19 May, 2008
Ntini steers Chennai home

The Chennai Super Kings moved a step closer to a semi-final place in claiming a narrow three-run win over the Kolkata Knight Riders on the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Chasing the hosts' total of 5-149, Chennai reached 0-55 after eight overs when play was halted due to rain.

And after an hour-long wait the umpires decided to call an end to the match, handing Chennai a narrow win - its seventh of the tournament.

Earlier, Chennai paceman Makhaya Ntini claimed the third hat-trick of the tournament - spread across two overs - as he claimed figures of 4-21 in the hosts' competitive total.

Salman Butt was the Knight Riders' highest scorer, contributing 73 from 54 balls.

Ntini claimed the first wicket of his hat-trick at the end of the fifth over when Sourav Ganguly (two) backed away only to see his stumps knocked back to leave the hosts 2-28.

Butt and Debabrata Das then put on a stand of 86 for the third wicket before Ntini was inserted back into the attack in the 16th over with immediate effect.

The South African bowled Das (27) with his first ball of his second spell, before hitting the stumps again with his very next delivery to remove David Hussey.

Butt finally fell in the 18th over when he was trapped leg before wicket by Lakshmipathy Balaji as the hosts registered a competitive total.

Chennai was gifted two runs to begin the reply as Shoaib Akhtar sprayed the first two balls of the innings.

Chennai's innings gathered further pace in the next over from Ishant Sharma when Stephen Fleming crashed consecutive fours after Parthiv Patel also found the fence.

With rain looming that helped the visitors remain just ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis method, which would prove crucial when play was finally halted.
Fleming finished unbeaten on 32 while Patel made 19.



19 May, 2008
Mumbai on fire

The Mumbai Indians claimed their sixth Indian Premier League win in a row with a 25-run victory over the chronically under-performing Deccan Chargers.

Sanath Jayasuriya, Abhishek Nayar and Dwayne Bravo all reached 30 for the Indians and, though none could go on, they still posted a competitive total of 7-178.

In reply, Adam Gilchrist, Shahid Afridi and Rohit Sharma all fell cheaply and even some powerful hitting from Venugopal Rao and Dwaraka Ravi Teja could not help them recover.

Mumbai is now in an excellent position to reach the semi-finals, while defeat for the Chargers confirmed the inevitable - their chances of progressing are over.

Jayasuriya (36) was typically aggressive, striking two sixes and six fours in his 15-ball stay at the crease before sweeping Rao straight to RP Singh.

Tendulkar added a more sedate 23, before Afridi removed him and Dominic Thornely in the space of three balls.

Bravo (30) and Nayar (38) added 54 for the fifth wicket before both fell to Singh in quick succession.

Singh also bowled Pinal Shah for 10 to finish with 3-25, while there were two apiece for Afridi and Rao.

The Chargers saw their challenge ended almost before their reply had even begun.

Captain Gilchrist (13) was removed by Dilhara Fernando, who also trapped Sharma for six, while Bravo had Afridi caught by Thornely for a duck.

That left them on 3-20, which became 4-56 when Nayar had Chamara Silva caught behind for 17.

Rao (57) and Teja (37) finally mustered some resistance, adding 74 for the fifth wicket.

But Bravo returned to remove both to effectively end Deccan's challenge, in what was his last act before joining up with West Indies to face Australia.

He will be replaced by South Africa's Andre Nel, who will be excused from his duties in playing English county cricket for Essex.