Chennai Super Kings win by 12 runs
Two more singles from the over, and that’s that. Good bowling performance in the end from the Super Kings, even if their fielding was a little...erratic.
WICKET! Ankit Sharma c Nehra b Bravo 0 (1) - Royals 143-9
So, 27 required from the last over, that will be bowled by Bravo. And it’s a bad start from Bravo, bowling a waist-high no ball that Morris slaps over fine leg for six. Morris then slaps the ball out to Jadeja, who in Dhoni’s view is a little tardy in getting the throw back and thus allowing Morris to get two and retain the strike. He gets two more down the ground, then an excellent yorker that he can only dig out for one down the ground. That should be that though, as Sharma throws everything, in a rather ungainly manner, at the ball but can only get a thick edge to Nehra at gully.
19th over: Rajasthan Royals 131-8 (Morris 4, Ankit Sharma 0) - require another 27 runs to win
Morris gets a single from the last ball of the over, nearly running out the new man Ankit Sharma as they think about a second.
WICKET! Bhatia c Du Plessis b Sharma 0 (1) - Royals 130-8
And another! Bhatia goes first ball, skewing an attempted drive up in the air, and Du Plessis is there, coming round from point to take the catch. He cramps up as he takes the catch, and that could be his last involvement in the game.
WICKET! Faulkner c Bravo b Sharma 16 (13) - Royals 130-7
Sharma starts the penultimate over with a wide, then Morris hits a single out to the sweeper. Sharma then sends a waist-high no-ball to Faulkner, which is flicked around the corner for an additional single. Morris cuffs one out to McCullum at long-off, where it looks like he’ll take a comfortable catch, but seems to misjudge it and let the ball slip through his fingers. Another drop. Weird game, this. Even weirder next ball, as Faulkner slaps a low full-toss that is heading for the cover boundary, before Bravo again leaps up and sticks out a hand, taking another fantastic catch. It seems like catches need to be difficult to be taken in this game.
18th over: Rajasthan Royals 125-6 (Morris 1, Faulkner 15) - require another 33 runs to win
Chris Morris is the new batsman, and they take two runs from the last two balls of the over.
WICKET! Samson c Smith b Bravo 26 (17) - Royals 123-6
Well, a calamity of calamities there. Samson throws everything at a shot, puts it straight up in the air and simultaneously drops his bat, then Bravo follows suit by dropping a simple catch - over his shoulder, but simple anyway. Samson then gives Bravo the charge and absolutely mullers one high, high, high over long-on for six. He then goes for one too many, launching it high in the air over towards the cover boundary, and Smith comes in and takes an easy catch.
17th over: Rajasthan Royals 115-5 (Samson 19, Faulkner 13) - require another 43 runs to win
Nehra’s back, and Faulkner plays a slightly awkward-looking jab-flick-pull-shot thing, but while it’s not pretty, it’s effective, skipping past short fine-leg and to the boundary. Faulkner pulls out to Smith on the boundary, and this time the batsman saves the boundary.
16th over: Rajasthan Royals 107-5 (Samson 17, Faulkner 7) - require another 51 runs to win
A couple of singles, then Samson waits for a slower ball from Bravo and gets absolutely all of it, launching it over the mid-wicket fence and for six. Samson then just literally runs down the pitch and clipping another slowie to mid-wicket for a single, then Faulkner cuts out to deep point, where Smith gets down to the ball but can’t stop it. Another single, and that’s 14 from the over.
15th over: Rajasthan Royals 93-5 (Samson 9, Faulkner 1) - require another 65 runs to win
Jadeja goes up for a big lbw shout, but that would probably have only just hit a second set. Then he tries an appeal for a caught behind, as Samson sweeps, it goes up in the air and Dhoni catches it. No dice - three runs and a wicket from the over, and Jadeja finishes his four over spell with the remarkable figures of 4-0-11-4.
WICKET! Hooda c Raina b Jadeja 15 (14) - Royals 90-5
Jadeja’s game just gets better and better. Hooda tries to clear the straight fence, but doesn’t get anything like enough of it, puts it straight up in the air and Raina settles under a relatively comfortable catch.
14th over: Rajasthan Royals 90-4 (Samson 7, Hooda 15) - require another 68 runs to win
Bravo gets a bowl, and Hooda flips it out to deep mid-wicket. Samson starts to come back for a second, is sent back with the fielder closing in, the fielder doesn’t gather cleanly and there’s no throw, but Samson dives full-length to make his ground anyway. Hustle. Anyway, singles, all flapped out to the leg side, five of them, from the over.
Updated
They’re having a time-out, so enjoy that Bravo catch. It’s really quite good...
Don't miss - The Bravo brilliance on the boundary ropes @ChennaiIPL #IPL https://t.co/3tqRNwnjPc
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 10, 2015
13th over: Rajasthan Royals 85-4 (Samson 5, Hooda 12) - require another 73 runs to win
Hooda takes two then a single down to long-on, then Samson plays a delightful shot, rocking back and playing a late cut past a diving slip and to the fence for four. A wide and a few more singles from the over.
12th over: Rajasthan Royals 75-4 (Samson 0, Hooda 8) - require another 83 runs to win
Sanju Samson is the new batsman, and he defends his first ball, the last in the over.
WICKET! Karun c Ashwin b Jadeja 10 (12) - Royals 75-4
After a couple of singles Jadeja loudly claims lbw, but that one actually hit Karun closer to his shoulder after he went down for a sweep but missed. Karun then goes for another sweep, but top-edges this one and Ashwin barely has to move at short fine-leg to take the catch.
11th over: Rajasthan Royals 71-3 (Karun 9, Hooda 7) - require another 87 runs to win
The Royals need to step on it now, and Hooda looks like the man to do that. A couple, followed by a few singles, followed by a textbook inside-out drive over the covers and to the boundary.
10th over: Rajasthan Royals 63-3 (Karun 8, Hooda 0) - require another 95 runs to win
Hooda is the new batsman.
Updated
WICKET! Watson c Bravo b Jadeja 30 (28) - Royals 63-3
What a catch! Singles, singles, singles all over the place, until Watson tries to clear the straight boundary, which he nearly does but for Bravo, running around then flinging a hand up to somehow pluck the thing from the air. What. A. Catch.
9th over: Rajasthan Royals 59-2 (Karun 6, Watson 26) - require another 99 runs to win
Karun plays a big sweep that Dwayne Smith runs around the boundary to field...but doesn’t, running past the ball a little and evading the big opener, as the ball goes to the boundary. And more misfielding, after a single brings Watson to the strike, he drives out to long-off where Du Plessis dives, gets a hand to it but allows it to go through fo another boundary. The DEW FACTOR klaxon goes off, as the damp ball is rubbed vigorously with a handy towel.
8th over: Rajasthan Royals 49-2 (Karun 1, Watson 21) - require another 109 runs to win
Karun Nair is the new man, and he takes a single to close an excellent first over from Jadeja - two runs and a wicket from it.
WICKET! Smith b Jadeja 4 (6) - Royals 48-2
Yer man Ravi Jadeja has the ball now, and after a single Smith goes for a big sweep, but it bowls the Australian round his legs. There’s a brief interlude while they double-check that it wasn’t Dhoni’s gloves that dislodged the bails, but a replay confirms it was all the bowler’s work.
7th over: Rajasthan Royals 47-1 (Smith 4, Watson 20) - require another 111 runs to win
Pawan Negi is into the attack, and the two Australian batsmen milk him for enough singles and twos so they take seven from the over.
6th over: Rajasthan Royals 40-1 (Smith 0, Watson 17) - require another 118 runs to win
Today’s skipper Steve Smith is the new batsman, and he’s off strike as Watson drives, it’s half-stopped by Dwayne Smith and they scamper back for two.
WICKET! Rahane c Bravo b Sharma 23 (17) - Royals 37-1
Watson waits nicely for a slower one from Sharma, and chips it over Du Plessis, but the South African chases it down superbly, and they take three. A couple more for Rahane, then he top-edges a pull out towards Bravo at deep backward-square, and he runs in to take an excellent catch.
5th over: Rajasthan Royals 32-0 (Rahane 21, Watson 11) - require another 126 runs to win
Smashing shot from Rahane, who belts a length ball from Nehra over his head and straight over his head for four. A single, then Watson plays his first convincing shot for a while, playing a nice late cut through point and to the boundary.
4th over: Rajasthan Royals 21-0 (Rahane 16, Watson 5) - require another 137 runs to win
Sharma starts with a couple of short ‘uns, both pulled towards Bravo on the boundary - the first is stopped and they take one, the second he can’t halt and it skips past him and to the boundary. A few singles, then Rahane drives over the top of mid-off but Du Plessis is there to scramble after it and haul the ball in before it reaches the boundary.
3rd over: Rajasthan Royals 12-0 (Rahane 9, Watson 3) - require another 146 runs to win
Woof! A hugely impressive waft of a shot from Rahane, lifting a length ball from Nehra over the bowler’s head and to the boundary for four. Someone’s unhappy with the ball, so there’s a brief break as it’s replaced. A couple more singles from the over, and this has been a good start from the CSK bowlers.
2nd over: Rajasthan Royals 6-0 (Rahane 4, Watson 2) - require another 152 runs to win
Mohit Sharma is the bowler, delivering to a slightly edgy-looking Watson. The first five balls are spot on, but the last is pulled just in front of square for a couple. Still a good over from Sharma.
1st over: Rajasthan Royals 4-0 (Rahane 4, Watson 0) - require another 154 runs to win
Excellent start, as you’ve come to expect, from Nehra, with no runs coming from the first four balls, but the fifth is a bit wider and Rahane carves the thing over the covers and to the cover boundary.
They’re out for the reply. Watson and Rahane opening up for the Royals, Ashish Nehra has the ball.
Rajasthan Royals need 158 runs to win
And they could really do with the win too, after RCB pounded Mumbai Indians earlier. It’ll be largely down to their top three of Watson, Rahane and Smith to do the damage, you’d think.
20th over: CSK 157-5 (Bravo 15, Dhoni 13)
Morris will bowl the final over, and Bravo carves a full-toss over cover and to the boundary, then takes a single from a mistimed pull. Dhoni comes down the pitch and nails a front-foot pull, but straight to long-on so there’s just a single. Another single down the ground from a low full-toss for Bravo, before Dhoni can only keep an excellent yorker out with an abortive helicopter shot, and they take another single.
19th over: CSK 149-5 (Bravo 9, Dhoni 11)
Faulkner continues, and continues to push it across the right-hander, and Bravo reaches miles for a particularly wide one and gets the cue-end of the bat, sending it for four to the point fence. Bravo shovels into the leg side and they dash through for a couple, then they take another single to point. Then Dhoni swings himself off his toes, taking one from outside off stump and plopping it into the stands over wide long-on. Shot. He goes the other way next, with an inside-out shot from a wide ball that flashes for four over cover.
18th over: CSK 132-5 (Bravo 2, Dhoni 1)
Bravo keeps out the hat-trick ball and takes one, before Dhoni digs out a yorker for a single of his own. Four runs and two wickets from that over.
WICKET! Negi c Smith b Morris 2 (3) - CSK 129-5
Two in two! Negi clears the front leg and goes for a big inside out shot, but gets the toe-end of the bat on it and it goes straight to skipper Smith in the covers. This is all collapsing a little for Chennai.
WICKET! McCullum c Sharma b Morris 81 (61) - CSK 129-4
And McCullum finally goes, trying quite a violent pull off Morris, but top-edging it into the air down to fine leg, from where Sharma runs in and takes a solid catch.
17th over: CSK 128-3 (Negi 1, McCullum 81)
Surprisingly, Negi is the new man, not MS Dhoni. The youngster watches from the other end as McCullum charges Watson twice, the first edging through where slip would’ve been for four, the second straight down the ground for a single. Negi takes a single, then McCullum summons what’s remaining of his strength to heave a six over wide long-on. He’s struggling, but struggling productively.
WICKET! Du Plessis run out (Watson) 29 (25) - CSK 116-3
Watson’s in, and starts with a wide. McCullum then tries a couple of ramp shots, misses with the first and the second dribbles a few yards in front of him. For some reason Du Plessis decides there’s a run on, is sent back by McCullum but not in time, as Watson takes his time to throw down the stumps.
16th over: CSK 115-2 (Du Plessis 29, McCullum 70)
Faulkner seems to causes the batsmen a few problems with the angle of his delivery. McCullum takes two big swings, only connects with one of them and that just goes for a single. Another tight single to point from Du Plessis, before McCullum steps right across his stumps and swings a pull out towards the mid-wicket boundary that Morris runs around to stop, which he does and they only take two. McCullum slices one over point, then cuffs a single down the ground, but he looks absolutely exhausted, barely able to get through an over without sinking to his haunches. The heat is taking its toll, it seems.
15th over: CSK 108-2 (Du Plessis 28, McCullum 64)
A single for Du Plessis, then some dreadful cricket - a big wide from Sharma, and a miss from Samson behind the stumps - donates five wides to the CSK cause. Du Plessis then rocks back and carves one in front of mid-wicket, before more bad keeping from Samson, as Du Plessis edges into the middle of his gloves, but it doesn’t stick and bounces out. Tough chance, but one you’d expect him to take.
14th over: CSK 97-2 (Du Plessis 23, McCullum 63)
Bhatia’s back to bowl some cutters, but McCullum dismisses the first with an inside-out drive over the covers and to the boundary. A couple of singles, before McCullum plants his front leg and batters a massive six over straight mid-wicket, then he closes a good over with two out to wide long-off.
13th over: CSK 83-2 (Du Plessis 22, McCullum 50)
Chennai are trying to cut loose here, but they can’t quite get the big shots away. A single, a two and another single, then McCullum brings up a relatively circumspect 50 with a shovel to mid-wicket. Du Plessis then has a little more luck with the aggression by pulling in front of mid-wicket and to the boundary.
12th over: CSK 74-2 (Du Plessis 15, McCullum 48)
There’s currently some banter occurring between the commentary box in Chennai and Dirk Nannes in the studio in London, seemingly via a dicey Skype stream. It’s...not scintillating. Faulker gets McCullum to swing and miss at a couple outside off, before he finally gets hold of one and slap it past the dive of Steve Smith in the covers and to the boundary. Then McCullum drops to one knee and ramps it over the keeper’s head and to the ropes again.
11th over: CSK 65-2 (Du Plessis 15, McCullum 39)
Rajat Bhatia is in to try some dobbers, from which come three singles off the first three balls, then another two from the fifth and sixth. Tight stuff.
10th over: CSK 60-2 (Du Plessis 13, McCullum 37)
Sharma continues, and McCullum greets him with a brute of a sweep that flies for four, just in front of square. He goes big next up too, but can only get one from that one, and then Du Plessis picks up three from a scoop that loops over the heads of keeper and slip.
9th over: CSK 50-2 (Du Plessis 9, McCullum 31)
Tambe is back, having been larrumphed all over the shop in his first over. However, that one is altogether tighter, from it just two singles and a loud, but unsuccessful, lbw shout.
8th over: CSK 48-2 (Du Plessis 8, McCullum 30)
Bhatia is the latest to come into the attack for Rajasthan as they look to halt McCullum’s building momentum. There is little pace to work with and McCullum is forced to improvise: playing one of the most unorthadox scoops over Samson’s head. The Kiwi was in position more of less before Bhatia let you of the ball. A ‘Strategic Timeout’ is called, so I’ll hand back to Nick Miller. See ya!
Updated
7th over: CSK 43-2 (Du Plessis 7, McCullum 26)
Faulkner comes into the attack, Rajasthan changing it up after a good over for CSK in that last over. The Australian is keeping it tight, restricting both batsman to a couple of singles. McCullum edges one, just out of reach of Samson. That would have been a dolly for a first slip, but it runs away for four. Good start from Faulkner.
6th over: CSK 36-2 (Du Plessis 6, McCullum 20)
McCullum has had enough of this, slogging with the spin to spank Tambe for six with his first delivery. That’s not the nicest of introductions for the 43 (!) year old bowler. Tambe responds well though, and nearly c&b the next ball. McCullum smashes the penultimate ball of the over back over Tambe’s head, disappearing into the top tier of the stand. That’s massive! ‘Baz means business’, reads the electronic screen in the stadium. Quite.
5th over: CSK 23-2 (Du Plessis 6, McCullum 7)
Michael Butler here, just stepping in for Nick for a short while. Du Plessis cuts away for four to relieve some of the early pressure but the very next ball, he miscues a full delivery, slicing it just over the fingertips of Steve Smith at cover. Smith actually did get a tiny touch on it, but he mistimed his jump and Du Plessis survives. Sharma is showing turn and bounce here and tempts Du Plessis down the pitch, but the South African scrambles back. Six from the over.
Updated
4th over: CSK 17-2 (Du Plessis 1, McCullum 6)
Morris slides down leg for a wide, then Du Plessis gets off the mark with an edge along the ground, half-stopped at slip. Good start this by the Royals, though.
WICKET! Raina c Faulkner b Morris 3 (6) - CSK 15-2
Morris is in again, getting Raina to rather unwisely take a massive swing at a shorter one just outside off. And, not, shall we say, successfully. The next couple of balls are tight, before Raina ends a brief but frantic innings by playing a frankly dreadful shot, gently guiding a drive straight to Faulker, who again takes a straightforward catch.
3rd over: CSK 15-1 (Raina 3, McCullum 6)
Suresh Raina is the new man, and he’s not backwards in coming forwards, but two pretty aggressive shots from his first two balls only gets three runs.
WICKET! Smith c Faulkner b Sharma 6 (10) - CSK 12-1
The spin of Ankit Sharma is already into the attack, presumably hoping to get McCullum to do something rash. But it’s actually Smith who falls, clunking a nothing shot to mid-on, where Faulkner scoots round to pouch the catch.
2nd over: CSK 11-0 (Smith 6, McCullum 5)
Shane Watson has the ball from the other end, and Smith strokes his loosener through the covers for a four. Watson then gets a little shape away, which Smith thick-edges down to third man for a single. McCullum surprisingly doesn’t try to whack a delivery, instead guiding a quick single into the covers.
1st over: CSK 5-0 (Smith 1, McCullum 4)
The first ball catches Smith...well...erm...there. Which doesn’t look like anything approaching fun. The first runs come from a slashing shot which is briefly airborne, but goes to third man for a single. McCullum then wastes little time, charging straight away and belting the ball back over the bowler’s head for a two-bounce four.
The batsmen are coming out, with Brendan McCullum and Devon Smith opening for CSK. Chris Morris will open the bowling.
Interesting that Steve Smith is captaining Rajasthan rather than Shane Watson - perhaps they’re trying to get the latter to just focus on his batting.
Team news
Chennai Super Kings
B McCullum, DR Smith, SK Raina, F du Plessis, MS Dhoni*†, DJ Bravo, RA Jadeja, P Negi, R Ashwin, MM Sharma, A Nehra
Rajasthan Royals
AM Rahane, SR Watson, SPD Smith*, KK Nair, DJ Hooda, JP Faulkner, SV Samson†, CH Morris, PV Tambe, Ankit Sharma, R Bhatia
Chennai Super Kings win the toss...
...and will bat first, says skipper MS Dhoni.
Nick will be here shortly. In the meantime, this is what happened when these sides last met:
An unbeaten 76 from Ajinkya Rahane made light work of a below-par batting effort from the Chennai Super Kings to give the Rajasthan Royals victory in the battle of the IPL’s two unbeaten sides. The game was far from close, with Rahane and the returning Royals captain, Shane Watson, putting on the franchise’s record opening stand of 144, carving off a vast chunk of CSK’s 156.
Despite being fancied as heavy favourites for this tie in Ahmedabad, where temperatures were in excess of 43C, tight bowling and some fine fielding saw the visitors reduced to 39 for three inside seven overs, with Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina and Faf du Plessis registering only 17 between them.
Were it not for the West Indian pair of Dwayne Smith (40) and Dwayne Bravo, who top-scored with an excellent 62 from 36 balls, 150 would not have been breached. Even with the CSK captain, MS Dhoni, facing 37 balls, calculated bowling changes from Watson and good execution from Chris Morris in the last over, ensured the rate required was under eight an over.
Despite CSK’s varied attack, Rahane and Watson grew into their innings, almost going shot for shot throughout their 16.1 over partnership. Watson eventually fell to Ravi Jadeja, but his hand of 73 from 47 balls, which included 10 boundaries, including four sixes, had all but guaranteed Rajasthan’s 100% record.
