Chennai Super Kings opened their CLT20 campaign on a strong note, chasing down an imposing 185-run target with four wickets and seven balls to spare against the Totans here on Sunday night.
The South Africans were undone by knocks from Michael Hussey (47, 26b, 7x4, 1x6), Suresh Raina (47, 28b, 5x4, 2x6) and a 38 (26b, 4x4, 2x6) from Dwayne Bravo as the former champions made light of the target.
Left-arm seamer Rowan Richards created a flutter with two late wickets — including that of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni — to finish with 3/29.
Earlier, AB de Villiers dished out an entertaining 36-ball 77, with seven sixes and three boundaries, to power the Titans to 185/5.
De Villiers arrived in the eighth over and played second fiddle to skipper Henry Davids initially but by the time CSK had his wicket in the 19th over, the 29-year-old had put his team in a commanding position.
Titans openers Davids and Jacques Rudolph began confidently but CSK seamers Mohit Sharma and Jason Holder kept a tight line in the powerplay as the Titans raised 32/0, including a six by Davids off Holder.
The seventh over broke the partnership as Rudolph went for a nonexistent second run and was caught out of his crease.
After 10 overs, Davids’ had already contributed an unbeaten 37 in the total of 72/1. Even as runs continued to flow from Davids’ bat, de Villiers at the other hand, in his inimitable style, raced to 30 off just 15 balls and the partnership raised the 100 mark by the 12th over.
SCORECARD
Titans: H. Davids st Dhoni b Ashwin 52, J. Rudolph (run out) 21, AB de Villiers c Bravo b Jadeja 77, F. Behardien c Holder b Bravo 21, D. Wiese c Ashwin b Bravo 0, R. van der Merwe (not out) 1, M. Mosehle (not out) 4. Extras (b 1, lb 5, w 3) 9, Total (for 5 wkts) 185.
FoW: 1-46, 2-122, 3-154, 4-154, 5-179.
Bowling: Sharma 4-0-27-0 (1w), Holder 4-0-25-0, Ashwin 4-0-36-1 (2w), Morkel 1-0-8-0, Jadeja 3-0-49-1, Bravo 4-0-34-2.
Chennai Super Kings: Mike Hussey c de Villiers b Morkel 47, M. Vijay b van der Merwe 0, Suresh Raina c Morkel b Wiese 47, S Badrinath not out 20, Dwayne Bravo c Mosehle b Richards 38, M.S. Dhoni c de Villiers b Richards 7, Ravindra Jadeja b Richards 0, Albie Morkel not out 4. Extras: (w21) 21. Total: (for 6 wkts, in 18.5 overs) 187.
FoW: 1-6, 2-95, 3-114, 4-172, 5-181, 6-183.
Bowling: Roelof van der Merwe 3-0-25-1 (1w), Morne Morkel 4-0-47-1 (2w), Rowan Richards 3.5-0-29-3 (2w), Marchant de Lange 3-0-34-0 (2w), David Wiese 3-0-29-1 (2w), Henry Davids 2-0-23-0 (2w).