Chennai Super Kings

IPL: Chennai Super Kings beat Rajasthan Royals

Chennai Super Kings beat Rajasthan Royals by 38 runs to record their first win in four matches at Centurion.

Raina’s innings helped the Super Kigns post 164 for five before the Royals were bowled out for 126, Lakshmipathy Balaji taking four for 21 and Albie Morkel and Jacob Oram taking two wickets apiece. Raina was in stunning form, smashing five sixes and ten fours and he was into the action early when Matthew Hayden (1) was bowled by Yusuf Pathan (2-17) in the second over. Raina was given useful support by Subramaniam Badrinath, who made 29 in 27 balls and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, unbeaten on 22 in 19 deliveries. Raina fell two short of a century when he was caught by Graeme Smith in the deep as Munaf Patel grabbed two for 25 after he had Jacob Oram caught by Dimitri Mascarenhas for two.

Rob Quiney made a stroke-filled 28, but everything that could go wrong for the Royals did – Swapnil Asnodkar’s innings of ten was ended when he smashed his stumps trying to pull Morkel and a steady stream of wickets thereafter derailed their cause. Balaji was brilliant, dismissing dangermen Pathan (20) and Ravi Jadeja (37), also picking up Shane Warne (3) and Siddharth Trivedi (2) while Raina earned himself the man of the match award by having Quiney trapped in front and then taking the catches to dismiss Pathan and Trivedi.

Suresh Raina got the man of the match award for his all round effort.

Tags: Chennai Super Kings, IPL, Rajasthan Royals