Date:09/05/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/05/09/stories/2009050956701700.htm

Sport - Cricket

Narrow win for Super Kings

Yuvraj’s blitzkrieg in vain for Kings XI Punjab

— Photo: AP

DISDAINFUL TREATMENT: This seemingly casual shot fetched Matthew Hayden, who played a vital role in Chennai Super Kings’ win over Kings XI Punjab on Thursday, a six.

Centurion: Yuvraj Singh’s unbeaten 58-run blitzkrieg turned out to be an exercise in futility as Chennai Super Kings survived some torrid moments before eking out a 12-run win over Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match here on Thursday.

Chasing a mammoth 187 runs from 18 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis method, the Punjab side eventually managed 174 for three, largely due to Yuvraj (58 not out), Simon Katich (50) and Mahela Jayawardene (44 not out).

Earlier, Matthew Hayden slammed a 58-ball 89 and skipper M.S. Dhoni hammered an unbeaten 56 off just 27 balls as the Chennai outfit posted 185 for three in the rain-marred tie which was reduced to 18-overs-a-side following a 90-minute rain interruption.

Albie Morkel castled Sunny Sohal (two) with the second ball of the innings and Shadab Jakati’s second delivery too turned out to be a wicket-taking one, accounting for Karan Goel (14) as Kings XI Punjab stumbled early in its chase.

Katich decided that offence was the best defence and the result was three sixes in a row off Manpreet Gony’s first over.

Jakati also copped some punishment before catching the left-hander near the ropes off L. Balaji to cut short Katich’s two-run-a-ball knock.

A lot was expected of Yuvraj and the Kings XI Punjab captain, dropped by Gony in the deep off Muttiah Muralitharan, seemed lucky on his side as well.

With both he and Jayawardene going great guns, the target looked only stiff and not impossible, but Suresh Raina bowled a tight penultimate over, conceding just six runs and Kings XI Punjab could score only 10 off the last over from Balaji.

Earlier, Hayden and Dhoni added 100 runs in eight overs as Chennai Super Kings posted a mammoth total and that too after it had a rather ominous start following Dhoni’s decision to bat first.

Chennai Super Kings run-machines Hayden and Suresh Raina (32) clearly didn’t hold the Kings XI Punjab attack in very high esteem and that was more than evident in the nonchalant way they treated the bowlers.

Raina dismissed Pathan over long on ropes and followed it up with a four and then greeted Yusuf Abdulla, the leading wicket-taker in the tournament till R.P. Singh eclipsed him, with back-to-back fours.

At the other end, Hayden had warmed up with fours off Pathan and S. Sreesanth before sending a V.R.V. Singh delivery soaring over the long off ropes.

After Chennai Super Kings had raced to 68 for one in 7.3 overs, it needed the rain god’s intervention to temporarily stop the rampaging duo. — PTI

SCOREBOARD

Chennai Super Kings: S. Badrinath c V.R.V. Singh b Irfan 0 (1b), M. Hayden c Jayawardene b Sreesanth 89 (58b, 8x4, 6x6), S. Raina c Goel b Chawla 32 (20b, 4x4, 1x6), M.S. Dhoni (not out) 56 (27b, 7x4, 2x6), A. Morkel (not out) 2 (2b), Extras (lb-5, w-1): 6; Total (for three wkts. in 18 overs): 185.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-76, 3-176.

Kings XI Punjab bowling: Irfan 4-0-38-1, Sreesanth 4-0-37-1, Abdulla 2-0-18-0, V.R.V. Singh 2-0-36-0, Goel 3-0-23-0, Chawla 3-0-28-1.

Kings XI Punjab: S. Sohal b Morkel 2 (2b), S. Katich c Jakati b Balaji 50 (25b, 3x4, 4x6), K. Goel c Gony b Jakati 14 (20b, 1x4), Yuvraj (not out) 58 (36b, 5x4, 2x6), M. Jayawardene (not out) 44 (25b, 3x4, 2x6), Extras (lb-3, w-3): 6; Total (for three wkts. in 18 overs): 174.

Fall of wickets: 1-2 2-53 3-84.

Chennai Super Kings b owling: Morkel 3-0-36-1, Tyagi 2-0-10-0, Gony 1-0-19-0, Muralitharan 4-0-37-0, Jakati 2-0-20-1, Balaji 4-0-41-1, Raina 2-0-8-0.