Chennai Super Kings v Rajasthan Royals, IPL, Chennai
Rajasthan edge spirited Chennai
May 24, 2008
Rajasthan Royals 211 for 5 (Smith 91, Akmal 53*) beat Chennai Super Kings 201 for 7 (Morkel 71, Parthiv 54) by 10 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
A high-scoring thriller which produced 412 runs finally went the way of Rajasthan Royals, as they edged Chennai Super Kings to record their tenth win of the IPL and further consolidate their position at the top of the table. After Graeme Smith had powered Rajasthan to 211, Chennai put up a spirited run-chase, thanks largely to Albie Morkel's 40-ball 71. In the end, though, his effort wasn't enough, which means Chennai still have work to do to make it to the last four.
Full report follows
20 overs Rajasthan Royals 211 for 5 (Smith 91, Akmal 53*) v Chennai Super Kings
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An outstanding 51-ball 91 from Graeme Smith, and his frenetic 127-run opening stand with Swapnil Asnodkar, powered Rajasthan Royals to an imposing 211 for 5 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The two added their runs in just 11.1 overs, while Kamran Akmal kept the momentum going with a 28-ball 53.
On a sweltering afternoon and a pitch which was even paced and gave absolutely no assistance to seam, swing or spin, Chennai's bowlers were utterly helpless against the marauding Rajasthan openers. With Rajasthan already in the semi-finals, Shane Warne experimented with team strategy and composition, choosing to bat, and making four changes to the line-up.
The first move paid off immediately: the third ball, from Makhaya Ntini, was a no-ball, the free hit was promptly deposited over long-on by Asnodkar for six, and that signalled the start of the deluge. Both batsmen hit cleanly through the line of the ball, freeing their arms to crash boundaries through the off side or pull over midwicket. Manpreet Gony suffered early, as Asnodkar bludgeoned him through the covers and then quickly got into position to pull over midwicket when Gony dropped it fractionally short.
In conditions which were unforgiving for the bowlers and fielders, even the slightest errors in line and length were punished ruthlessly, as Smith joined in the fun, cutting and flicking Albie Morkel for fours, before lofting Gony over mid-off and pulling him for two more fours. To make matters worse for Chennai, the hard pitch favoured the batsmen in more ways than one: when Smith played one off Ntini hard into the turf, it bounced so high over the fielder at point that Ntini could only smile in resignation.
The first six overs produced nine fours and two sixes, and with the total reading 67, Rajasthan were on their way. Muttiah Muralitharan was brought into the attack in the seventh, but he couldn't stop the bleeding either, as Smith used his feet to superbly loft him over wide mid-on, and then slog-swept a mighty six. L Balaji was even more profligate, as Smith creamed his first ball over extra-cover for six, and then proceeded to carve him for two fours and a six in his second over, which leaked 20.
Of the first 12 overs, ten produced ten or more runs, as Rajasthan put together their third century stand for the first wicket. Asnodkar finally fell inches short of the crease when attempting a sharp single, while Smith, visibly exhausted with his exertions, finally mistimed a lofted shot off Suresh Raina just nine short of his century.
Those two wickets didn't slow the run-fest, though, as Akmal quickly got into his stride, coming down the pitch and carting the third ball he faced into the long-on stands. Yusuf Pathan and Mohammad Kaif didn't add much, but Akmal, one of the four changes in the team, smashed Ntini over long-off for six, and lofted him for four over mid-on to get his half-century, off just 26 balls. Even in batting-friendly conditions, Chennai will have their hands full getting to this target.
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