Finch slams quickfire 67, bowlers fire as a unit as Pune post 24-run win over Dhoni’s men
Pune Warriors bowlers kept their cool during slog overs as they shocked title contenders Chennai Super Kings, beating them comprehensively by 24 runs in the Indian Premier League on Monday.
Having managed 159 for five in 20 overs, courtesy Aaron Finch’s 67 and Steven Smith’s late surge, the Pune bowlers put up a commendable show keeping a tight leash on a formidable CSK batting line-up, restricting them to 135 for eight.
This was Pune’s second win in five matches while CSK tasted their second defeat at home, having lost to Mumbai Indians in their lung opener.
After Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck the early blows, Rahul Sharma (1/24) was brilliant for Pune in the middle overs while speedster Ashoke Dinda (2/34) bowled a superb 18th over in which he gave away only four runs while removing Mahendra Singh Dhoni out of the equation.
Having given 63 in the last match, it was a good comeback from Dinda. Pune’s outcricket too was brilliant with Smith taking three catches and Finch also pulling off a stunner.
Chennai’s slide started when Aniruddha Srikkanth couldn’t tackle a sharp inswinger from Bhuvneshwar (2/12). The UP seamer was again splendid with the new ball. Suresh Raina (8) didn’t fire on the day and as his mistimed swat was taken by Tiru Suman at mid-on.
Vijay (24) was playing well but mistimed a lofted shot off Abhishek Nayar’s bowling to get out. Domestic run-machine Subramanium Badrinath (34, 26 balls, 4×4) added 46 with Ravindra Jadeja before he was caught in the deep off Mitchell Marsh’s bowling.
With a little over 70 runs needed, the stage was perfect for skipper Dhoni to launch his signature assault at the death. But the skipper lost a set partner in Ravindra Jadeja (27), who was caught at short fine-leg to give Marsh his second wicket.
From 98 for five, it soon became 104 for six as Dwayne Bravo was sent back by Sharma, caught in the deep. Dhoni never got going and once he was out for 10, the match was as good as over.
Earlier, CSK bowlers made an impressive comeback despite Finch’s swashbuckling innings as Warriors frittered away a good start to reach 159 for five.
The burly Victorian clobbered 67 off 45 balls with 10 fours and two sixes but the momentum provided by him was gone with his dismissal after adding 96 for the opening stand with Robin Uthappa (26).
However Smith tried his bit with a brilliant cameo, smashing 39 off only 16 balls (3×4, 3×6) with a breathtaking reverse swept six off Dwayne Bravo’s bowling. But lack of support from other batsmen meant that Warriors scored only 81 runs from the last 10 overs having scored 78 of the first 10.
Chris Morris was the pick of the CSK bowlers with 2 for 25 from four overs.
Finch, who was the chief architect of Pune’s victory against Rajasthan, was in red-hot form as he got 13 runs from Dirk Nannes’ opening over which included three boundaries.
When left-arm spinner Jadeja bowled short and wide outside off-stump, he was in position to play the cut shot as well as backfoot cover drive. Similary when Nannes or Morris bowled short-pitched stuff, Finch was quickly in a position to play the pull-shot.
The first of his two sixes was over long-off from Ravichandran Ashwin’s bowling.
He completed his 50 off 32 balls with a top-edged pull-shot off Morris that went to the fine leg boundary. His 45-ball mayhem finally ended when he gave Jadeja the charge having hit the previous delivery for his second six. The ball skidded through him and Mahendra Singh Dhoni completed an easy stumping.
scoreboard
PUNE WARRIORS: Robin Uthappa c Jadeja b Morris 26, Aaron Finch st Dhoni b Jadeja 67, Ross Taylor c Jadeja b Morris 8, Steven Smith (not out) 39, Mitchell Marsh c Morkel b Bravo 2, Manish Pandey b Bravo 9, Abhishek Nayar (not out) 0. Extras (LB-6, W-2) 8. Total (for 5 wkts, 20 overs) 159. Fall of wickets: 1-96, 2-101, 3-118, 4-128, 5-159.
Bowling: Dirk Nannes 4-0-42-0, Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-27-1, Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-24-0, Chris Morris 4-0-25-2, Dwayne Bravo 4-0-35-2.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: Anirudha Srikkanth lbw Kumar 0; M Vijay c Taylor b Nayar 24; Suresh Raina c Suman b Kumar 8; S Badrinath c Smith b Marsh 34; Ravindra Jadeja c Dinda b Marsh 27; MS Dhoni c Smith b Dinda 10; Dwyane Bravo c Smith b Sharma 1; Albie Morkel c Finch b Dinda 13; Chris Morris (not out) 5; R Ashwin (not out) 11; Extras (W-2) 2; Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 135.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-23, 3-40, 4-86, 5-98, 6-104, 7-115, 8-124.
Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-1-12-2, Ashok Dinda 4-0-34-2, Mitchell Marsh 4-0-35-2, Abhishek Nayar 3-0-21-1, Aaron Finch 1-0-9-0, Rahul Sharma 4-0-24-1.