Cape Town: Chennai Super Kings’ chances of making it to the semifinals of the Champions League suffered a huge blow as they crashed to their second successive defeat in the tournament played here at the Newlands on Tuesday.
Chennai taking on the local favourites Highveld Lions in a crucial match slumped to six wickets defeat.
Put into bat first, Chennai Super Kings posted a total of 158-6 in their stipulated 20 overs and in reply the Lions reached the target with three balls to spare.
Lions made a shaky start to their chase and lost their skipper Alviro Peterson in the first ball of the innings to Doug Bollinger. Bollinger came back in the third over to send Quinton de Cock back to pavilion.
With the scoreboard reading eights runs for two wickets, opener Ghulam Bodi and last match’s hero Neil Mckenzie joined hands to rescue the Lions.
They batted cautiously and took the attack to the opposition bowlers. While Bodi unleashed on the bowlers, the experienced McKenzie was happy to play the role on an anchor. They both stitched a partnership of 93 runs for the third wicket.
Bodi was dismissed for a well struck 64 off 46 deliveries that included five fours and four sixes. McKenzie was the next man to be dismissed for 32 off 34 balls laced with four boundaries.
With 40 odds runs required from last four overs, it was the partnership of John Symes and Chris Morris that helped the Lions register their second consecutive win in the tournament.
Symes was the dominant of the two and scored 39 off 23 balls including five fours while Morris chipped with 12.
Doug Bollinger was the pick of the bowler for Chennai with his figures of 2-18 in his quota of four overs.
Earlier put into bat first, most of the Chennai batsmen got off to good start but then none of them could capitalise on the start.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the top scorer for Chennai with 34 off 26 that included two fours and as many sixes.
Left arm spinner, Aaron Phangiso was the most successful bowler for the Lions with his figures of 2-17.
Chennai now have 0 points from their two outing whereas Lions have four points.
Lions 159 for 4 (Bodi 64, Symes 39*, McKenzie 33 Bollinger 2-18) beat Chennai Super Kings 158 for 6 (Dhoni 34, Badrinath 27*, Phangiso 2-17) by six wickets
By Indian Sports News Network