Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina smashed blazing half-centuries while R Ashwin claimed four wickets as Chennai Super Kings crushed Wayamba by 97 runs in a Group A match of the Champions League Twenty20 in Centurion, on Wednesday.
Vijay and Raina's blazing fifties powered Chennai Super Kings to a mammoth 200 for three in their 20 overs. The duo added 137 runs in 12 overs for the second wicket to help the IPL champions post the second highest total in the Champions League.
In reply, Wayamba never got going and folded up for 103 in 17.1 overs, giving Chennai their second victory in the tournament.
Ashwin ran through the middle order, claiming four for 18, while Albie Morkel rocked Wayamba at the start and finished with figures of three for 22.
It was Raina who helped Chennai accelerate after a steady start. He slammed 87 from a mere 44 balls, with the help of six fours and six sixes, before he was caught in the covers off Chanaka Welegedara. Vijay provided the fireworks in the opening overs as he scored a quickfire 68 from 45 balls, laced with nine boundaries and a six.
Earlier, Wayamba captain Jehan Mubarak won the toss and elected to field. The bowlers gave the team a good start as they kept the Chennai openers, particularly Matthew Hayden, in check.
However, Hayden, who was out for a duck in the first match, failed yet again, struggling for 10 runs, before he was trapped leg before wicket by Ajantha Mendis.
Soon Raina took charge, hitting Thisara Perera for a boundary and a six to take Chennai to 92 for one after ten overs.
Shalika Karunanayake also suffered at the hands of Raina as he went for a couple of boundaries and a huge six over square leg, in the 12th over.
But Raina's best was reserved for Mendis, who he carted for four sixes in a single over. Mendis went for 28 runs in his final over as Raina hit him four times through the midwicket region, in the 17th over, to put his team in charge as they reached 175 for one.
Just when it looked as if Raina would complete a well-deserved century, the left-hander was dismissed by Welegedara. The Chennai youngster, who smashed 87 from 44 balls, was caught in the covers as he looked to clear the fielder.
Off the very next delivery Vijay perished as he holed out to long-off after a cracking knock of 68 from 46 balls.
Albie Morkel (9) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (10) remained unbeaten as Chennai posted a mammoth 200 for three in 20 overs.
Morkel gave Chennai a perfect start with the ball, claiming the wicket of Jeevantha Kalagunta off the second delivery of the innings. However, Mahela Jayawardene ensured that didn't peg them back as he smashed back-to-back boundaries in the opening over.
But runs were hard to come by as Wayamba chased a stiff target and needed to score at more than ten runs per over.
Soon Mubarak was also back in the pavilion as he was caught behind off Morkel for seven, while Doug Bollinger had Jayawardene caught at third-man for 10 in the next over.
Kaushal Lokuarachchi (6) and Thissara Perera (4) perished in Ashwin's first over as Wayamba slipped to 35 for six after six overs.
Muttiah Muralitharan showed his magic on the field as he produced a brilliant catch, diving full length to his left, to send back Rangana Herath for four and give Ashwin his third wicket.
Muralitharan, however, struggled to make an impact with the ball; he was hit for a six each by Karunanayake and Mendis in his third over.
Ashwin soon had his fourth wicket when Mendis was stumped by Dhoni for 15 in the 16th over and Muralitharan ended the innings a couple overs later when Karunanayake also fell in the same fashion.
Chennai's second big victory of the tournament took them to top of Group A and the only concern for them would be the form of Hayden.
