The IPL faced new crises - including a hearing for alleged spot-fixers
about 10km from the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium and a hearing asking for a
ban on the event itself - but on the field the same old story of Chennai
Super Kings' domination of big IPL matches continued as they made it to
their fifth final out of the six IPLs played.
Michael Hussey and Suresh Raina powered them with 80s, but the 192
seemed inadequate the way Dwayne Smith hit 68 off 28. Into the game came
Ravindra Jadeja with the wickets of Smith, Dinesh Karthik and Kieron
Pollard. Mumbai get another shot at making it to the final when they
face the winner of the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan
Royals.
Super Kings looked a bit hassled in the eight-over slog against Royal
Challengers Bangalore in their previous match, but in a full-duration
big match you always back them to get back to their best. It was a
typical Super Kings performance. It was Hussey and Raina first, who
hardly ever disappoint in big matches, with an unbeaten 140-run
partnership.
That partnership followed a solid unhurried opening between M Vijay and
Hussey. Hussey and Raina then got together as if they have been playing
IPL qualifiers on Feroz Shah Kotla tracks all their lives. There were no
uncertain prods in the beginning, no hesitation in the running. Hussey,
who reclaimed the orange cap during the innings, was special in how he
took apart Lasith Malinga.
It was actually a good over from Malinga - the fifth of the match -
featuring two excellent yorkers. Hussey not only kept the yorkers out,
he pushed two balls of that over for fours. No back lift, just timing.
Even when the two exploded towards the end, taking 123 runs off the last
10, it hardly looked like they were taking risks. It seemed the innings
was headed towards its natural end.
What followed wasn't quite expected. Smith went absolutely berserk in
the chase. Everything he touched seemed to be going for either four or
six. He didn't spare the opening bowlers nor Chris Morris. He laid into R
Ashwin too and took Mumbai to 86 for 1 in seven overs. Then Dhoni went
to what has been his trump card all season.
On came Jadeja and just like that Smith sliced one inexplicably. Gone.
Then went Karthik to a skidder: 95 for 3. Rohit Sharma fell under the
pressure too, but when Pollard began to hit sixes, the flat track and
small outfield promised anything was possible.
Not against Jadeja, though. Two sixes in that over were followed by a
dart into the pads, which Pollard happened to flick straight to square
leg. That was game over, but Super Kings went on to show brilliant
pieces of fielding and celebrations.
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