Hayden steers Chennai to top of IPL standings

CENTURION, South Africa, (Reuters) – Matthew Hayden’s  swashbuckling knock of 89 helped propel the Chennai Super Kings  to a 12-run victory over Kings XI Punjab that put them top of  the Indian Premier League standings yesterday.

Chennai joined Rajasthan Royals, who had thrashed the  Bangalore Royal Challengers by seven wickets in the first match  at Centurion, on 11 points but they lead the table with a  superior net run rate.

Rajasthan produced an excellent bowling display with seamer  Amit Singh and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja ripping through  Bangalore to claim seven wickets between them.

Singh (four for 19) and Jadeja (three for 15) helped skittle  out Bangalore for just 105 before rookie wicketkeeper-batsman  Naman Ojha stepped forward to hit 52 not out off 38 balls to  guide Rajasthan home with five overs to spare.

In the second match, Hayden and Suresh Raina (32) wasted  little time in piling up the runs for Chennai after opener  Subramaniam Badrinath was out first ball. The duo added 76 off  55 balls for the second wicket.

Hayden shrugged off a 95-minute rain break to continue his  run spree and frustrated Punjab’s bowlers by hitting eight fours  and six sixes during his 58-ball knock.

Hayden and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni added 100 for the  third wicket off just 47 deliveries before the Australian left  hander was finally caught at long-on off Shanthakumaran  Sreesanth.

Dhoni was unbeaten on 56 off 27 deliveries as Chennai  amassed 185 for three in their allotted 18 overs.
Punjab were set a revised Duckworth-Lewis target of 187 and  hopes of a victory were raised with Australian opener Simon  Katich lashing 50 off 25 balls.

After Katich was dismissed in the 10th over with Punjab  still needing 103 for victory, Yuvraj Singh and former Sri Lanka  captain Mahela Jayawardene kept them in the hunt by taking them  to 144 for three after 14 overs.

But off-spinner Raina was then brought into the attack and  he gave away just eight runs in his two match-winning overs.