JOIN USBravo blitz propels CSK
A timely cameo by all-rounder Dwanye Bravo powered the Chennai Super Kings to a four-wicket win here on Wednesday, their first in the Champions League T20 as Jean-Paul Duminy’s spell of four for 20 went waste for the Cape Cobras.
In a thrilling finish, Bravo’s 26-ball 45 took the Super Kings past the target of 145 with just two balls to spare.
Batting first, the Cobras were restricted to 145 for seven with Bravo, Doug Bollinger and Albie Morkel claiming two wickets apiece.
Thereafter, the Super Kings, losing wickets at regular intervals, were placed in a precarious situation before Bravo delivered the winning blows as the hosts reached 146 for seven in the final over.
The Super Kings, with this win, have two points, the same as the Cobras and New South Wales while Mumbai Indians head the table with four points from two victories.
At the outset of the chase, there was not a sign of a crisis as Michael Hussey and Murali Vijay moved on serenely with the Aussie star dominating the partnership of 45 by the fifth over.
However, Vijay perished to a brilliant catch by skipper Justin Kemp who pouched a hard but uppish hit off Vernon Philander and the Super Kings’ troubles rolled in with his departure.
Super Kings lost wickets in a hurry with Hussey, Subramaniam Badrinath (2), Wriddhiman Saha (6) and Suresh Raina (20) falling prey to the crafty Duminy, who, besides taking the four wickets, put the hosts under pressure with his tight spell.
At 77 for five, Dhoni and Bravo came together shouldering heavy responsibility of retrieving an increasingly difficult situation made worse for the Super Kings by some good line and length bowling by the Cobras.
The Super Kings needed 37 off the final four overs. Dhoni, on 10, chanced his arms against Dale Steyn and was lucky to survive as Duminy dropped a skier. However, Dhoni did not last long and played on in the next over, the 18th of the innings.
With two overs left, the Super Kings needed 23. Bravo smashed Steyn’s second delivery for a six, followed it up with a boundary through covers and an off-driven four as 17 runs leaked leaving the home team to get six off the final over bowled by Charl Langeveldt.
Two singles and a three tied the scores before Bravo struck the winning runs much to the relief of the Super Kings who remain in contention for one of the two semifinal spots from Group A.
The Cobras innings was up and down. A poor start followed by a steadying partnership of 57 runs for the fourth wicket between Jean-Paul Duminy (29) and Owais Shah (45) before a stunning collapse in the final over marked their progress. The Super Kings did well to bounce back after spending some anxious moments during the middle overs when Duminy and Shah were going great guns.
However, seamer Albie Morkel, who had conceded 21 runs in his first two overs, was brought back on and he immediately struck twice to begin the Cobras slide. Morkel removed both Duminy and Shah in the 17th over as the Super Kings came surging back into the game, conceding just 21 runs in the last four overs to put themselves back in the hunt.
At the start of the innings, R Ashwin struck in the second over, when he trapped opener Richard Levi plumb in front. Doug Bollinger then struck a vital blow when he got rid of Herschelle Gibbs who was threatening to cut loose before Bravo knocked back Dane Vilas as Cobras slid to 67 for three in the ninth over.
Score Board
CAPE COBRAS: Richard Levi lbw Ashwin 6, Herschelle Gibbs c Hussey b Bollinger 18, Dane Vilas b Bravo 18, Owais Shah c Hussey b Morkel 45, JP Duminy c Jakati b Morkel 29, Justin Ontong c Raina b Bollinger 3, Justin Kemp (not out) 5, Robin Peterson b Bravo 5, Vernon Philander (not out) 2. Extras (B-1, LB-4, W-9) 14. Total (for 7 wkts, 20 overs) 145.
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-35, 3-67, 4-124, 5-126, 6-133, 7-140.
Bowling: Albie Morkel 3-0-26-2, R Ashwin 4-0-26-1, Doug Bollinger 4-0-25-2, Dwayne Bravo 4-0-23-2, Shadab Jakati 3-0-21-0, Suresh Raina 2-0-19-0.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: Mike Hussey st Vilas b Duminy 29, Murali Vijay c Kemp b Philander 14, Suresh Raina c & b Duminy 20, S Badrinath c Shah b Duminy 2, Wriddhiman Saha c Peterson b Duminy 6, MS Dhoni b Philander 15, Dwayne Bravo (not out) 46, Albie Morkel (not out) 6. Extras (LB-2, W-6) 8. Total (for 6 wkts, 19.4 overs) 146.
Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-47, 3-53, 4-76, 5-77, 6-120.
Bowling: Dale Steyn 4-0-29-0, Charl Langeveldt 1.4-0-21-0, Robin Peterson 2-0-14-0, Vernon Philander 4-0-36-2, JP Duminy 4-0-20-4, Justin Ontong 3-0-15-0, Justin Kemp 1-0-9-0.