Raina ton brings Chennai seventh straight win

News

Cricket365
May 2, 2013

An unbeaten century from the hard-hitting Suresh Raina led the Chennai Super Kings to a comfortable 15-run victory over the Kings XI Punjab in Thursday's Indian Premier League clash in Chepauk.

Raina cracked a brutal 100 not out off only 53 balls, bringing up his milestone off the penultimate ball of the Super Kings' innings of 186 for four.

Shaun Marsh (73 off 51) and David Miller (51 off 26) gave Kings XI hope of reaching the target, however the visitors ultimately came up 12 runs short.

League leaders Chennai have now won nine of their 11 IPL fixtures played and look certainties to reach the semi-final stage – thanks largely to seven consecutive wins.

Raina paced his century beautifully, striking seven boundaries and six almighty maximums, to the delight of the home crowd.

Retired Australia batsman Mike Hussey added a useful 35 up top and Albie Morkel helped Raina finish the innings with a flourish with a quickfire unbeaten 23.

Another Aussie left-hander, Marsh, then ignited hopes of an unlikely Kings XI victory after Luke Pomersbach (seven) and Mandeep Singh (15) had fallen early in the run-chase.

Marsh shared a 95-run partnership with hard-hitting South African David Miller for the fourth wicket to put Kings XI within 19 runs of victory at the start of the final over.

But he couldn't finish the job, West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo (three for 34) making him the first of three wickets to fall in a brilliant, and decisive, last over.