A cracking contest is on the cards on Thursday when Chennai Super Kings take on a rejuvenated Rajasthan Royals at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

Fortunes have followed different routes for both last year’s finalists, who were on a roll in the inaugural edition.

Defending champions Rajasthan Royals are back in contention after ending Delhi Daredevils’ winning streak with a high-voltage performance on Tuesday.

Royals have recovered from the huge first match loss against Royal Challengers and are now in top-four in standings with five points.

Super Kings, on the other hand, badly need a win as they languish in the sixth place in the points tally after only one win in five matches. The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team would be wary of Yusuf Pathan’s blistering form. The T20 specialist has played two match-winning knocks – against Knight Riders and Daredevils.

Royals’ bowlers also looked in fine touch as they restricted a strong batting side like Daredevils to 143. Skipper Warne, who has been an inspiring figure in the team, marshalled his resources well against Daredevils.

The changes in batting order, bringing Yusuf Pathan down the order, worked perfectly while the bowling shuffle was also productive.

Munaf Patel has been their key bowler while young Kamran Khan has given a tough time to opponents with his speed. Warne has chipped win with crucial wickets.

Super Kings are still to fire as a unit. Their batting led by devastating Mathew Hayden at the top has shouldered all the workload, but the bowlers have failed to defend good totals.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has asked the bowlers to pull up their socks.

“The bowlers are letting us down. We need to come up with a few ideas. We have struggled in the middle overs. We need to pull up there,” he said.

Tags: Chennai Super kings, Chennai Super Kings Vs Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2, IPL 2009, IPL 2009 News, IPL Scores, IPL South Africa, IPL Updates, Jaipur Rajasthan Royals, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Mathew Hayden, Munaf Patel, Raj Kundra, Shane Warne, Shilpa Shetty, Yusuf Pathan

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Table-topper Deccan Chargers’ fairytale campaign continued in the second Indian Premier League with the Adam Gilchrist-led side edging out Chennai Super Kings by six wickets to maintain their clean slate here today.

Chasing 166, Deccan Chargers rode on Herschelle Gibbs’ (69 not out) second half-century of the tournament and captain Gilchrist’s scoring 44 off 19 balls to cruise to 169 for four in 19.3 overs to record their fourth win on the trot.

Put into bat, Chennai Super Kings had earlier posted 165 for six, courtesy Matthew Hayden’s belligerent 49 and Jacob Oram’s breezy unbeaten 41 down the order.

Gilchrist and Gibbs were clearly in a hurry to wrap up the match and with both the batsmen going after the bowlers, Chennai simply had no respite.

Gilchrist hit Lakshmipathy Balaji for back-to-back fours in the first over to signal his intention. The Chennai pacer had a chance to settle scores in the next over but Balaji grassed a difficult caught-and-bowled chance and Gilchrist was simply unstoppable as he hit the pacer for two sixes and a boundary in that productive over.

Tags: Adam Gilchrist, Chennai Super Kings Vs Deccan Chargers, Dhoni, Hershchelle Gibbs, IPL 2, IPL 2009, IPL 2009 News, IPL Scores, IPL South Africa, IPL Updates, Jacob Oram, L Balaji, Mathew Hayden

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Depleted by star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff’s pull-out due to injury and struggling with poor form, last year’s runners-up Chennai Super Kings start unlikely underdogs against rampaging table-toppers Deccan Chargers in an Indian Premier League match on Monday.

The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai side have won just one of their four matches so far, losing two while splitting points in their fourth game against Kolkata Knight Riders following a wash-out.

Deccan, on the other hand, have been simply unstoppable winning all three of their matches, riding mostly on their good batting led by in-form skipper Adam Gilchrist.

In contrast, Chennai have been surprisingly off-colour and the only win they have managed so far came against bottom-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Opener Matthew Hayden’s good form and the fact that he is available for the entire tournament seems to be the lone highlight of Chennai’s campaign so far.

The burly Australian, who retired from international cricket last year, is the leading scorer of the tournament having accumulated 166 runs in three matches, including two fifties, at a strike rate of over 171.

But the rest of the Chennai batting has not been able to back Hayden’s form much as yet, quite evident in their loss to Delhi Daredevils. Set 189 to win, Hayden’s 57 and Suresh Raina’s 41 were the only notable contributions for Chennai in their nine-run loss.

Dhoni, considered one of the best international skippers right now, has somehow failed to inspire the team and his lacklustre form with the bat has also become a concern.

On the other hand, last season’s laggards Deccan have have completely turned it around under Gilchrist this year and much of it has been possible because of their in-form batting line-up.

Gilchrist himself have been in excellent touch and is fourth on the leading scorers list with 119 runs at a strike rate of 150.

South African Herschelle Gibbs and West Indian Dwayne Smith have ensured that Gilchrist’s blazing run is complimented well at the top.

Add to this, pacer R P Singh and spinner Pragyan Ojha’s good form with the ball and Deccan have become unexpected favourites against Chennai.

Tags: Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Flintoff, Chennai Super kings, Chennai Super Kings Vs Deccan Chargers, Deccan Chargers, Hershchelle Gibbs, Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, IPL 2, IPL 2009, IPL 2009 News, IPL Scores, IPL South Africa, IPL Updates, L Balaji, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Mathew Hayden, Muttiah Muralitharan, Pragyan Ojha, RP Singh, Suresh Raina

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Kolkata Knight Riders will be eager to bounce back from their disappointing Super Over loss against Rajasthan Royals, when they face runners-up Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League on Saturday.

Knight Riders came close to winning Thursday but it was the brilliance of Kamran Khan and Yusuf Pathan, who turned the match in the favour of defending champions Rajasthan Royals.

Knight Riders have just one victory in three matches and are lying in the seventh spot in the eight-team league.

Last year’s runner-up Super Kings also have one win in three matches and will be desperately looking for two full points against Knight Riders at the Newlands.

Though their batting has looked good, Super Kings’ problem has been their bowling, especially at the death. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will have to do some work to sort out his team’s bowling.

The onus once again will be on batsmen Matthew Hayden and Dhoni to put the runs on the board for Super Kings. The absence of England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will be a blow for the Chennai team. Flintoff has been ruled out of the IPL and will fly back home for surgery of a knee injury.

For Knight Riders, skipper Brendon McCullum is yet to shine with the bat and the focus will be on him to give a good start along with Chris Gayle, who has been in terrific touch.

Sourav Ganguly, who came close to winning the match against Royals with a defiant knock, will be eager to prove himself again. Ganguly also played a crucial role with the ball against Kings XI Punjab.

Tags: Andrew Flintoff, Brendon McCullum, Chennai Super kings, Dhoni, IPL 2, IPL 2009, IPL Scores, IPL South Africa, IPL Updates, Knight Riders Vs Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight riders, L Balaji, Mathew Hayden, Shah Rukh Khan, Sourav Ganguly, Super Over, Yusuf Pathan

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AB de Villiers won the battle of the master blasters against Matthew Hayden on Thursday to give Delhi Daredevils a nine-run win over Chennai Super Kings in an Indian Premier League thriller.

South African De Villiers rode his luck to finish unbeaten on 105 as Delhi made 189-5 in their 20 overs and Australian Hayden hit 57 as he triggered a heroic run chase that ended at 180-9 after a late collapse at Kingsmead.

Victory maintained the 100 percent record of Delhi while Chennai suffered their second loss in three matches in a tournament. “I kept it simple, hit the ball and enjoyed myself. I really had to work hard for my first 50 as my timing was a bit off, but the runs flowed from then on,” De Villiers said after the first ton of the 59-match tournament.

Delhi team-mate Paul Collingwood of England branded the De Villiers innings “perfect” and recently retired Test batsman Hayden called it a “magnificent, patient and methodical” stand.

Daredevils lost their openers inside the first two overs and needed a hero.Enter De Villiers to gradually subdue his opponents and hit six sixes and five fours in a 54-ball masterclass. He did have a moment of luck after reaching 50 when compatriot Albie Morkel was guilty of sloppy fielding at the boundary to drop a simple opportunity of sending De Villiers packing.

Hayden made a quickfire 57 in a reply that was on track until former England skipper Andrew Flintoff was caught by substitute David Warner to leave Chennai on 156-5 and two last-over run-outs settled the outcome.

Tags: Ab De Villiers, Albie Morkel, Andrew Flintoff, Chennai Super kings, Chennai Super Kings Vs Delhi Daredevils, Daredevils, Delhi Daredevils, Dhoni, Gambir, IPL 2, IPL 2009, IPL Scores, IPL South Africa, Mathew Hayden, Paul Collingwood, Sehwag, Super Kings

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After bouncing back from their opening match defeat, last year’s runners-up Chennai Super Kings will look to maintain their winning momentum as they take on Delhi Daredevils in their Indian Premier League match here on Thursday.

Chennai Super Kings had a shaky start when they lost to Mumbai Indians in the IPL opener but Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men bounced back in the next match beating the Bangalore Royal Challengers by 92 runs.

With orange cap wearer Australian Matthew Hayden in great touch even after his retirement, CSK have no less a batting firepower than the formidable looking batting line-up of the Daredevils and cracker of a match is on the cards on Thursday.

Hayden, the current leading scorer, smashed the second fastest fifty in IPL en route to his 35-ball 65 and in company with Parthiv Patel plundered 106 runs for the opening wicket against Bangalore.

Chennai have some fine all-rounders in England’s Andrew Flintoff and South African Albie Morkel and with left-hander Suresh Raina also finding his form with a valuable 28 against Bangalore, there doesn’t seem to be any major chink in their batting resources.

Delhi Daredevils have also some in-form batsmen in their ranks with skipper Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir showing no problems in scoring easy runs. Delhi is also having some quality players like big hitter David Warner and old warhorse Glenn McGrath, who are still to make an appearance in the second edition of the Twenty20 extravaganza.

Among pacers, the Daredevils will depend on exuberance of Indian youngsters Pradeep Sangwan, Yo Mahesh and Australian Dirk Nannes, while Super Kings will have the task entrusted on Manpreet Gony, Laxmipathi Balaji and all-rounders Flintoff and Morkel.

And with spinners dominating the game so far, tomorrow’s match would also be a clash between New Zealander Daniel Vettori and Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan, both scalping three wickets in their last matches.

Tags: Albie Morkel, Chennai Super kings, Chennai Super Kings Vs Delhi Daredevils, Daniel Vettori, Delhi Daredevils, Dhoni, Flintoff, Gambir, IPL 2, IPL 2009, IPL 2009 News, IPL South Africa, L Balaji, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Mathew Hayden, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sehwag, Suresh Raina

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The Chennai Super Kings put their title back on track in stunning manner with a massive 92-run win over the Bangalore Royal Challengers in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match here Monday.

The Chennai side first scored 179 for five, riding on Australian Matthew Hayden’s blistering 35-ball 65, and then bundled out Bangalore for just 87 in 15.2 overs.

Hayden, who retired from international cricket earlier this year, was at his dominating best, picking gaps to reach his third IPL half-century in just 22 balls, and in the process, helping the Chennai side to the highest Twenty20 score at St George’s Park here.

If Hayden was the batsman around whom the Chennai innings built their innings after captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss, it was Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralidharan, who bewildered the Bangalore batsmen with his variations and turn, returning figures of 3/11 from four overs. Laxmipathi Balaji took two wickets while Manpreet Gony, Andrew Flintoff, Albie Morkel and Joginder Sharma chipped with one wicket each to throttle the Bangalore batsmen.

Set a huge target of 180 at nine per over, Bangalore were never in with a chance as their top five were gone by the eighth over for a mere 50 runs.

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Aiming for the title that eluded them last year, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) left for Johannesburg this morning sans their skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to participate in the second edition of the Indian Premier League that kick starts in South Africa on April 18.

The Super Kings left for Johannesburg via Dubai at 9.45 on Wednesday morning by an Emirates Airlines flight.

Apart from Dhoni, medium pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji and opening batsman Murali Vijay, who will return from New Zealand on Wednesday and some overseas players, including coach-cum-player Stephen Fleming, Mathew Hayden and George Bailey will join the squad later.

From Johannesburg, the Super Kings will travel to Durban on Thursday where they will set up their training camp.

Kasi Viswanathan, Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and Head of Operations of the Super Kings told that the team is geared up to return with the trophy that they missed last time to Rajasthan Royals.

The Super Kings would be having a six-day training camp in Durban from April 10-15, which includes a few practice matches against local teams before leaving for Cape Town to play Mumbai Indians in the second match on the opening day of the high-profile Twenty20 tournament.

Vishwanathan also informed that along with Dhoni, Andrew Flintoff and Jacob Oram will be joining the team in Cape Town on April 15.

Tags: Chennai Super kings, Dhoni, Flintoff, IPL 2010 - IPL 3, L Balaji, Mathew Hayden, Oram, South Africa, Stephen Fleming, Super Kings

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