13 April,2010 11:07 PM IST | | Agencies
Chennai Super Kings win by nine wickets and 39 balls to spare
R Ashwin's three-wicket spell and Suresh Raina quickfire 78 helped Chennai Super Kings thrash Kolkata Knight Riders by nine wickets in the crucial Indian Premier League encounter at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday.
It was Ashwin's magical spell that threw Knight Riders out of contention in the initial stages of the match.
Defending mere 139 runs, Kolkata got off to a promising start after Matthew Hayden fell with only six runs on the board.
However, Knight Riders could not keep the momentum going and fell to Raina's super batting. After Hayden's fall the Super Kings managed to keep their remaining wickets intact for the remainder of the innings.
Raina at no point let the Kolkata bowlers settle down and reached the target with 39 balls to spare.
Ashwin's devastating spell punctured Kolkata's hopes of a good start in the make-or-break match after electing to bat at M A Chidambaram stadium.
Kolkata lost four wickets at a score of 19 inside fifth over with Ashwin (3/16) coming up with a dream spell.
It was 73-run fifth-wicket partnership between Manoj Tiwary (27) and Angelo Mathews (48) that pulled Kolkata out of dire straits and gave something to their bowlers to defend.
Tiwary's 31 ball knock ended when he attempted to hit Suresh Raina out of the park but could only find Murali Vijay in the deep.
