 Jayasuriya century blows away Chennai Super Kings
15th May 2008 07:00 IST
Agencies
Riding on Sanath Jayasuriya's swashbuckling, unbeaten knock of 114 that contained an amazing eleven sixes and ten fours, Mumbai Indians outclassed Chennai Super Kings by nine wickets for their fourth straight win after four losses in the Indian Premier League in Mumbai Wednesday night.
The Sri Lankan veteran flicked, slashed and pulled the short-pitched balls served to him on a platter by the visiting team's bowlers as the home team, chasing Chennai's total of 156/6, surged to a comprehensive win in only the 14th over.
Jayasuriya finished the match with a flourish by slamming Lankan compatriot Chamara Kapugedara for 26 runs in five balls, with three sixes to boot.
It was the 'Marauder from Matara' who stole the honours of the day with clean hitting as he took the match away in the first six overs when 78 runs were made, mainly through his efforts.
He ran away to his fifty in 25 balls and his hundred came from just 45 balls, studded with seven fours and 10 sixes.
Jayasuriya and fit-again Mumbai Indians skipper Sachin Tendulkar, who made 12 in 16 balls with a six and a four, put on 82 for the first wicket in only 44 balls to condemn the visitors to a comprehensive defeat, their fourth in 10 games.
The Lankan lost Tendulkar in the eighth over, bowled through the gate by Joginder Sharma when the champion batsman tried to play an on-drive, but carried on relentlessly to ensure that the home team came out victorious.
Chennai new ball bowlers Manpreet Gony and South African Albie Morkel erred in trying to bounce out the great left-hander on a helpful pitch but just did not possess the much-needed accuracy and went for plenty.
Gony went for 31 in his first three while Morkel conceded a whopping 44 from the same number of overs. Jayasuriya struck three sixes each in one over from both the pacers.
The Lankan ace's initial pyrotechnics sealed Chennai's fate much before the end came.
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