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Chennai crush Kolkata

Chennai Super Kings gave Kolkata Knight Riders a nine-wicket thrashing, jumping to second place in the team standings here.

Knight Riders, batting first on winning the toss, crawled to 139 for eight in their 20 overs and the Super Kings made light of the target which they achieved in just 13.3 overs.

Suresh Raina (78 not out, 39b, 3 x 6, 11 x 4) and Murali Vijay (50 not out, 40b, 2 x 6, 4 x 4) put on 137 runs in a rollicking 78-ball partnership to lead the hectic chase that helped the Super Kings to boost their net run rate and move to the second position.

Earlier, a sensational four-over spell at the start by off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin who picked up three for 16 saw the Knight Riders lose four wickets for just 19 runs, but they recovered through a 72-run partnership between Angelo Mathews (48) and Manoj Tiwary (27).

Also starring for the Super Kings was skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni who effected three brilliant stumpings to cause disarray in the Knight Riders ranks while fast bowler Doug Bollinger came away with two for 15 in his four overs.

The Knight Riders’ rout began in the very third over of the innings when Chris Gayle, having hit Ashwin for a six the previous delivery, stepped out and was beaten by the turn to be stumped.

His exit triggered a collapse as Brendon McCullum, David Hussey and skipper Sourav Ganguly fell to leave the Knight Riders on 19 for four by the fifth over.

However, Tiwary and Mathews came together to rescue the team with a 72-run partnership to provide a modicum of respectability to the Knight Riders innings.

Even as the pair appeared to prosper, Dhoni came up with a master move when he introduced part-time off-break bowler Raina into the attack and he immediately struck, having Tiwary caught in the deep.

His dismissal dashed Kolkata’s hopes of posting a 150-plus total as Mathews too departed and the visitors found themselves a good 20 to 30 runs short on a pitch that held no terrors for the batsmen.

The Super Kings’ chase began disastrously when opener Matthew Hayden was bowled by Gayle in the first over, attempting a sweep and missing the line.

But Raina, coming in at No 3, batted with amazing freedom and without inhibitions as he pulled and lofted the Knight Riders bowlers to all parts of the park in a memorable exhibition.

It was apparent that the Super Kings had an eye on the net run rate given the rapid scoring by Raina and with Vijay joining in the run-feast, the hosts raced to victory as the pair virtually toyed with the Knight Riders bowling.

A relieved Dhoni praised both Raina and Ashwin and said the off-spinner’s early breakthroughs set up the victory. ‘Ashwin bowled extremely well with the new ball and Raina soaked up the pressure after Hayden’s early dismissal. Vijay too batted well. There was some nervousness floating around the dressing room before the game, but it is good to be in such a situation as it lifts the team,’ he said.

Ganguly had little to offer by way of explanation after his team capitulated to second consecutive defeat. He complimented the Super Kings for their all-round performance.