Watson special propels Super Kings at new home
Seasoned Aussie slams ton a day after Chris Gayle’s heroics as CSK crush Rajasthan Royals by 64 runs
PUNE: Chris Gayle had notched up the season’s first IPL hundred on Thursday. A day later, Shane Watson delivered another, for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals.
Two great knocks, yet there was much to differentiate between them. For starters, bowling to Gayle yields unexpected returns. A good length ball is nonchalantly sent to the second tier, the poker face reveals little if he’s content with the shot, and thirdly, it’s brute power.
The innings of Watson, a member of the 2008 Rajasthan Royals side that won the inaugural title, had a more humane touch. Bad balls were sent to the cleaners, the good ones were respected and converted into singles and twos. No risks or trying out variations, only clean hitting and a smile.
Watson (106 – 9x4, 6x6) struck a 51-ball hundred – his second century in IPL -- as Chennai Super Kings, forced out of their Chennai home following protests over Cauvery water, put up a huge 204/5. Royals, who had elected to bowl, were 140 all out.
CONTRASTING STARTS
Catcheswinmatchesandwatson endorsed that phrase afresh. After two consecutive boundaries in the first over, he edged Stuart Binny to first slip but Rahul Tripathi put down a sitter. By the time he gave another chance, CSK had gone past 200.
An aggressive start with the fit-again Suresh Raina at No 3 after Ambati Rayudu fell early saw the hosts score 68 off the first six overs before stepping up the carnage. Raina’s 29-ball 46 oozed class though skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (5) failed to get going.
In contrast, Royals’ batting mirrored their clueless bowling.
They had used five bowlers in the opening five overs in a vain bid to halt Raina and Watson. When they batted, they were three down before the powerplay phase was over.
Heinrich Klassen and Ajinkya Rahane were both bowled — the former dismissed with zero feet movement and the latter trying to step out of the crease. Sanju Samson followed suit, holing out one to the only man on the leg side, off a short-pitch delivery. At the end of powerplay, they were reeling at 35/3.
ONE-SIDED AFFAIR
The teams were meeting after three years due to their two-year bans from IPL. Watson’s knock, coupled with those from Raina and Bravo, turned the game Chennai’s way.
On Friday, Bravo was sent in ahead of Ravindra Jadeja, and with 24 off 16 balls, he didn’t disappoint.
For Royals, barring leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal’s 3/20, the other bowlers contributed little more than bowl their overs. Even in batting, all-rounder Ben Stokes (45 off 37 balls) was a lone warrior as wickets fell in regular intervals.
While it was a game to savour for CSK’S fans ferried in on a special train from Chennai, Rajasthan Royals were left to contemplate all that had gone wrong after the second defeat in a row.