Chennai Super Kings wilts chasing Sunrisers’ big total

May 03, 2015 03:02 am | Updated April 02, 2016 08:13 pm IST - HYDERABAD:

Brendon McCullum played on to Bhuvneshwar Kumar putting Chennai Super Kings on the backfoot early in the chase. Photo: K.R. Deepak

Brendon McCullum played on to Bhuvneshwar Kumar putting Chennai Super Kings on the backfoot early in the chase. Photo: K.R. Deepak

Two brilliant efforts by allrounder Ashish Reddy set up Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) 22-run win against the formidable Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a crucial match of the Indian Premier League here on Saturday night.

Chasing 193 for victory, Super Kings looked comfortable at 114 for three in 12.3 overs. Then, Ashish showed a fine sense of opportunism to run out Faf du Plessis, when the ball deflected off his bat of a hard-hit from skipper M.S. Dhoni.

Of the next ball, he bowled Dhoni with a straight delivery which kept a trifle low to leave CSK at 114 for five in 12.5 overs.

Those two blows proved to be decisive to put the home team on course to a victory after the impressive Moises Henriques had picked up two crucial wickets earlier. Later, Bhuvneshwar Kumar chipped in, also with two wickets, to ensure that there were no escape routes for the Super Kings.

Blazing start

Earlier, put into bat, Sunrisers was off to a blazing start with captain David Warner once again setting the tempo with some extravagant stroke-play. The way he pulled a no-ball off Mohit Sharma for a six in his second over (which also included three fours) was a treat to watch.

Warner looked unstoppable as he picked boundaries at will. Looking good for a big score, the opener holed out to Dwayne Smith at deep square-leg off Suresh Raina with the score reading 86 in 8.1 overs.

Henriques looked in ominous form hitting the first ball he faced from Raina for a huge six. But, much to the delight of CSK, left-arm spinner Pawan Negi lured Henriques out and to be stumped by Dhoni.

Shikhar Dhawan was more subdued by his own standards before he was stranded by a fine throw from the deep by Ravindra Jadeja, going for a non-existing second run.

It was a remarkable comeback by CSK between the 10th and15th overs when it conceded only 36 runs and claimed a wicket too after the home team had made 107 for two off 10 overs. The dependable and skilful Dwayne Bravo who picked up three wickets, and Raina’s slow off-breaks put the brakes on the scoring. This was also the phase when one of the floodlight towers tripped forcing a stoppage of 18 minutes. Luckily, play resumed later and no overs were reduced.

Some lusty blows in the slog overs by Naman Ojha and Eoin Morgan helped Sunrisers score 192 which is its second best total overall, next only to the 205 for five it made against Kings XI Punjab in 2014 in Hyderabad.

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