Chennai beat Delhi by 93 runs for first win in IPL-7

South African Faf du Plessis had said that the Chennai Super Kings had the best fielding unit. But it was that aspect of their game apart from their bowling that took a beating in their first game against Kings XI Punjab where they failed to defend 205.

On Monday night though, at the Shaikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium, their batsmen racked up a competitive total and the fielding and bowling came together as the Chennai Super Kings won their first game in this year’s IPL. Chennai Super Kings ran out comfortable winners by 93 runs and extended their head-to-head win margin to nine compared to Delhi Daredevils’ four.

Chennai Super Kings posted 177 and Delhi Daredevils folded up for a paltry 84 in 15.4 overs.

Suresh Raina on his way to a half-century. — KT photo by Shoaib Anwer

The Delhi Daredevils went in with the same line-up that broke their seven-match losing streak across two seasons with a win over the Kolkata Knight Riders in Dubai. Dinesh Karthik stood in again after regular captain Kevin Pietersen was ruled out

Meanwhile, Chennai made three changes, including one forced upon them. Dwayne Bravo’s shoulder injury during the game against Kings XI Punjab meant pacer Ben Hilfenhaus came in for him. Bravo is ruled out for four to five weeks which will put him out of the entire IPL.

Mithun Manhas replaced left-arm spinner Pawan Negi and Ishwar Pandey came in for Ashish Nehra.

Earlier, CSK vice-captain Suresh Raina scored his 19th IPL half-century and captain MS Dhoni played a fine hand to help them post 177 for the loss of seven wickets. Left-arm medium pacer Jaydev Unadkat was the most successful bowler for the Delhi Daredevils, snapping up three prized wickets, that of opener Brendon McCullum, Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja.

The impressive Mohammed Shami was a touch expensive, taking one wicket conceding 45 runs.

Daredevils stand-in captain Dinesh Karthik opened the bowling with the off-spin of JP Duminy and they did well to tie down the CSK openers Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum to four runs in the first over.

But both were just were sizing up the green-tinged surface, which was offered once again, before they hit the pedal. Smith welcomed Shami by pulling his first ball for a boundary. Shami responded by hitting Smith on the pads for an unsuccessful leg before appeal. He then conjured a beauty, an away going delivery which had Smith beaten. But it would be the West Indian who would take the bragging rights by driving Shami through the covers for a boundary as Shami conceded 10 runs from his first over.

Shahbaz Nadeem replaced Duminy and McCullum, playing his 50th IPL game, hit his fourth delivery through long on, for a boundary.

Duminy dropped McCullum off new bowler Unadkat’s first delivery. But it wouldn’t prove to be costly as substitute Wayne Parnell, coming in for the injured Nathan Coulter-Nile, gobbled a mistimed stroke from McCullum, off the next ball as CSK lost their first wicket for 23. Shami again extracted some juice from the surface.

Karthik was forced to bowl James Neesham after Nathan Coulter-Nile took no further part in the remainder of the fixture after sustaining an injury in the first over while fielding.

And Neesham was welcomed into the attack by Raina, who hit a fine inside out shot through to the extra cover fence. Raina and Smith put on 54 for the second wicket before the latter was castled by Nadeem for 29. Later, Raina took a double off Neesham to bring up his 50 from 36 balls.

Raina and Faf du Plessis added 31 for the third wicket before the Raina’s innings ended when he was caught former teammate Murali Vijay off Neesham. Dhoni coshed 32 from 15 balls with two boundaries and two sixes and Mithun Manhas played a fine cameo of an unbeaten 13 from five balls with two boundaries as Chennai finished at 177.

Delhi Daredevils’ chase was snuffed out even before it could begin after Faf du Plessis latched on to two blinders to see the back of opener Murali Vijay and Manoj Tiwary and Suresh Raina lapped up a brilliant one to dismiss Mayank Agarwal.

james@khaleejtimes.com