A clinical performance with both bat and ball ensured that Chennai Super Kings successfully defended their second score in excess of 180 beating Royal Challengers Bangalore by 21 runs in the IPL-4 match here on Saturday.

Earlier, Royal Challengers Bangalore failed to take advantage of building momentum as Chennai kept coming back with regular dimissals.

Chennai Super Kings made sure that Royal Challengers chase did not get off to a good start. The team from Chennai struck at regular intervals.

Opener Mike Hussey smashed a blistering unbeaten 83 as Chennai Super Kings posted an imposing 183 for five against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Hussey cashed in on two dropped chances to score 83 off 56 deliveries with the help of one six and 11 fours at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

The Australian, who was playing in his first match, was well supported by opener Murali Vijay (31 off 21) and Suresh Raina (29 off 16) while skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (22) provided late burst with some lusty hittings as the home side entertained the packed crowd.

For Bangalore, paceman Johan van der Wath (2/49) and off-spinner Ryan Ninan (2/31) were the most successful bowlers though both were quite expensive. Zaheer Khan also grabbed a wicket giving away 33 runs from his quota of four overs.

On a typically warm afternoon in Chennai, skipper Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat but CSK were off to a slow start.

Openers Vijay and Hussey struggled to get off the blocks against the pace and spin combination of Zaheer Khan and Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori, with the first four overs yielding just 18 runs.

Vettori introduced South African medium pacer van der Wath into the attack in the fifth over and he had almost accounted for Hussey’s wicket on his second ball but Mohammad Kaif dropped a sitter at the mid-off region.

Vijay took van der Wath for special treatment in the same over as he hit him for two consecutive fours and a six to take 15 runs from the over.

Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan was not spared either as this time Hussey, playing in place of New Zealander Scott Styris, hit him for two consecutive fours in the sixth over.

Chennai reached the 50-run mark in 6.2 overs but immediately Vijay was dismissed by Ninan.

Next man in Suresh Raina (29) and Hussey put on a 45-run stand for the second wicket to take the Chennai total close to 100-run mark.

Raina’s arrival provided the much-needed impetus to Chennai innings as the left-hander clobbered Ninan for two consecutive fours and a six in the 11th over.

But it was Ninan who had the last laugh as Raina, looking for another big shot, ended up giving a simple catch to Mayank Agarwal at extra cover. He hit three fours and a six in his 16-ball stay.

From there on, it was left to Hussey and Dhoni to guide Chennai to an imposing total. Hussey, on a high after slamming an unbeaten hundred against Bangladesh a few days back, smashed Vettori for a six and a four in the 15th over.

Dhoni joined the party as he whacked a fullish delivery by Zaheer for a six over the umpire’s head to step up the tempo before he was out to the same bowler soon after.

The last over saw two Chennai wickets — Albie Morkel (9) and S Badrinath (5) — but Chennai still could get past 180.


Keywords: Chennai Kings ,Royal Challengers,Opener Mike Hussey,MA Chidambaram Stadium,Murali Vijay ,Suresh Raina , skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni,paceman Johan van der Wath ,Zaheer Khan ,Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori, Mohammad Kaif ,Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan