Chennai Super Kings beat Delhi Daredevils, storm into IPL final

Striking form when it was most needed, Chennai Super Kings crushed Delhi Daredevils by 86 runs to storm into DLF IPL finals, for the fourth time in five years, on Friday night.

Playing in their home ground Chennai, CSK set a mamoth total of 223 runs the highest so far in the current season. They will clash in the finals on Sunday with the Kolkata Night Raiders.

Delhi Daredevils led by Virender Sehwag once again put up a meek show with their weak bowling display exposed as was the case with the earlier clash with KKR which they lost. A total above 200 was any way too huge for any team. Sehwag gamble to opt for fielding after winning the toss failed miserably.

The Chennai team bundled out Delhi Daredevils for 138 for nine wickets in the 16th over. Jayawardene with 55 runs was the only batsmen to fight for the Delhi team. For CSK Ashwin took three wickets in a turning wicket.

Delhi lost Virender Sehwag (1) and David Warner (3) inside four overs as they struggled in their run chase. Chennai pacer Albie Morkel struck in the fourth over to dismiss Delhi skipper Sehwag and reduced Daredevils to 22/2 in 3.4 overs. Delhi started their stiff chase on the wrong foot as they lost Warner in the third over to Aussie pacer Ben Hilfenhaus.

Sent in to bat, Murali Vijay scored 58-ball 113, smashing 15 fours and four sixes, to help Chennai post 222/5 against Delhi.

Vijay became the fastest batsman to score a century in this season's IPL as he raced to the landmark in just 51 balls, which included 13 fours and four sixes. Vijay also became the first Indian batsman to score two centuries in the cash-rich Twenty20 league. Vijay got run out in the final ball of the innings but not before handing the initiative to his team in the match.

Dwayne Bravo too joined the party in the end as he smashed two huge sixes and three boundaries in his unbeaten 12-ball 33 blitzkrieg. Bravo also added quick-fire 39 runs for the fifth wicket with Vijay. Pacer Umesh Yadav dismissed Albie Morkel (0) to check the Chennai juggernaut soon after MSDhoni (23) became Varun Aaron's second wicket in the previous over. Dhoni smacked two sixes and a four in his quick-fire 10 knock as he added 36 runs for the third wicket with Vijay in no time.

Spinner Pawan Negi struck in the fourteenth over to break the dangerous 69-run second wicket partnership between Vijay and Suresh Raina (27). Raina hit a six and three fours in his rapid 17-ball innings before falling to Negi. Vijay scored 28-ball fifty to lead the Chennai innings after they lost Michael Hussey (20). Vijay smashed ten boundaries in his quick-fire half-century. Aaron struck in the ninth over to provide Delhi a crucial breakthrough as he dismissed Hussey. Hussey hit two fours in his patient 22-ball innings and added a quick 68 runs for the opening wicket with Vijay. Chennai openers helped Super Kings raced to fifty in just six overs as the duo toy with Delhi bowlers.

It hurt Delhi more as Delhi had finished higher than Chennai in the league.

- Asian Tribune –

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