Bangalore: Chennai Super Kings outbatted Dolphins for a 54-run victory, their first in the 2014 Champions League Twenty20 tournament, here on Monday in a Group A match that witnessed 25 sixes and 35 boundaries.
Suresh Raina (90, 43b, 4x4, 8x6) and Brendon McCullum (49, 29b, 5x4, 3x6) set the trend for the night as the Super Kings, who had lost their opening Group A game to Kolkata Knight Riders in Hyderabad last week, piled up 242 for six.
In reply, Dolphins, who won the toss and decided to bowl first, fought hard while responding to the Herculean task, but lost wickets at regular intervals and were all out for 188 in their quota of 20 overs, with seamer Mohit Sharma being the pick of bowlers, claiming four for 41.
For Dolphins skipper Morne van Wyk (17), it was more heartbreak after the last-ball defeat to Perth Scorchers. He was ruled leg before to Ravichandran Ashwin by umpire Krishnaraj Srinath to a ball that pitched outside the leg-stump just as he was looking to set a hectic pace.
Thereafter, Mohit’s two wickets in as many overs, those of opener Cameron Delport (34, 9b, 5x4, 2x6) and Keshav Maharaj (8) tripped the Dolphins’ chase, which eventually lost steam and the South African outfit collapsed in an untidy heap.
Dwayne Bravo sent back the dangerous duo of Cody Chetty (37) and Vaughn van Jaarsveld (30), while Mohit came back to pick up two more wickets to complete the demolition job.
The only thing that the Dolphins got right was the final over, which Frylinck bowled and conceded just five runs, but by then far too much damage was done by the batting might of the Super Kings.
First up, it was the Kiwi blaster McCullum who set the tempo with some stunning hitting, which Raina replicated and even bettered to put the Dolphins bowling to sword.
The pair put on 91 runs for the second wicket in a shade less than eight overs after the first over dismissal of Dwayne Smith (7).
The partnership took the game away from Dolphins, who had no respite even after dismissing McCullum as Raina and Faf du Plessis (30, 19b, 3x4, 1x6) put on 65 in six overs before Ravindra Jadeja (40 not out, 14b, 3x4, 3x6) ensured a score of 242.
