Chennai Super Kings became the first team to enter the semifinals of Champions League Twenty20 2013 after beating Brisbane Heat by eight wickets at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Saturday.
The result also meant that Brisbane were eliminated, having lost all three matches they’ve played in the tournament so far.
After opting to field, Chennai were ruthless against an adventurous Brisbane top order. After poor performances in their two previous games, Brisbane’s batsmen seemed to have made up their minds to attack Chennai. However, their tactic backfired, and they were reduced to 66 for 6, before Ben Cutting and Chris Hartley put together a stirring seventh-wicket partnership of 71 to boost their total to 137 for 7.
Faced with a seemingly easy chase, Murali Vijay and Mike Hussey, the Chennai openers, laid the foundation, putting on 75 to set up the victory. Vijay made a 27-ball 42 and played a significant role. Hussey was the bedrock though, piling on the runs to complete his first half-century of the tournament, a 48-ball 57. Suresh Raina (23 off 15 balls) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (13 not out) helped finish the job.
After two consecutive scoreless games, Vijay came back to form with a bang. The more time he spent at the crease, the more his confidence grew. The stylish, power-packed strokes returned, and at one point, he skipped forward and lifted Nathan Hauritz for two successive sixes, both over the midwicket region. At the other end, Hussey was his usual effervescent self when he wanted to be, but was happy scoring singles while Vijay attacked. There were a few juicy strokes though, including an inside-out drive off Hauritz, which perfectly bisected the cover fielders.
Vijay’s knock came to an end when he holed out to Joe Burns at fine leg while attempting to pull a short one from Cutting. Raina walked in, and if anything, he was even more explosive. There was a thwacked six over midwicket, and another one pulled away over square leg. He was given leg before wicket to Dan Christian late on, but Dhoni, the Ranchi boy, came in to finish it off with a six straight down the ground. There were still 25 balls to be bowled.
The early signs were mixed for Brisbane. James Hopes started the match with a smart four through point off Mohit Sharma, but Dominic Michael, making his Twenty20 debut, fell for a two-ball duck later in the over. Chris Lynn walked in to partner Hopes, and the two put on 24 for the second wicket, attacking ferociously in a short-lived exhibition of power.
Sharma was taken for a couple of fours, as was Albie Morkel. Hopes holed out later in that over, but Lynn carried on at the other end. He smashed consecutive boundaries off Jason Holder, one of them clubbed straight over the sightscreen, and was dropped on 27 by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Chennai captain, even as Dan Christian and Joe Burns were dismissed without making much of an impact.
It didn’t prove a costly drop though, as R Ashwin sent down a leg break, which Lynn (29 off 25) edged to gully. Chris Sabburg didn’t last long either, and Brisbane were in dire straits. But Cutting and Hartley’s partnership gave Brisbane hope.
Titans crush Sunrisers
A superb all-round display from the Titans helped them coast to an eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in a crucial clash at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Saturday. The victory allowed them to climb up to second spot in Group B of Champions League Twenty20, behind Chennai Super Kings, who were playing Brisbane Heat in the second match of the day. The defeat, however, was a big blow to Hyderabad’s qualification hopes.
After winning the toss in overcast conditions, Henry Davids, the Titans captain, understandably opted to bowl. His team then backed up his decision with a fine performance that restricted Hyderabad to 145 for 7, with Shikhar Dhawan’s 21-ball 37 the highest score of the innings. Dale Steyn played a big role with the bat, smashing four consecutive boundaries in a brief little cameo late on as 21 runs came in the final over. David Wiese was the pick of the Titans bowlers, ended up with magnificent figures 4-0-17-3 after running through the top order.
Davids and Jacques Rudolph, the Titans openers, didn’t waste much time in their pursuit of 146. Davids made a stroke-filled 42-ball 64, while Rudolph ended on an unbeaten 49. A couple of wickets fell late on, but the chase was completed with a whopping 21 balls to spare.
Chennai cruises into semis
