Symonds sparkles in Chargers’ win
Chaminda Vaas ripped apart the Chennai Super Kings’ top-order after Andrew Symonds and Herschelle Gibbs sparkled with the bat as Deccan Chargers beat the hosts by 31 runs to score their first win in the Indian Premier League here on Sunday.
Symonds (50) and Gibbs (45) weaved together a crucial 95-run partnership for the third wicket to lift Chargers to a handsome 190 for four. Skipper Adam Gilchrist (38), at the top, and Rohit Sharma (19), down the order, also contributed in decorating Deccan innings after electing to bat.
The defending champions then restricted Chennai for 159 for nine at the M A Chidmabaram stadium. Skipper MS Dhoni (42) and Albie Morkel (42) were joint top scorers for the hosts.Chennai never recovered from the early blows landed on them by Vaas (3/21), who yet again gave his side a super start by ripping through hosts top order. Pragyan Ojha (2/28) and Symonds (2/29) took two wickets apiece as their contribution in team’s win.
The Sri Lanka paceman dismissed Murali Vijay (3) and Suresh Raina (6) in his second over and returned to get rid of dangerous Matthew Hayden (17). They had hardly settled that Ojha sent back S Badrinath (5) to leave Chennai innings in tatters at 32 for our.
Kemp (22) and Dhoni had an enormous task at hand but all they could manage was a 38-run stand. As the asking rate was touching sky, Kemp stepped out and lifted Ojha for a huge long-off six to break shackles but it was left-arm spinner who had the last laugh as two balls later he foxed the big hitter and had him stumped. Dhoni had Morkel as his new partner and they were left with no option but to got for the kill. However, Deccan spinners bowled magnificently and did not let the two big hitters do much damage.
Earlier, Deccan were off to a flying start with Gilchrist and VVS Laxman putting on 55 within first five overs. Symonds, who scored his second IPL fifty, and Gibbs joined forced after Deccan had lost two quick wickets, albeit after a fiery start. The two batsman dug in and placed the defending champions to a position from their bowlers could fight well.
SCORE BOARD
DECCAN CHARGERS: Adam Gilchrist b Ashwin 38, VVS Laxman (run out) 12, Herschelle Gibbs (run out) 45, Andrew Symonds (run out) 50, Rohit Sharma (not out) 19, Tirumalasetti Suman (not out) 10. Extras (B-2, LB-3, W-9, NB-2) 16. Total (for 4 wkts, 20 overs) 190.
Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-55, 3-150, 4-160.
Bowling: Albie Morkel 4-0-41-0, Sudeep Tyagi 1.5-0-39-0, Muttiah Muralitharan 4-0-28-0, Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-26-1, Lakshmipathi Balaji 4-0-36-0, Justin Kemp 2.1-0-15-0.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: Murali Vijay b Vaas 3, Matthew Hayden c Singh b Vaas 17, Suresh Raina c Gilchrist b Vaas 6, Subramaniam Badrinath c RP Singh b Ojha 5, Justin Kemp st Gilchrist b Ojha 22, MS Dhoni b Symonds 42, Albie Morkel (not out) 42, Ravichandran Ashwin c RP Singh b Sharma 0, Lakshmipathi Balaji c Anirudh Singh b RP Singh 15, Muttiah Muralitharan lbw Symonds 1, Sudeep Tyagi (not out) 3. Extras: (W-3) 3. Total (for 9 wkts, 19.6 overs) 159.
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-18, 3-31, 4-32, 5-70, 6-108, 7-115, 8-136, 9-137.
Bowling: Chaminda Vaas 4-1-21-3, Rohit Sharma 4-0-27-1, RP Singh 3-0-30-1, Pragyan Ojha 4-0-28-2, Jaskaran Singh 1-0-16-0, T Suman 1-0-8-0, Andrew Symonds 3-0-29-2.PTI
