SuperKings cruise to victory

2008-05-10 22:18

Chennai - A hat-trick in the final over by fast bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji helped the Chennai Super Kings to an 18 run victory over the Kings XI Punjab at a packed MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday night.

Chasing a target of 182, the Kings XI got off to a slow start as they lost James Hopes in the second over for 14 and Karan Goel in the fifth over for one.

A 65-run partnership by in form Aussie Shaun Marsh and Ramnaresh Sarwan gave the Kings XI some glimmer of hope but man-of-the-match Balaji, playing in only his second match, changed the game in the 13th over when he claimed two vital wickets.

Sarwan was first to go when his middle stump was up-rooted for 20 off 22 balls. Shaun Marsh was next to go when he mis-timed his pull shot, giving Palani Amarnath an easy catch at deep square leg for 58 of 38 balls ( 3x4's and 4 x 6's).

It all went pear-shaped for the Kings XI from then on as Captain Yuvraj Singh followed soon when he was caught by Flemimg off the bowling of Amarnath for two in the 14th over.

Mahela Jayawardena was next when he misread a Muralitharan doosra in the 15th over. Vidyut took an easy catch to get rid of the Sri Lankan skipper for just eight.

A late flourish by Irfan Pathan and Piyush Chawla kept the spectators at the edge of their seats but the first hat-trick of the IPL by Balaji in the last over brought an abrupt end to proceedings.

Slow bouncer

Needing 27 off the last over, Pathan smashed the first ball for a six. This was followed by a two before Balaji struck. First to go was Pathan when he was caught by Raina for 40 off 18 balls ( 3x4's and 3 x 6's).

Chawla was next as he was caught by Kapugedera for 17 off 15 balls and then it was the turn off VRV Singh. He could only sky a slower bouncer to Dhoni , to give Balaji his hat-trick.

Earlier, the Chennai Super Kings were restricted to 181/4 after being put into bat by Yuvraj Singh. Subramaniam Badrinath top scored with 64 off 47 balls while MS Dhoni made 60 off 43.

Shantakumaren Sreesanth was the pick of the Chennai bowlers with 2-29 from his four overs. The victory moves Chennai to second spot on the log with 12 points while the Kings XI remain in third with 10 points.

Scores - Chennai 181/4 . (S Badrinath 64, MS Dhoni 60, S Sreesanth 2-29) Kings XI - 163/9. (S.Marsh 58 , I Pathan 40 , L Balaji 5-24)

Teams:

Chennai Super Kings: 1 S Vidyut, 2 Stephen Fleming, 3 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), 4 Suresh Rania, 5 Albie Morkel, 6 Chamara Kapugedera, 7 S Badrinath, 8 Manpreet Gony, 9 Palani Amarnath, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Lakshmipathy Balaji.

Kings XI Punjab: 1 Shaun Marsh, 2 James Hopes, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Yuvraj Singh (captain), 5 Mahela Jayawardene, 6 Irfan Pathan, 7 Piyush Chawla, 8 Uday Kaul (wk), 9 K Goel, 10 Sreesanth, 11 VRV Singh.

- SuperSport