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Significant win moves Super Kings up to third on the log

cricket12 May 2024 13:54| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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Simarjeet Singh led a wise and frugal bowling display by the Chennai Super Kings which saw the Rajasthan Royals restricted to a modest total of 141-5 but they made hard work of the run-chase before winning their IPL match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday by five wickets.

CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad anchored the chase with an unbeaten 42 from 41 balls but the home side’s batsmen struggled just as awkwardly as the visitors on a slow, two-paced pitch and even managed to lose the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja (5) obstructing the field before finishing on 145-5 from 18.2 overs.

New Zealanders Rachin Ravindra (27) and Daryl Mitchell (22) gave the home side a positive start R Ashwin (2-35) and ‘impact player’ Nandre Burger (1-21) hit back for the Royals before Gaikwad calmed the nerves and helped CSK move into a share of third place.

Earlier seamer Simarjeet (4-0-26-3) claimed the first three wickets to fall as the Royals top order struggled to adapt against bowlers who knew exactly how to capitalise on the conditions.

Shardul Thakur (0-32) was the most expensive of the five bowlers used while Tushar Deshpande (2-30) picked up two wickets in the final over to snuff out the Royals’ hopes of a late acceleration.

Big hitters Jos Buttler (21 off 25 balls) and captain Sanju Samson (15 off 19 balls) looked bereft of ideas against an array of slower balls from the seamers while spinner Ravindra Jadeja once again excelled with a parsimonious four overs costing only 24 runs.

Jadeja was later given out by the third umpire who ruled that the batsmen had deliberately placed himself between the Samson and the stumps when the Royals ‘keeper was attempting to run him out with Jadeja stranded mid-pitch.

Riyan Parag hit a couple of legside sixes late in the innings to finish with an unbeaten 47 from 35 balls while only Druv Jurel (28 off 18 balls) looked remotely at ease in his brief stay.

Despite the defeat the Royals remain comfortably placed for the playoff stages in second place on 16 points, two behind the Kolkata Knight Riders, while the Super Kings moved into a share of third place with the Sunrisers Hyderabad on 14 points with just one match remaining.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Daryl Mitchell, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wkt), Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet Singh, Maheesh Theekshana

RAJASTHAN ROYALS: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (captain/wkt), Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal</p>

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