Chennai, Apr 23 (UNI) A sublime century by skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who led from the
front, and brutal assault by impact player Shivam Dube's half century, took home favourites
and five time winner Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to 210 for four in its IPL match against
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the M.A.Chidambaram Stadium here on Tuesday night.
And fittingly enough, the talismanic MS Dhoni, who scored his first six of the IPL in this same very venue and the same day 16 years ago in the first edition, finished with a boundary as the CSK hammered 75 runs in the last five overs.
This was largely due to the brutal force executed by southpaw Shivam Dube after the CSK, having lost two wickets inside the power play and one more by the 12th over, pummelled the LSG bowlers, hitting them to all parts of the ground.
It was a carnival of fours and sixers in the fag end of the innings as CSK,
which scored 48 for one in five overs, and added another 37 in the next five at the half way stage, scored 125 in the last ten, with Dube, making the impact, with brutal assault against the bowlers
and carried the team past the magical 200-mark.
Gaikwad on the other hand, anchored the innings rightly and in the process reached his century, the first CSK skipper to achieve this milestone, before Dhoni's last ball four, the only ball he faced after Dube was run out, in the last over, carried CSK to a total, which definitely was above par on a slow wicket in which the ball gripped and offered some turn.
Ruturaj, who carried the bat till the end, remained unbeaten on 108 (60 balls, 12x4, 3x6), and Dube scored a 27-ball-66 with seven sixers and three fours as the duo added 104 in 47 balls to put CSK on a firm footing.
All the LSG bowlers were taken to the task by Ruturaj and Dube, LSG is faced with a daunting target, despite the due factor that will be coming into play.
Asked to bat first, CSK lost two wickets insided the power play that of Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell who came in for out of form Rachin Ravindra, while skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad made the bulk of scoring and kept the momentum.
Ravindra Jadeja, promoted at No.four added 52 in 39 balls for the third wicket with the skipper before he perished, gloving to the LSK skipper Rahul behind the wickets.
However, in form and the impact player Shivam Dube and Gaikwad took the attack to the opposition camp. The duo, while picking up singles and twos, cut loose in the last six overs, pummelling the bowlers.
After Ruturaj, reached his third fifty of the season and his second century of IPL--the first at home--Dube hammered three successive sixes in one over of medium pacer Yash Thakur, even as
Ruturaj continued his impressive run and moved into the 90s with a six of Mohsin Khan and duly reached the landmark, powering the yellow brigade to a good total.
Scoreboard :
Ajinkya Rahane c Rahul b Henry 1
Ruturaj Gaikwad (not out) 108
Daryl Mitchell c Hooda b Yash Thakur 11
Ravindra Jadeja c Rahul b Mohsin Khan 16
Shivam Dube (run out) 66
MS Dhoni (not out) 4
Extras : (LB-2, W-2) 4
Total :210 for four in 20 overs.
Fall of wickets :
1-4, 2-49, 3-101, 4-205.
Bowling :
Matt Henry 4-0-28-1
Mohsin Khan 4-0-50-1
Ravi Bishnoi 2-0-19-0
Yash Thakur 4-0-47-1
Marcus Stoinis 4-0-49-0
Krunal Pandya 2-0-15-0.
UNI GV 2140