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Spirited Pune restrict Chennai to 142 for 6

By Jamie Alter

 

Chennai Super Kings’ innings began uneasily and a trend of losing wickets at regular intervals continued throughout 20 overs; the openers put on 64 but were pegged back by a double-strike in Alfonso Thomas’ second over – the tenth over of the innings – as both Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina went attempting ambitious shots.

Spirited Pune restrict Chennai to 142 for 6

SS

By Jamie Alter

 

Chennai: April 25, 2011

 

Chennai Super Kings’ innings began uneasily and a trend of losing wickets at regular intervals continued throughout 20 overs; the openers put on 64 but were pegged back by a double-strike in Alfonso Thomas’ second over – the tenth over of the innings – as both Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina went attempting ambitious shots. That left Michael Hussey to prop the total with an innings full of edges, but another two-wicket over at the death left CSK with a sub-par 142 for six.

 

Vijay survived two run-outs in consecutive deliveries and then followed up by edging four to third man, all during one over from Jerome Taylor. Hussey drove a straight six off Nathan McCullum who was otherwise tidy in his first two overs, but in two deliveries against Murali Kartik, he also inside-edged past Robin Uthappa and snicked to third man, both times for plucky boundaries.

 

There were some shots of authority. Vijay swatted Thomas through mid-wicket for four and lofted Kartik for six, while Hussey drove a full toss from Taylor through cover, though uneasiness enveloped CSK’s opening stand.

 

A superb tenth over from Thomas swung the momentum back PW’s way, as he mixed short deliveries with a clever change of pace to grab two wickets. Vijay’s charmed innings came to an end on 31 when he miscued a short ball from Thomas to McCullum, and Thomas finished the over by castling Raina with a fuller ball after testing him with a short delivery that evaded mid-off.

 

PW kept a check on matters through a series of dot balls and some tidy fielding, especially as Kartik varied his length and pace to keep MS Dhoni tied down. It was ten deliveries before Dhoni imposed himself by hitting Yuvraj Singh into the sightscreen, and trying to hit another six he was stumped off Rahul Sharma for 26. Hussey’s luck continued with a thick outside edge for four, and after crossing fifty he was well held by Manish Pandey just inside the ropes for 61 off 48 balls. Two balls later Albie Morkel slogged to deep cover, and the big over CSK needed never came as Taylor, on debut for PW, bowled a good final over.

 

Brief Scores: CSK 142 for 6 in 20 overs (Michael Hussey 61, Murali Vijay 31; Jerome Taylor 3 for 30, Alfonso Thomas 2 for 29, Rahul Sharma 1 for 27) v PW.

 

(Jamie Alter is a freelance cricket writer, having worked at ESPNcricinfo and All Sports Magazine. He is the author of two books, The History of World Cup Cricket and Field of Dreams: The Story of the Dr. DY Patil Sports Stadium. His twitter feed is @jamie_alter) 

 

Pictures © AFP

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