IPL cricket update: Chennai Super Kings beat Kochi Tuskers Kerala by 11 runs, claims top spot

Wriddhiman Saha was the unlikely top-scorer for Chennai Super Kings with an unbeaten 46 (33 balls, 1X4, 3X6) to cruise to a 11-run win against Kochi Tuskers Kerala in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.  Chennai Super Kings put up a competitive 152/5 before reducing Kochi to 141/5 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.  With this victory, Chennai claimed the top spot with nine wins from 13, winning seven matches on the trot at home. Kochi crashed out of the IPL 4 after losing their eighth match from 14 games in the IPL Twenty20 tournament. Brad Hodge top-scored for Kochi with an unbeaten 51 (42 balls, 3X4, 2X6) to keep their hopes alive but lacked support from other batsmen. Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Chennai lost three quick wickets inside nine overs against some good bowling and catching. RP Singh clean bowled CSK opener Murali Vijay with a stinging Yorker and then took a sensational diving catch to dismiss S.Badrinath of the bowling of Brad Hodge. Australian Mike Hussey was lucky to survie a catch by Parthiv Patel off an attempted sweep which was turned down by umpire Rudi Koertzen. Hussey went to score a 37-ball 32 with two fours. Wriddhiman Saha, a surprise inclusion in Indian Team ODI and T20 squad for the upcoming tour of the West Indies, provided the late impetus to help Chennai go past the 150-run mark.

Scoreboard

Chennai Super Kings: M. Hussey c Gnaneswara Rao b Jadeja 32 (37b, 2x4), M. Vijay b R.P. Singh 16 (11b, 3x4), S. Raina c R.P. Singh b Sreesanth 19 (13b, 1x4, 2x6), S. Badrinath c R.P. Singh b Hodge 13 (10b, 1x6), W. Saha (not out) 46 (33b, 1x4, 3x6), M.S. Dhoni c Parthiv b Jadeja 9 (6b, 1x4), A. Morkel (not out) 13 (10b, 2x4); Extras (lb-2, w-2): 4; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs): 152.

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-40, 3-60, 4-97, 5-116.

Kochi Tuskers Kerala bowling: R.P. Singh 4-0-34-1, Sreesanth 3-0-23-1, Muralitharan 4-0-26-0, Hodge 3-0-24-1, Vinay Kumar 2-0-17-0, Jadeja 4-0-26-2.

Kochi Tuskers Kerala: Parthiv c A. Morkel b Ashwin 6 (7b), B. McCullum b Jakati 33 (37b, 3x4), Y. Gnaneswara Rao c & b Bravo 19 (17b, 3x4), B. Hodge (not out) 51 (42b, 3x4, 2x6), R. Jadeja c Raina b Bollinger 19 (13b, 1x4, 1x6); O. Shah (run out) 3 (3b), K. Jadhav (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-2, w-7): 9; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs): 141.

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-45, 3-83, 4-115, 5-137.

Chennai Super Kings bowling: Ashwin 4-0-16-1, Bollinger 4-0-38-1, Jakati 4-0-23-1, Bravo 4-0-36-1, Raina 4-0-26-0.