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Daredevils clinches a thriller

de Villiers notches up first century of season two

Hayden triggered a heroic run chase
Chennai’s second loss in three matches

— Photo: AFP

CLEAN STRIKE: A.B. de Villiers of Delhi Daredevils was in smashing form and his century came off just 54 balls and contained six sixes and five fours.

DURBAN: A.B. de Villiers won the battle of the master blasters against Matthew Hayden on Thursday to give Delhi Daredevils a nine-run win over Chennai Super Kings in a DLF-Indian Premier League thriller.

South African de Villiers rode his luck to finish unbeaten on 105 as Delhi made 189 for five in 20 overs. Australian Hayden hit 57 as he triggered a heroic run chase that ended at 180 for nine after a late collapse at Kingsmead.

The victory ensured that Delhi maintained a 100 per cent record while Chennai suffered its second loss in three matches.

“I kept it simple, hit the ball and enjoyed myself. I really had to work hard for my first 50 as my timing was a bit off, but the runs flowed from then on,” de Villiers said after the first century of the 59-match tournament.

Perfect innings

Delhi teammate Paul Collingwood of England branded the de Villiers innings “perfect” and recently retired Test batsman Hayden called it a “magnificent, patient and methodical” innings.

Daredevils lost its openers inside the first two overs and needed a hero.

Enter de Villiers to gradually subdue his opponents as he hit six sixes and five fours in a 54-ball master-class.

He did have his moment of luck after reaching 50 when compatriot Albie Morkel was guilty of sloppy fielding on the boundary. Morkel dropped a sitter as Chennai lost the opportunity of sending de Villiers packing.

Hayden made a quick-fire 57 in a reply that was on track until former England skipper Andrew Flintoff was caught by substitute David Warner to leave Chennai on 156 for five and two last-over run-outs settled the outcome.

Chasing 190, Chennai went off to a flying start, courtesy a sparkling 22-ball 50 runs by Australian Matthew Hayden but once he was back in the dugout the Super Kings lost the plot completely.

Hayden was removed by Pradeep Sangwan in the eighth over and once Parthiv and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (5) also perished, Suresh Raina (41 off 27b) and Andrew Flintoff (16) joined hands to stitch together a 31-run crucial stand.

Needing 42 runs in last five overs, the Super Kings could not keep the score ticking and fell like a house of cards. — Agencies

SCOREBOARD

Delhi Daredevils: G. Gambhir c Dhoni b Balaji 0, V. Sehwag c Morkel b Gony 6, A.B. de Villiers (not out) 105, T. Dilshan c Raina b Morkel 50, D. Karthik c Flintoff b Balaji 18, M. Tiwary c Flintoff b Balaji 9, D. Vettori (not out) 0, Extras (w-1) 1, Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs) 189.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-8, 3-76, 4- 114, 5-188.

Chennai Super Kings bowling: Balaji 4-0-19-3; Gony 4-0-45-1; Morkel 4-0-41-1; Flintoff 4-0-50-0; Joginder 1-0-8-0; Muralitharan 3-0-26-0.

Chennai Super Kings: Parthiv c de Villiers b Sangwan 16, M. Hayden c Nannes b Sangwan 57, S. Raina c de Villiers b Sangwan 41, M.S. Dhoni c Karthik b Vettori 5, A. Flintoff c sub b Nehra 16, A. Morkel (not out) 13, S. Badrinath c sub b Vettori 7, M.S. Gony (run out) 6, Joginder (run out) 4, L Balaji (run out) 0, M. Muralitharan (not out) 0, Extras (lb-6, w-8, nb-1) 15, Total (for nine wkts. in 20 overs) 180.

Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-90, 3-108, 4-139, 5-156, 6-168, 7-175, 8-179, 9-179.

Delhi Daredevils bowling: Nannes 4-0-32-0, Nehra 4-0-33-1, Salvi 3-0-41-0, Sangwan 4-0-28-3, Vettori 4-0-29-2, Tiwary 1-0-11-0.

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