Johannesburg: Sydney Sixers riding on an all round erformance by Moises Henriques beat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 14 runs in their Champions League Twenty 20 lung opener here today.
Batting first Sydney Sixers piled up a mammoth 185-5 thanks to Henriques’ 23 ball 49 which inclluded five fours and three sixes. He then later took 3-23 to help his side restrict Chennai for 171-9.
In pursuit of a huge target, Chennai lost their opener Murali Vijay for cheap. But South African Faf du Plessis and Michael Hussey joined forces and stiched 61 runs partnership for the second wicket to steady their boat. Du Plessis played brilliantly and scored 43 off 25 balls including five fours and two sixes. His wicket brought Suresh Raina to the crease and he kept the Indian outfit on course for a victory.
Raina played well and belted 57 of 33 deliveries laced with eight fours and two sixes. It looked like Chennai will run away with the match, but then Raina’s wicket in the the 17th over saw the momentum shifting towards Sydney.
He was followed to the pavillion by Mahendra Singh Dhoni two balls later to leave Chennai reeling at 6-141. Ravichandran Ashwin played some enterprising shots towards the end, but that was not enough as Chennai fell short 14 runs.
Henriques was well complimented by Mitchell Starc and returned with figures of 3-31.
Earlier batting first, Shane Watson replicated his form from the recently concluded T20 World Cup and got the team off to a good start. He scored 46 off 30 deliveries and hit five fours and two sixes.
And during the later stages of the innings, it was a fifth wicket partnership between Steve Smith and Henriques that took Sydney to a imposing total Smith faced 17 balls for his 26 which inluded three hits to the ropes.
R Ashwin was the most successful bowler for Chennai with his figures of 2-32.
Brief scores:
Sydney Sixers 185 for 5 (Henriques 49*, Watson 46) beat Chennai Super Kings 171 for 9 (Du Plessis 43, Raina 57, Henriques 3-23, Starc 3-31) by 14 runs
By Indian Sports News Network
