Super Kings romp home by six runs, Mumbai 202-7 in 20 overs

Chennai, Apr 23 (UNI) Chennai Super Kings registed their second successive win defeating Mumbai Indians needing to win after the ignominy of losing the first game, by six runs in the DFL Indian Premier League(IPL) match at a near full M A Chidambaram stadium here today.

As the Super Kings bowlers got on top of the rivals, only Robin Uthappa came good top scoring with 43 runs off 36 balls with six fours and helped alongby Abhishk Nayar 45 off 20 balls six fours and a six and D Bravo making 24 off 16 balls with two fours and a six.

The Mumbai Indians sorely missing Sachin Tendulkar, their skipper, still recovering from a groin injury, were off to an ominous start losing opener Luke Ronchi who was run out to a direct throw by Super Kings' S Badrinath.

They were required to score at 11 runs per over, losing their first wicket for just nine runs off the last ball of the first oer.

Veteran left hander Sanath Jayasurya held out hope. But at 30, off the fourth ball ofthe fourth over, Jayasurya trying to step up the scoring holed out to Joginder Sharma at mid on off medium pacer M S Dhoni. He scored 20 off 11 balls and hit four fours.

However, at the other end their first match hero Robin Uthappa was settling down to some luslty hitting. But on 43 he was castled by Joginder Sharma. He made 43 off 36 balls hittig a six and six fours.

The Mumbai Indians were now under pressure as the 51 runs stand off 47 balls between Uthappa and Shaun Pollock ended at the team's score of 81 in 9.4 overs.

Sixteen runs later Pollock felll to medium pacer, the promising P Amarnath of Tamil Nadu who castled the former Proteas all rounder for 17. Pollock faced 15 balls and hit one six.

As Abhishek Nayar joined Caribbean D Bravo the Mumbai Kings reached their 100 mark off 12.2 overs, requring still a little over 100 runs to be scored for a win. They had to score at the rate of 13 runs per over, indicating that the Chennai Super Kings had the match firmly in their grip. They were 110 for 4 in 13 overs. And even the limited Super Kings bowlig attack could not make it easy for Mumbai.

They were in for another set back when Dwayne Bravo fell to Joginer Sharma who replaced off spinner Muthiah Muralitharan.

Bravo was caught at long on by Jacob Oram and scored 17 off 15 balls with six fours and one six. Bravo and Abhishek Nayar who came in after Pollock, added 33 runs for the fifth wicket off 16 balls.

Defeat was then staring at Mumbai as Muralitharan picked up his first wicket in the IPL, dismissing Musavir Khote. Khote made nine with a six off five balls. Musavir holed out to Suresh Raina, to see the Mumbai team six down for 141 runs in 15.3 overs. They needed 62 from 23 balls to pull off what would be an improbable win. They then posted the 150 run mark in 16.2 overs. They needed 29 from 14 balls at 180 for 6 after Abhishek Nayak hit two sixes off Oram. He then survived a run out chance.

Needing 20 runs from eight balls, they lost the wicket of Harbajan Singh their stand in skipper,who holed out to Badrinath at long on off Murali-tharan for 28 off 14balls. He hit three sixes and one four. He added 48 rus for the seventh wicket with Abhishek. As Ashish Nehra walked in and walloped a four, Mumbai needed 15 runs from five balls and 11 from four balls as he hit another. It was nine from four after 200 of the innings came off 19.2 overs in 106 minutes for Mumbai Indians. It was then eight from two balls. And off the lst ball of the innings Mumbai needed an impossible eight runs. They made 202 for 7 off 20 overs when te contest ended.

Mumbai needed 79 runs off 46 balls with five wickets in hand.

But barring a lean fight back by Abhishek Nayak, Harbhajan Singh after Bravo fell, they collapsed.

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