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Rajasthan elect to bowl against Chennai
Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to bowl against table-toppers Chennai Super Kings in the Pepsi Indian Premier League, in Jaipur, on Sunday.
The hosts brought in Vikramjeet Malik and Stuart Binny to replace S Sreesanth and Ajit Chandila. Meanwhile, Chennai retained the same team that beat Hyderabad in their previous match.
Shane Watson counter-attacked with a blazing knock of 70 from 34 balls to lift Rajasthan to a convincing five-wicket victory.
Hussey continues good form
Veteran Michael Hussey continued his good run in the tournament with another good innings at the top of the order for Chennai.
The Australian left-hander played a fluent innings of 40 from as many balls, hitting six fours, to put on 83 runs for the opening wicket with Murali Vijay.
Vijay hits half-century
Murali Vijay hit a brisk half-century to lay a solid foundation for Chennai.
The right-hander hit 55 from 50 balls, hitting six boundaries, before he was run out by wicketkeeper Dishant Yagnik.
Cooper's double strike lifts Rajasthan
Kevon Cooper brought Rajasthan back into the contest with the two big wickets of Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, in his second over.
Raina (1) holed out to long-off fielder Sanju Samson, while Dhoni fell four balls later when he was caught by Shane Watson at first slip.
Bravo's late blast lifts CSK to 141
Dwayne Bravo late flourish of 11-ball 23 not out to take Chennai to 141 for four in their 20 overs.
Interestingly, Chennai's batsmen failed to score a single six in their innings, for the first time for the team this season.
Horror start for Rajasthan
Pacer Jason Holder provided Chennai the perfect start with the ball as he took two wickets, in the fourth over of the innings.
Ajinkya Rahane chipped down the track and tried to hit a big shot down the ground but failed to time it and was caught at mid-on for nine. Three balls later James Faulker, who was promoted up the order, was bowled by Holder as he made room and tried to hit it through the off-side but missed and was bowled for one.
In the next over, Sanju Samson was caught behind for a duck off Mohit Sharma to leave Rajasthan reeling on 19 for three in the fifth over.
Watson and Binny lead fightback
At the halfway stage, Rajasthan were tottering at 49 for four, needing 93 from the next 10 overs, but Shane Watson and Stuart Binny turned the match on its head with a breathtaking partnership.
The duo took 23 runs off R Ashwin in the 11th over and that set the tone for the sensational show of stroke-making. It later turned out to be a carnage of Chennai bowlers as Watson rained fours and sixes with Binny also chipping in.
Watson blasts quickfire 70
Watson played a blistering knock of 70 from just 34 balls with the help of six fours and as many sixes to end the match in dramatic fashion with 17 balls to spare.
Watson and Binny added 81 runs in the five overs after 10th with the former contributing 51, hitting four fours and five sixes during this period.
Binny ends it in style
Stuart Binny, who chipped in with a 23-ball unbeaten 41, ended the match in style with a six off Ravindra Jadeja as Rajasthan reached 144 for five in 17.1 overs.
Watson and Binny shared 93 runs in 7.3 overs for the fifth wicket left the home fans at the Sawai Mansingh stadium spellbound. The home side scored an amazing 95 runs in 7.1 overs.