Chennai, Apr 30 (UNI) A fiesty knock of 88 runs by Sam Curran and an equally attractive 32 by Dewald Brevis helped five time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a commanding position, before Punjab Kings spinner Yuzuvendra Chahal applied the brakes with four wickets in an over, including a hat-trick, as CSK were bowled out for 190 with four balls to spare in their IPL match at
Chepauk here on Wednesday night.
CSK lost wickets in a heap on either side of the 4th and fifth wicket stand and their hopes of scoring
in excess of 200 were belied.
Three wickets in power play put the innings in a spot of bother before Curran and Brevis resurrected and laid a solid platform with clean hitting with their 78-run 4th wicket stand, which was further consolidated with a 46 run association for the fifth with Shivam Dube who remained a mute spectator as Curran did the bulk of scoring.
Thereafter the home team lost their way losing six wickets for 18 runs, thanks to Chahal's four wicket haul in the penultimate over, that put the brakes on the CSK innings.
Pacers Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen chipped in with two wickets each.
Asked to bat first, it was a familiar show as the home team lost three wickets in the power play.
Openers Shaik Rashed (11) struck a four and six and teenager Ayush Mhatre (7) struck just one boundary, before perishing, trying to clear the infield.
All rounder Ravindra Jadeja (17) promoted at No.four, struck four boundaries, including three in four balls of spinner Harpreet Brar's first over, before edging the next ball as CSK were 3 for 48 when the power play ended.
However, left hander Englishman Sam Curran, who was promoted to No.3 and Dewal Brevis took the task of restoring the innings.
The duo while picking up ones and twos, dominated the bowling hitting fours and sixers as CSK added another 41 in the next four overs, to finish to reach 89 for 3 at the half way stage.
However, Sam Curran took the attack to the Opposition camp and reached his first IPL half century
of the season, shortly after Brevis (32, 26 balls, 2x4, 1x6) was castled in the 14th over by pacer Azmatulah Omarzai--the first ball after the time out.
They added 78 runs for the fourth wicket in 8.2 overs and laid the foundation for a healthy finish.
Sam Curran continued to dominate the bowling as CSK reached 134 for four in 15 overs, before pummelling medium pacer Suryan Shedge for 26 runs in the next over--the highest so far--with Curran hitting two sixers and two fours.
When the well set Curran all set to further explode in the death overs and score his first century, he
was dismissed strangely--ducking pacer Marco Jansen's short ball, but edged to wicket keeper John Inglis as he hung out his bat in the process.
It was a fine innings (88, 47 balls, 9x4, 4x6) that revived the sagging morale of the CSK which had been facing successive losses.
Left hander Shivam Dube, who came in after Brevis, was a mere spectators as Curran dominated
the 5th wicket stand of 46 runs in 3.3 overs with some fine stroke play.
At the score of 172 with still 14 balls left, CSK eyed a total of 200 as Dhoni walked into a loud applause from the packed crowd.
He briefly entertained with a four and six in his 4-ball 11 before holding to the deep in a bid to clear the fence.
But the hopes were belied as spinner Yuzuvendra Chahal, after leaking runs in his first two overs picked up four wickets, including a hat-trick (his second in IPL) in the 19th over, getting rid of Dhoni, Deepk Hooda, Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad to finish with 4 for 32.
Shivam Dube (6, 1x4), who was rooted at the non-striker's and could not get the strike, departed in the last over as CSK were bowled out for 190 in 19.2 overs, losing their last six wickets for 18 runs
in 10 balls--collapsing from 172 for four in 17.4 overs.
It was now left to the CSK bowlers to defend what appeared to be a fighting target for its third win in its bid to keep its feeble hopes of qualifying for play-offs alive.
UNI GV 2140