Mic-hail Hussey, the hero for CSK
It was Michael Hussey’s day. The Australian with an aquiline nose powered CSK to a massive total before he terminated the innings of the rampaging Manvinder Bisla of Kolkata Knight Riders with a superb direct hit from mid-off to help the home team win by 14 runs here on Sunday. Riding on Hussey’s coruscating 59ball 95 CSK had posted 200 and Bisla (92) nearly pulled off an improbable chase before a flash of brilliance did him in.
On an evening of big hitting, Bisla matched Hussey blow for blow. Chris Morris held his nerve to bowl a terrific last over as he gave away just four runs to take Chennai closer to the playoffs. The difference between the two sides was the number of runs scored from overs 6-10. CSK scored a healthy 36 in that critical phase while Kolkata managed only 22.
Requiring 63 off the last four overs, Bisla and Eoin Morgan came up with some breathtaking display of innovative hitting — reverse paddle sweeps, scoops over the short fine leg and pulling off the front foot. By adding 79 off 36 balls, the pair almost took the match away from the home side. Though Gautam Gambhir and Brendon McCullum left early, Bisla kept the momentum with some lusty hits. All the bowlers of Chennai were taken apart by Bisla and Morgan with the exception of Sharma (4-0-23-1) who completed his quota on the trot. CSK had a forgettable day in fielding, spilling as many as three chances.
Earlier, Gambhir's decision to put the home team in boomeranged as CSK openers Hussey and Wriddhiman Saha, who got his first match of the season in place of an out-ofform M. Vijay, shared a scintillating 103-run partnership to set the tone.
After two quiet overs at the start, the introduction of L. Balaji acted like a red rag to a bull. Hussey charged down the track to smash two fours — through and over the covers — that were sandwiched between an edge to the third-man fence. Saha took on Shami Ahmed in the next, hitting a couple of fours and the first six of the game over midoff. The CSK openers put on 103 runs in 10 overs with some calculated hitting. Rajat Bhatia struck in the 11th over to send back Saha who made an enterprising 39 off 23 balls including four fours and two sixes. Hussey didn’t allow his head drop, hammering Bhatia for 13 runs in his final over. Even the everreliable Sunil Narine couldn’t stem the rot as the Hussey- Suresh Raina pair added 55 off 34 balls.
Hussey was finally dismissed as he tried to pull Narine out of the ground only to find Debabrata Das at deep mid-wicket.
M.S. Dhoni ensured that the score reached 200 by smashing Balaji for a lastball six.