New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings defeated Delhi Daredevils by just 1 run in the second match of the Indian Premier League played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Over 20 | Score 149/9
19 needed from 6, Bravo to bowl his final over. Morkel got an edge off the first ball which flew over third man for a boundary. Morkel took a single off the second ball. Tahir got a short ball from Bravo, he went after it and Raina took a good catch at deep midwicket. 14 required from 3, Morkel on strike. Joseph is the new man in. Morkel launched the fourth ball over wide of long-on for a Six! What a shot under pressure! 8 needed from 2 now. Morkel hit the fifth ball towards deep backward point where Raina did an excellent job to keep it to just two runs as the ball was spinning. 6 needed off the last ball. Dhoni sets his field after a lot of contemplation. Bravo bowled a wide delivery, Morkel went after it, smashed it towards wide of long-off and it fell just short of a six, for a boundary! What a match! What an effort from Morkel who gave it all in the last over despite having an empty tank! CSK have sealed the thriller by 1 run!
Albie Morkel 73* (55b) Domnic Joseph 0* (0b)
Imran Tahir c Raina b Bravo 2 (2b)
Over 19 | Score 132/8
27 needed from 12, Nehra to bowl his final over. Jadeja missed out a run-out chance off the first ball as Mishra had given up. Second ball was a dot delivery as Morkel refused to take the run. Morkel took a single off the third ball and Mishra followed it with another single. Fifth ball was wide, Mishra went for the run from non-striker's end, Dhoni threw the ball to Nehra who removed the bails and DD have lost yet another wicket! Imran Tahir is the new man in. Morkel took a single off the fifth ball. Tahir hit last ball towards wide of mid-off for a couple of runs. 8 from the over.
A Mishra run out 4 (4b)
Over 18 | Score 124/7
Ashwin to bowl his final over. Morkel tapped the first ball for no run. He hit the second one towards long-on and once again Morkel came back for the second. Morkel made room for himself off the third ball, it was bowled at his leg-stump and he backed away as a result of which it was a wide. Morkel hit the third ball towards long-on for a single. Coulter Nile went for a slog sweep off the fourth ball, missed the line and was clean bowled! Amit Mishra is the new man in. Mishra defended the fifth ball for no run. Mishra took a single off the last ball to keep the strike. 5 from the over.
NM Coulter-Nile b Ashwin 5 (4b)
Over 17 | Score 119/6
Bravo to continue, 41 needed from 24. He bowled a wide short ball to Morkel, he went after it and a top edge flew well over Dhoni for a boundary. Morkel hit the fourth ball towards long-on, ran back for a second run and completed his half-century off 43 balls. It has been a good innings so far but he is looking fatigued at the moment. 9 from the over. 32 needed from 18.
Over 16 | Score 110/6
Pandey to bowl his final year. Duminy was looking to steal a single towards third man off the fourth ball, Pandey didn't offer any room whatsoever and his inside edge went onto the stumps. Another massive wicket for CSK. From a winning position, DD are once again left in tatters. Nathan Coulter Nile is the new man in. He got a short ball to start with and he smashed it over midwicket for a boundary. 8 from the over.
JP Duminy b Pandey 5 (5b)
Over 15 | Score 102/5
Bravo to continue. Just two runs came off the first two balls and Yuvraj mistimed the third ball towards mid-on where Ishwar Pandey took an easy catch. Big blow for Daredevils. Duminy is the new man in. He will have to bat till the end if Delhi want to win this. Just 5 from the over. 49 needed from 30 now.
Yuvraj Singh c Pandey b Bravo 9 (6b)
Over 14 | Score 97/4
Mohit has been reintroduced into the attack. The first ball was wide, Jadhav played a casual stroke straight into the hands of Jadeja at point. Finally, Yuvraj Singh has come to the crease. Mohit bowled one to Yuvi down the leg side and he flicked it past fine leg for a boundary. Ten from the over. 54 needed from the last six overs.
KM Jadhav c Jadeja b Ashwin 20 (20b)
Over 13 | Score 87/3
Dwayne Bravo has been introduced into the attack. 5 from the over.
Over 12 | Score 82/3
Ashwin to bowl his third over. Jadhav took a chance off the third ball and pulled it past midwicket for a boundary. 7 from the over.
Over 11 | Score 75/3
Ishwar to bowl his third over on the trot. Kedar was offered some width off the first ball and he played a cut shot over point for a boundary. 8 runs from the over.
Over 10 | Score 67/3
Ashwin to continue. He offered some width to Morkel who smashed it past deep backward point for a boundary. 9 from the over.
Over 9 | Score 58/3
Ishwar to continue. Morkel saw the slightest of width off the second ball and guided it past third man for a boundary. 7 from the over.
Over 8 | Score 51/3
Ashwin, who bowled beautifully in the ICC World Cup 2015, has been given the ball. Four from the over, good start by the off-spinner.
Over 7 | Score 47/3
Ishwar Pandey has been brought into the attack. Morkel got an edge off the first ball which went all the way for a boundary. 7 from the over.
Over 6 | Score 40/3
Mohit to continue. Kedar Jadhav is the new man in. Still no signs of Yuvi or Duminy. Just one from the over.
While Nehra is on fire, see who is happy to see a great spell from the left-arm seamer.
Wow old is gold nehra ji on fire . Love ur work nehra ji keep doing that ...
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 9, 2015
Over 5 | Score 39/2
Nehra to continue. Shreyas Iyer, the much talked about youngster took a risk off the first ball, hit it over extra-cover and it went all the way for a boundary. Iyer took a chance off the last ball as well but mistimed it high in the air and even though Faf misjudged it to an extent, he pulled it off in a great manner by the end fallling backwards. Six from the over. It is proving to be an extraordinary spell from Nehra.
SS Iyer c du Plessis b Nehra 7 (7b)
Over 4 | Score 33/2
Mohit to continue. Third ball was short to Morkel who pulled it for a boundary. Morkel saw some width off the last ball as well and he timed it well past wide of mid-off for another boundary. 13 from the over. Morkel has already played some fine strokes.
Over 3 | Score 20/2
Nehra to continue. Gautam hit the third ball straight to Bravo at mid-on. Albie Morkel has come to the crease. Wonder when was the next time we saw him bat at number three! Mayank saw some width off the penultimate delivery and found the gap between point and covers for a boundary. After playing such a fine stroke, Mayank chased a delivery which was wide, edged it and Dhoni doesn't miss those! Double strike by Nehra! 7 from the over.
MA Agarwal c Dhoni b Nehra 15 (12b)
CM Gautam c Bravo b Nehra 4 (5b)
DD innings:
Over 2 | Score 13/0
Mohit Sharma to bowl from the other end. Fifth ball was a half-volley and Mayank handsomely launched it over mid-off for a Six! Nine from the over.
Over 1 | Score 4/0
Ashish Nehra to bowl the first over, Mayank Agarwal and Chidhambaram Gautam to open for DD. Mayank came down the wicket off the fourth ball and flicked it past midwicket for a boundary. 4 from the first over.
CSK innings:
Over 20 | Score 150/7
Coulter Nile to bowl his final over. Dhoni was looking to hit the third ball towards midwicket, got a top edge which flew over point for a Six! Coulter Nile followed it with a half-volley and Dhoni smashed it for a one-handed six over long-on. Coulter Nile came round the wicket to Dhoni for the fifth ball, Dhoni got a top edge which landed into the hands of Mayank Agarwal at mid-off. Mohit Sharma was the new man in and he drove the last ball for a couple of runs.
MS Dhoni c Agarwal b Coulter-Nile 30 (27b)
Over 19 | Score 134/6
Tahir to bowl his final over. Nine from the over.
Over 18 | Score 125/6
Coulter Nile has been brought back into the attack, he has two overs remaining. Ashwin was offered width off the last ball and he timed it well towards wide of third man for a boundary. 5 from the over.
Over 17 | Score 120/6
Joseph has been brought into the attack. No run came off the first two balls, Dhoni worked the third one towards short third man and ran for a single, Yuvraj missed out on a run-out opportunity there. Joseph bowled a straight delivery to Bravo, who missed the line and was trapped in front of the wicket. Ashwin is the new man in. Just one run and a wicket from the over.
Over 16 | Score 119/5
Mishra to bowl his final over. Jadeja charged down the wicket off the second ball, missed the line and was stumped! Finally Bravo comes to the crease. Excellent spell from Mishra comes to an end. Just 21 from four overs and a wicket. CSK's strategy was possibly not to take too many chances against the spinner.
RA Jadeja st Gautam b Mishra 17 (18b)
Over 15 | Score 116/4
Tahir to bowl his third over. Just 5 from it. Jadeja needs to go for his strokes as Bravo is yet to bat.
Over 14 | Score 111/4
Morkel brought back into the attack. Fourth ball was pitched slightly short and Dhoni pulled it past midwicket for a boundary. 6 from the over.
Over 13 | Score 105/4
Duminy to continue. Faf hit the first ball past extra-cover for a boundary. Faf hit the second ball towards long-off, it looked like it would clear the fence but Shreyas Iyer took an excellent catch. None of the CSK batsmen have managed to convert good starts into big scores. 9 from the over.
F du Plessis c Iyer b Duminy 32 (24b)
Over 12 | Score 96/3
Mishra to bowl his third over. Jadeja shimmied down the track off the second ball and smashed it straight down the ground for a Six! 8 from the over.
Over 11 | Score 88/3
JP Duminy to bowl his first over. Six from the over.
Over 10 | Score 82/3
Mishra to continue. Just four from the over.
Over 9 | Score 78/3
Tahir to bowl his second over. Smith pulled the first ball, but hit it straight to Coulter Nile at deep midwicket. Ravindra Jadeja has been promoted ahead of Smith and Dhoni. 7 From the over. The spinners have brought Delhi back in the game.
DR Smith c Coulter-Nile b Imran Tahir 34 (31b)
Over 8 | Score 71/2
Amit Mishra has been brought into the attack. Six from the over. The spinners are creating some sort of pressure for DD.
Over 7 | Score 65/2
Time for spin, Imran Tahir brought into the attack. Smith took one step forward off the fifth ball and hit it over the bowler's head for a boundary. Six from the over.
Over 6 | Score 59/2
Morkel brought back into the attack. Du Plessis saw some width off the second ball and worked it well through extra-cover for a boundary. 10 from the over.
Over 5 | Score 49/2
Domnic Joseph to continue. Fourth ball was pitched short and Smith pulled it past midwicket for a boundary. Du Plessis charged down the wicket off the last ball and hit it over extra-cover for another boundary. Despite losing a couple of wickets, CSK are not going to slow down the momentum.
Over 4 | Score 38/2
Coulter Nile to continue. Just two runs came off the first five balls and then Raina charged down the wicket off the last ball, missed the line and the stumps were rattled! Big blow for CSK as their most consistent batsman walked back to the crease. Faf du Plessis is the new man in. Excellent spell this from Coulter Nile.
SK Raina b Coulter-Nile 4 (7b)
Over 3 | Score 36/1
Domnic Joseph has been brought into the attack. Fourth ball was a short delivery and Smith pulled it past midwicket for a boundary. 10 from the over.
Over 2 | Score 26/1
Coulter Nile has been brought into the attack. He bowled an excellent first delivery to McCullum who edged it towards the first slip where Yuvraj Singh dropped a tough chance. It didn't cost DD much as McCullum charged down the wicket off the second ball, hit it high in the air and was caught by Yuvraj at third man. Suresh Raina is the new man in. 10 from the over.
BB McCullum c Yuvraj Singh b Coulter-Nile 4 (2b)
Over 1 | Score 16/0
Albie Morkel to bowl first over for Delhi, Smith and McCullum to open for CSK. He offered width off the second ball to Smith who hit it past covers for a boundary. Third ball was bowled down the leg side, it flicked Smith's pads and went rushed towards the fine leg boundary. Fourth ball was a half-volley and Smith played a straight drive for another boundary. Morkel once again offered width off the fifth ball and Smith timed it well past covers for another boundary. Superb start from CSK, 16 from the first over.
TOSS: DD won the toss and JP Duminy decided to bowl first.
ALSO SEE: IPL 2015 FULL COVERAGE | FIXTURES | POINTS TALLY
Considering the way they have dominated the IPL since its inception, CSK will start as the favourites to win the match. They are a batting powerhouse with the likes of Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith opening the batting. Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina and skipper Dhoni himself make the batting order look more formidable. SEE: CSK's team profile
In the bowling department, they have two quality spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja who become a major threat on Indian pitches. Dwayne Bravo is somebody who has been their utility players over the years. After missing out majority of the last season due to an injury, the team management would want the all-rounder to continue his good show.
Delhi are once again making a fresh start and all eyes would be on Yuvraj Singh for whom they splurged a whopping 16 crores at the auctions earlier this year. SEE: DD's team profile
Even though they don't have a world class opening duo, their middle-order is their strength with Yuvi, Angelo Mathews, JP Duminy, Kedar Jadhav and Manoj Tiwary all being in the squad. A lot is expected from Duminy and the South African all-rounder should try and promote himself up in the order, something which the team management didn't do last year.
Delhi have a strong bowling attack in Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami, Imran Tahir and Amit Mishra. Mathews and Yuvraj are expected to contribute with the ball as well.
