Sport : Cricket

DHONI SECURES CHENNAI VICTORY

21st April 2012, 08:07pm

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Dhoni: Got the winning runs

Dhoni: Got the winning runs

Mahendra Singh Dhoni scrambled two off the last ball of the match to secure a seven-wicket win for his Chennai Super Kings side against Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.

In-form batsman Faf du Plessis set the platform for victory with 73 off 52 balls in pursuit of 147 but some canny bowling from the Royals, not least Brad Hogg's four overs for 18 runs, set up a tense finale.

Eight were needed off Stuart Binny's final over, and two off the last delivery, with Dhoni (15no) doing just enough to take the points.

Rajasthan had earlier relied on Englishman Owais Shah, who continued his impressive tournament with a well-paced 52, and Ashok Menaria's 36.

Nuwan Kulasekara and R Ashwin were both integral to Chennai's victory, both men taking a wicket in Rajasthan's 146 for four, and each conceding fewer than 20 from their four-over allocations.

Leaders Delhi Daredevils were defeated by 20 runs as Pune Warriors recorded their fourth win of the tournament.

Batting first, Pune posted a formidable 192 for three that was built around opener Jesse Ryder's 86 in 58 balls.

The New Zealander struck seven fours and four sixes, sharing productive stands with skipper Sourav Ganguly (41) and Steve Smith (34no).

South Africa's Morne Morkel took all three wickets for Delhi.

Alfonso Thomas removed key man Mahela Jayawardene early, but Virender Sehwag hit an exciting 57 in 32 deliveries and Kevin Pietersen added a brisk 32.

The England batsman then became the first of two men to fall to the part-time bowling of Ganguly, with Thomas returning to collect two more scalps as Delhi faltered.

In the end they fell well short, closing on 172 for seven.

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