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Chennai: Ravindra Jadeja picked 4/11 and Brendon McCullum scored 81, off 61-ball as Chennai Super Kings defeated Rajasthan Royals by 12 runs, and qualify for play-offs.
Ajinkya Rahane once again started in silken fashion, scoring 23 off 17 balls with four boundaries. At 37 for one in the sixth over, RR would not have been reasonably happy with their start. Steven Smith had a rare off day though, getting bowled attempting a sweep of Jadeja to give the under-fire left-armer his first wicket of the day.
That was the start of Jadeja’s resurgence. Shane Watson was his next victim, caught by Bravo for a 30-ball 28. The wicket belonged to Bravo though. Watson looked to go over long on, and seemed to have hit it well enough to go over the ropes. Bravo did not think so though, and jumped high in the air to his side to take a spectacular one-handed catch.
Karun Nair was the next to go, top-edging an attempted slog off Jadeja to Ashwin for 10.
Deepak Hooda followed, giving Jadeja his fourth wicket when he mis-hit to Suresh Raina at long on for 15. Sanju Samson then played a bit of a blinder, smashing 26 off 17 with two sixes and a four.
Earlier, Brendon McCullum scored a remarkably restrained half-century to help CSK to a good total.
After the early losses of Dwayne Smith — dismissed holing out to James Faulkner off Ankit Sharma for six — and Suresh Raina (3) McCullum and Faf du Plessis put on a century stand for the third wicket.
McCullum battled fatigued and some disciplined bowling to score a 61-ball 81 with seven fours and four sixes.
At the other end, du Plessis was a victim of McCullum’s fatigue, getting run out trying to go for a sharp single but being sent back by an obviously tired McCullum. His 29 came off 25 balls and was instrumental in ensuring that CSK held on in the middle overs.
Pawan Negi was sent in as a pinch-hitter at No. 5 ahead of MS Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo, but the experiment failed. IPL 2015 schedule: IPL 8 match time table with venue details
The twin wickets of McCullum and Negi brought Dhoni and Bravo together, and they provided CSK with the final flourish they needed. Both men played some exciting shots at the death to boost CSK’s sagging run rate, putting on 28 runs in 15 balls.
Brief scores
Chennai Super Kings - 157/5 (McCullum 81, Morris 3-19)
Rajasthan Royals - 145/9 (Watson 28, Jadeja 4-11, Mohit 3-25)
Result - Chennai Super Kings won by 12 runs
Points - Chennai Super Kings 2, Rajasthan Royals 0
MOM - Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)
