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Ranchi - A top-order batting assault from the Chennai Super Kings saw the IPL outfit canter to a four-wicket win over the Titans in their Champions League Twenty20 match at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on Sunday.
According to the supersport.com website, the Titans had appeared to be handily placed after posting 185/5 thanks to a dashing 77 off a mere 36 balls from AB de Villiers.
But Chennai hammered their way to 187 for six with Mike Hussey and Suresh Raina posting a second-wicket stand of 89 off 7.2 overs as the Super Kings won with seven balls of their innings remaining.
Chennai took full advantage of a good batting wicket as Raina carved his way to 47 off 28 balls with five fours and a six while Hussey also scored 47, off two balls fewer than Raina, while stroking seven fours and a six.
The Titans were not helped by some errant bowling as the South African franchise conceded 24 wides.
The start of Chennai’s assault came in the fourth over when Raina and Hussey helped themselves to 24 runs off an over from fast bowler Morne Morkel before fellow quick Marchant de Lange conceded 14 runs off the next over as the wheels came off the Titans’ effort with the ball.
Raina departed in the eighth over, caught at mid-off thanks to a slower ball from seamer David Wiese, and Hussey was also caught at mid-off, this time off the bowling of Morkel.
But Dwayne Bravo, who smashed 38 off 26 balls, and Subramaniam Badrinath (20 not out) thrashed 58 runs for the fourth wicket to make sure of the victory.
Left-arm seamer Rowan Richards, who took two wickets in what proved to be the last over of the match ended with 3-29 while Morkel endured a horror show conceding 47 runs off his four overs.
The result was particularly hard on De Villiers who showed all his class in thrashing three fours and seven sixes during his belligerent knock.
De Villiers was particularly strong on the leg side with the majority of his sixes coming over deep midwicket although he was strong all around the wicket.
The Titans had been asked to bat and opener Henry Davids had provided the early impetus during the innings with a measured knock of 52 off 43 balls as he and De Villiers added 76-runs for the second wicket.
Chennai Super Kings: MEK Hussey, M Vijat, SK Raina, S Badrinath, DJ Bravo, MS Dhoni (captain & wicketkeeper), RA Jadeja, JA Morkel, JO Holder, R Ashwin, MM Sharma
Titans: H Davids (captain), JA Rudolph, AB de Villiers, F Behardien, D Wiese, RE van der Merwe, M Mosehle (wicketkeeper), HG Kuhn, M Morkel, M de Lange, RR Richards
