http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Delhi-c780 Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings – Indian Premier League 5 – Match Recap – Centurion Vijay powers Super Kings into IPL final
Poor team selection, and an indifferent bowling attack in which Morne Morkel’s absence was glaringly obvious, led the Delhi Daredevils to botch up their chances in the 2nd qualifying match of the tournament, as Murali Vijay’s spectacular century powered the Chennai Super Kings to their third Indian Premier League final in a row, courtesy a massive 86-run win at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai on May 25.
The victory made it to the records for being the largest win this season in terms of run margin. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/M-Morkel-c73528 in favour of strengthening the batting line-up turned out to be a misguided move, and off-spinner Sunny Gupta, who was brought in to replace the South African, was unable to restrain a rampaging Vijay.
The Super Kings batsmen racked up a mammoth 222 – the highest team total this season, and followed that up with an effective bowling display, which cut the Daredevils off at a mere 136.
The day began with the Daredevils winning the toss, and skipper Sehwag electing to field first. The Super Kings opened with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Varun-Aaron-c2744 did little to slow them down.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SK-Raina-c2539 was up next, and his 27 off 17 formed one part of a 69-run stand with Vijay. The 28-year-old was virtually unstoppable – he set the tone for his innings in the very first over, when he hit Gupta for 2 consecutive fours, and smashed 2 sixes and 2 fours off Sehwag in the 11th over. His belligerent display ultimately won him the Player of the Match award, and caused the economy rates of the opposition’s bowlers to soar; Gupta bled 47 in 3 overs and Sehwag gave away 21 in 1, while Aaron claimed two scalps but conceded a shocking 63 in 4 – the most expensive figures ever registered in IPL history.
The remaining Super Kings batsmen served as effective foils for Vijay – after Raina’s dismissal off Pawan Negi in the 14th over, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Umesh-Yadav-c94625.
However, the losses barely made http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DJ-Bravo-c1379 was the last batsman to step up to the crease and his 33 off 12, combined with 4 runs from Vijay, formed a 39-run partnership which enabled their side to finish on 222 by the end of 20 overs, at the expense of 5 wickets.
The Daredevils had foregone their top wicket-taker in order to boost their batting order, but http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LRPL-Taylor-c1849 was moved up from 5th place to 4.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JA-Morkel-c1613, leaving his side at 22 for 2.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shadab-Jakati-c2475.
The batting order crumbled completely after the dismissal of Jayawardene in the 15th over, courtesy http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Venugopal-Rao-c2752 (10) was run out on the very next delivery, and by this point the Daredevils were at 127 for 6.
Ashwin’s 3 for 23 was supported by Jakati’s 2 for 40, and the remainder of the opposition’s batting order – Negi (8), Gupta (0), Yadav (1), and Aaron (0) – were unable to make much of a difference, with their team finishing all out at 136 by the 17th over.
The outcome of the game spelled a complete turnaround for the teams in terms of performance – the Super Kings, who had remained erratic throughout the league stage, fired in the playoffs, while the Daredevils, who had dominated the league stage and finished as the table-toppers, lost their steam in the final stage of the tournament.
MS Dhoni’s men now have the chance to win the IPL for the third time in a row as they prepare for the tournament final, scheduled to be played against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the same venue on May 27.
Tags: