The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Daredevils halt Super Kings’ run

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Daredevils halt Super Kings’ run

S. Dinakar

Chennai: Chennai Super Kings was blown away by the Virender Sehwag-Gautam Gambhir blitz. The opening pair settled the issue at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

Delhi Daredevils, chasing 170, romped home by eight wickets and an over to spare to clinch a crucial DLF-IPL contest here on Friday night. The Super Kings, missing Matthew Hayden in particular, suffered its first defeat of the competition.

The result leaves three sides, Super Kings, Daredevils and Rajasthan Royals with four wins and eight points from five games.

Happy hunting ground

Man of the Match Virender Sehwag (71, 41b, 7x4, 4x6) was running hot on his happy hunting ground. He blazed away, his hand-eye coordination and reflexes evident in his strokeplay.

Manpreet Goni was pounded over long-on for a six by Sehwag. The young pacemen then erred in providing Sehwag width; he was sent soaring over the point fence.

The intrepid opener disrupted Goni’s length and runs were there for the taking. Sehwag was severe on Ntini too, slashing a six over third man. Joginder Sharma was soon clouted over the mid-wicket ropes.

His was an innings also dotted with scorching cover and square drives. Sehwag’s ability to play besides the line of the ball gives him great room to manoeuvre the ball through the off-side field.

Oram missed

The Super Kings was without the big Jacob Oram and his tantalising length.

The host pacemen missed a trick by not attempting to cramp Sehwag on the leg-side bowling around the wicket.

Daredevils had pulled away by the time Muttiah Muralitharan was brought in by Dhoni. Sehwag complemented his power with a delicate steer off the off-spinning maestro, allowing the ball to turn and then directing it behind the wickets.

The scores: Chennai Super Kings: (for six wkts in 20 overs) 169.

Delhi Daredevils: G. Gambhir b Gony 50, V. Sehwag c Muralitharan b Joginder 71, A.B. De Villiers (not out) 26, S. Dhawan (not out) 19; Extras (b-1, lb-1, w-2, nb-2) 6; Total: (for two wkts. in 19 overs) 172.

Fall of wickets: 1-115, 2-139.

Chennai Super Kings bowling: Ntini 4-0-29-0, Gony 4-0-39-1, Morkel 4-0-40-0, Joginder 3-0-35-1, Muralitharan 4-0-27-0.

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