| Scores | Upcoming | Results |
New Delhi: Matthew Hayden clubbed a 43-ball 93 and caried Chennai Super Kings to a magnificent five-wicket victory against Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
It was the second consecutive win for the Super Kings while the Daredevils who won the toss, batted first and posted 185 for six, thanks to Virender Sehwag's 38-ball 74. But wilted under Hayden's onslaught as the Super Kings made 190 for five with five balls to spare.
Young Suresh Raina marked his debut as captain for the Super Kings in the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, with three brilliant catches followed by a 34-ball 49 not out to guide his team to a memorable win.
For the Super Kings, experienced spinner, Muttiah Muralitharan was the pick of the bowlers, taking two crucial wickets, those of Sehwag and Tillakaratne Dilshan in the space of three deliveries while Lakshmipathy Balaji, despite conceding 12 runs in his final over, the last of the innings, did a fine job to bag two wickets.
The Super Kings chase began on an ominous note with Hayden looking in good touch, but he lost his partner Parthiv Patel in a horrendous mix-up in the third over. Patel, surviving a confident appeal for leg before against Dirk Nannes, left his crease and was sent back, but couldn't beat a direct hit from a diving AB de Villiers.
Thereafter, Hayden dominated and after getting his eye in, switched to the evolutionary Mongoose bat with which he slammed three boundaries and a six off pacer Rajat Bhatia to provide welcome momentum to the Super Kings chase.
Hayden was unstoppable and unleashed a barrage of massive hits with the Mongoose bat that had even the spectators diving for cover. The Daredevils attack, lacking in variety, wilted under pressure and even the slow pace of Tillakaratne Dilshan was of little use as he went for 21 runs in the only over he bowled.
Leg-spinner Amit Mishra too was not spared as Hayden galloped towards his century in the company of Raina who lent him able support. However, Hayden fell in the 14th over, caught brilliantly by a diving Dilshan off Mishra. By then, the Super Kings were within striking distance of the target at 143 for three.
The departure of Albie Morkel in the 16th over followed by Justin Kemp in the 18th gave a dramatic twist to the proceedings. With two overs left, the Super Kings were 170 for five.
In walked Murali Vijay and slammed Pradeep Sangwan for a four and a six, leaving Super Kings to get just two more runs to get in the final over. Raina completed the formalities by clouting the very first delivery by Dilshan for a six.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Super Kings were on the backfoot with Sehwag going full throttle with a series of pulverizing hits to provide Daredevils the momentum.
None of the Super Kings bowlers looked capable of stemming the onslaught although opener David Warner, the "Pocket Dynamite" from Australia, was out cheaply. However, Sehwag carried on in his inimitable style, picking the ball off the length and carting it to all parts of the park.
At the other end, Dilshan, looking rather patchy, gave some support for Sehwag and Daredevils looked set for a 200-plus score when Muralitharan came up with a double strike to provide some reprieve for the Super Kings.
The introduction of Muralitharan put the brakes on the Daredevils and it was not long before the wily spinner marked his presence.
Muralitharan had Dilshan caught at midwicket by Raina and two deliveries later, Sehwag was caught in the deep by Kemp who judged the skier quite brilliantly and hung on to the catch even as he fell inches inside the ropes.
Hereabouts, the Super Kings lost the plot with Raina bringing himself on for the 14th over and going for 12 runs. The next three overs cost the visitors 23 more runs while Joginder sent back Dinesh Karthik.
Rajat Bhatia scored a quickfire 21 off just nine deliveries and Mithun Manhas chipped with an unbeaten 32 to help Daredevils post a healthy total as the Super Kings yet again bowled poorly at the death, conceding 26 runs in the last two overs.
The Super Kings made two changes with Patel coming in place for Dhoni and Joginder Sharma replacing Manpreet Gony. They will now return home for Sunday's game against Kings XI Punjab.
Brief scores
Delhi Daredevils: 185 for 6 (Sehwag 74, Manhas 32*, Murali 2-25) by five wickets
Chennai Super Kings: 190 for 5 (Hayden 93, Raina 49*)
Result: Chennai Super Kings won by five wickets
MOM: Matthew Hayden (Chennai Super Kings)
