Chennai wallop Wayamba to inch closer to semis by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Centurion Park, Centurion
Scorecard:	Chennai Super Kings v Wayamba
Player:	SK Raina, M Vijay
Event:	Champions League 2010/11

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DateLine: 16th September 2010

 

Suresh Raina and Murali Vijay made blazing half centuries as the duo helped Chennai Super Kings crush Wayamba by 97 runs. With two victories out of as many matches, Chennai had inched a step closer towards the semifinal spot while Wayamba face elimination from the tournament.

 

Chennai were cautious in the beginning as openers Mathew Hayden and Vijay found it difficult to pick up Mendis who opened the bowling. When Mubarak introduced Welegedara in the fifth over Chennai innings got the impeteus as Vijay took the left-arm pacer to the task, hitting him for one six and three fours, apart from a leg-bye boundary, to pick up 23 runs of that over. Soon Mendis trapped Hayden plumb in front of the wicket in the next over.

 

Initially Raina took his time to find his feet in the middle and once set he joined the fun with Murali Vijay as the duo used their long handle to great effect towards the end and smashed Wayamba bowlers to all parts of the ground to help Chennai pile up 65 runs in the last five overs. For Wayamba Chanaka Welegadara picked up two wickets for 47 runs off his four overs.

 

Raina scored a blistering 44-ball 87 while Vijay made 68 off 48 deliveries to enable Chennai post a formidable 200/3 in their allotted 20 overs. Raina and Vijay shared a 137-run second wicket stand that came off just 72 deliveries.

 

Chasing the huge target, Wayamba never found their feet and were finally bundled out for 103 in 17.1 overs. Ashwin and Albie Morkel were the wreckers-in-chief for Chennai, picking up four and three wickets respectively.

 

Wayamba had a horrible start to their run chase as they lost two of their top-order batsmen inside the third over with just 18 runs on the board. Morkel dismissed opener Jeevantha Kulatunga for a first ball duck in the second delivery of the innings, captain Jehan Mubarak outside edged to Chennai keeper in the third over. Jayawardene upper-cut one straight to Muttiah Muralitharan at third man off Doug Bollinger with the scoreboard reading 18 for three. Morkel then removed Janith Perera as the Lankan side crumbled.

 

Ashwin then cleaned up both Kaushal Lokuarachchi and Thisara Perera within a span of four balls. Balaji and Muralitharan too registered their name on the scoreboard with the wicket of Isuru Udana and last man Chanaka Welegadara. Ashwin picked up his third scalp in the form of Rangana Herath, who was holed out at point and then wrapped up his day with the wicket of Mendis, stumped by Dhoni.