THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHENNAI, India — Jesse Ryder starred in Pune Warriors’ impressive 20-run victory over Delhi Daredevils while Faf du Plessis helped Chennai Super Kings carve out a last-ball win over Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League on Saturday.
Ryder struck four sixes and seven fours in his 86, adding 93 for the second wicket with captain Sourav Ganguly (41) as Pune scored an intimidating 192-3 at Ferozeshah Kotla Ground. Delhi could reply with only 172-7.
Ryder got two lucky top-edged sixes early in his innings and maintained the flow with some fine shots even after Ganguly’s departure. Steven Smith then produced a 13-ball cameo of 34 not out in which he bludgeoned two sixes and four fours and showed his ability to switch-hit.
Delhi captain Virender Sehwag top-scored with 57 off 32 balls with four sixes and five fours and Kevin Pietersen chipped in with a neat 32 but the home side could not put up a fight even as Ganguly completed a good allround effort by taking the important wickets of Pietersen and Irfan Pathan.
Delhi remains on top of the league table with four wins from six games while Pune has four from seven.
At Chennai, opener Du Plessis smashed a brisk 73 off 52 balls with two sixes and six fours, but it took a scampered double by captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni off pace bowler Stuart Binny to complete the win as Chennai scored 147-3 after restricting Rajasthan to 146-4.
Du Plessis got off to a fine start by striking three fours off the second over bowled by Binny, son of India’s 1983 World Cup hero Roger Binny, and featured in useful half-century stands with Subramaniam Badrinath (15) and Suresh Raina (26).
Du Plessis was dismissed by West Indian allrounder Kevon Cooper when he tried to come down the pitch to the seam bowler, only to edge the ball and give wicketkeeper Sreevats Goswami a low catch.
It was left to Dhoni (15) and Dwayne Bravo (16) to complete the win by scoring eight off the last over.
For Rajasthan, England batsman Owais Shah was the standout performer with his effort of 52, smashing three sixes and four fours off 43 balls.
Shah, who is the second highest run-scorer in this year’s IPL with 268 in seven games, added 92 for the third wicket with Ashok Menaria (36).
It was the fourth win in seven games for Chennai. Rajasthan also has four wins from seven outings.
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Scores:
Chennai Super Kings 147-3 (Faf du Plessis 73, Suresh Raina 26; Kevon Cooper 2-23) def. Rajasthan Royals 146-4 (Owais Shah 52, Ashok Menaria 36, Rahul Dravid 26).
Pune Warriors 192-3 (Jesse Ryder 86, Sourav Ganguly 41, Steven Smith 34 not out; Morne Morkel 3-50) def. Delhi Daredevils 172-7 (Virender Sehwag 57, Kevin Pietersen 32; Alfonso Thomas 3-22, Sourav Ganguly 2-27).