Harbhajan spurs Indians

Offie scalps five, Rohit slams 87 as Super Kings are vanquished

Mumbai posted a challenging 164 for four after being put into bat, thanks to a 48-ball 87 by Rohit. Then, Harbhajan (5/18) produced IPL IV’s second five-wicket haul to give the home side their fourth win in five games.

Harbhajan’s MI team-mate Lasith Malinga was the first to take five wickets this season with figures of five for 13 against Delhi Daredevils on April 10.

The home side also produced a superb fielding show which resulted in the match turning their way. With this win at the Wankhede stadium, MI surged to top slot with eight points.

Chasing a challenging total of 165, CSK lost wickets at regular intervals, including three in the 18th over from man of the match Harbhajan to be left stranded at 156 for nine.

Subramaniam Badrinath made a fighting, unbeaten 71 from 48 balls while Hussey scored 41 in 33 balls for a losing cause while the rest of the batsmen caved in meekly.

It was Harbhajan who took the bowling honours in the match with his five-wicket haul while Kieron Pollard took two catches, one of them a fabulous diving catch to send back danger man Michael Hussey off Malinga.

Malinga, who on Friday announced his retirement from Test cricket, ended up with fine figures of two for 20 while Munaf Patel and Pollard took a wicket apiece to help last year’s runners-up Mumbai defeat their arch-rivals for the fourth time in eight IPL meetings.

While the rest of the batsmen fell by the wayside, Badrinath completed his fifty in 37 balls with six fours and a six. And after the 17th over his side required 32 in 18 balls.

But three wickets in five balls in the 18th over bowled by Harbhajan pushed Chennai to the brink as they lost Albie Morkel (3), R Ashwin (0) and Joginder (0) to be left facing defeat at 137 for eight after the 18th over. Chennai needed 25 from the last over and Badrinath could only muster 16 off Munaf.

Earlier, Rohit Sharma cracked a blistering 87 to help Mumbai rally strongly and put up a challenging 164 for four.

Rohit, who came to the crease at the fall of skipper Sachin Tendulkar in the fourth over, put on half-century stands with Ambati Rayudu (27) and Andrew Symonds (31 not out) to help the home team recover from 13 for two.

He was finally out in the last over holing out to long on fielder Michael Hussey off Doug Bollinger.

Thanks Rohit, who hit five sixes and eight fours from 48 balls, and his partnerships of 61 with Rayudu and 87 with Symonds, who hit two sixes and a four in 36 balls, Mumbai could post a challenging total after they had lost both their openers Rajagopal Satish (0) and Tendulkar (5).

For Chennai, Doug Bollinger grabbed two for 30 while Albie bowled a splendid four-over spell, including one maiden over, to take one for 19.

Score Board

MI: Rajagopal Sathish c Anirudha b Morkel 0, Sachin Tendulkar c Hussey b Bollinger 5, Ambati Rayudu st Dhoni b Randiv 27, Rohit Sharma c Hussey b Bollinger 87, Andrew Symonds (not out) 31, Kieron Pollard (not out) 0. Extras: (B-1, LB-1, W-12) 14. Total (For 4 wkts, 20 overs) 164.

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-13, 3-74, 4-161.

Bowling: Albie Morkel 4-1-19-1, Doug Bollinger 4-0-30-2, Joginder Sharma 3-0-34-0, Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-26-0, Suraj Randiv 3-0-31-1, Suresh Raina 2-0-22-0.

CSK: Michael Hussey c Pollard b Malinga 41, Murali Vijay c Rohit b Patel 12, Suresh Raina c & b Harbhajan 5, Subramaniam Badrinath (not out) 71, Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Rohit b Pollard 3, Anirudha Srikkanth c Sathish b Harbhajan 9, Albie Morkel b Harbhajan 3, R Ashwin c Pollard b Harbhajan 0, Joginder Sharma c & b Harbhajan 0, Suraj Randiv c Sathish b Malinga 2, Doug Bollinger (not out) 0. Extras (LB-1, W-8, NB-1) 10. Total (for 9 wkts, 20 overs) 156.

Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-38, 3-98, 4-101, 5-123, 6-136, 7-136, 8-137, 9-140.

Bowling: Munaf Patel 4-0-40-1, Lasith Malinga 4-0-20-2, Abu Nechim 2-0-19-0, Harbhajan Singh 4-0-18-5, Rohit Sharma 1-0-15-0, Kieron Pollard 4-0-30-1, R Sathish 1-0-13-0.