Even before the match began, Chennai Super Kings got the news that they
had qualified for the playoffs. Their next target was a spot in the top
two, especially after they found out last season how difficult it is to
win the title after finishing No. 3 or 4. Qualifying either first or
second allows them the luxury of an opening defeat in the playoffs,
while ending on third or fourth will leave teams needing to win three
successive matches against the best teams in the competition.
With that as motivation, Super Kings set about dismantling the already
demoralised and eliminated Delhi Daredevils on a muggy night in Chennai.
As usual, Super Kings weren't in a tearing hurry at the start of their
innings, but a series of big hits - led by MS Dhoni's power-packed
half-century - took them to a competitive total.
Super Kings have one of the deepest and most dangerous batting line-ups
in the competition, and the early reprieves for M Vijay - including a
dropped catch and a missed run-out - allowed the openers to set up a
base for the big-hitters to follow. Michael Hussey has been trading the
orange cap with Chris Gayle virtually every match over the past few
weeks, and though he couldn't wrest it back today, his run-a-ball 26*
allowed Dhoni to take his time before exploding towards the end of the
innings.
Dhoni scored only 17 off his first 19 deliveries before unfurling his
unique brand of muscular hitting. Ashish Nehra was clubbed over
midwicket for six and then dinked to third man for four. Siddarth Kaul's
slower ball was hammered onto the roof as Dhoni looted 41 off his final
16 deliveries to pilot Super Kings to 168.
Daredevils, the best team in the league phase last season, have had a
startling fall this season. Before every match, their fans have been
placing their faith in the trio of match-winning batsmen - Mahela
Jayawardene, Virender Sehwag and David Warner - to deliver results.
There have been repeated failures from all three batsmen this season.
Today, they were missing Jayawardene - since Sri Lankan players are
prevented from playing in Chennai - and Sehwag fell for a duck in the
first over of the chase, leaving Warner with the responsibility of
making a match of it.
He top scored with a restrained 44, shedding buckets of sweat over the
course of his innings, but with several of his team-mates perishing
after attempting big strokes, Daredevils never really threatened in the
chase. Johan Botha and Unmukt Chand briefly put up some resistance early
on, but a series of wickets soon after the Powerplay effectively ended
Daredevil's challenge.
The result left Super Kings on 22 points, two clear of their closest
challengers, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. The easy victory was
the perfect end to their campaign at home, which they marked with a
celebratory lap around the Chidambaram stadium to salute their vocal and
passionate fans.
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