Chennai Super Kings overpower Sunrisers by 77 runs

Title contenders Chennai Super Kings put up yet another comprehensive performance as they thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad by 77 runs to assert their supremacy in the Pepsi Indian Premier League here today.

Riding on Suresh Raina's blistering unbeaten 99 and Mike Hussey's smashing 67, Chennai Super Kings managed a massive 223 for three.

The chase was out of question as Sunrisers lost wickets at regularly to restrict them to 146 for eight.

It was a match where CSK outplayed the home team in all departments of the game with consummate ease. While Raina and Hussey nearly batted the opponents out of the match, the CSK bowlers also didn't let the guard down as Sunrisers lost their first match at home.

While CSK with 20 points sit pretty at the top of the table, the huge loss should be a cause of worry for the Sunrisers as they remain on 14 points from 12 games. The margin of defeat however dented their net run-rate which dipped to -0.228.

The loss could also have an impact on Sunrisers' chances of qualification for the Play-offs during the home stretch of the tourney.

A target of 224 is as daunting as it can get and Parthiv Patel hit a flurry boundaries initially although Shikhar Dhawan (3) and skipper Kumar Sangakkara (3) were dismissed cheaply.

While Dhawan failed to beat rival captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's direct throw, Sangakkara's woeful season continued as he tried to sweep the ball and gave easiest of catches to Chris Morris standing at short fine leg.

To consistently score at more than 11 runs per over from the start is near-impossible and Sunrisers lost half of their side even before the halfway mark of the innings. Parthiv fought it out with a gutsy 44 off 30 balls with six fours and a six.

Mohit Sharma (2/28) continued impress as Ravichandran Ashwin (1/23) with clever variations also stifled the run-chase. 'Purple Cap' holder Dwayne Bravo was accurate as usual giving 25 runs in his four overs and taking a wicket in the process. The victory came so easily that one of their strike bowlers Morris bowled only two overs.