an-over.The lone eye-sore for Chennai was, once again, the miserable form of M. Vijay, a batsman who when on song harbors the possible to destroy the most excellent bowlers in the business. With any luck, Vijay will come excellent when Chennai needs him most, maybe in the knock-out stages – if the defensive champion makes it that far.
Man of the match
Suresh Raina
Today Match
KKR v Warriors (16:00 local | 10:30 GMT)
Kings XI v Royals (20:00 local | 14:30 GMT)
Kings XI v Royals (20:00 local | 14:30 GMT)
