Chennai on top with easy win over Pune

PUNE: Chennai Super Kings defeated Pune Warriors by 37 runs in the only match played in Indian Premier League here on Monday.
They reached 55 for 2 after 10 overs, but Suresh Raina, S Badrinath and MS Dhoni looted 110 in the rest of the innings to set up an easy sixth consecutive win, which keeps them at the top of the table and Pune Warriors at the bottom.
Super Kings lost their openers for 28 runs. However, out came Badrinath and did his job without any fuss. He and Raina added 75 off 59, without taking risks, and picking the rate up progressively. Raina kept providing the odd boundary, and Badrinath found the gaps for ones and twos.
It was in the 13th over that the real charge began. Badrinath drove consecutive deliveries from Rahul Sharma down the ground and through points for fours. Raina drove the point home by sending Kane Richardson over midwicket for a six in the next over.
Badrinath fell in the 16th over after just hitting 34. Dhoni came out and took four and six off the first two balls he faced. Dhoni then took 25 off eight Ashok Dinda's deliveries.
The target was bigger than ever chased in Pune, which became even more daunting with the seam movement available. Mohit Sharma, the Haryana fast bowler, utilised it to end the chase for all intents and purposes with his unbroken four-over spell. With successive deliveries in his first over, he got rid of Aaron Finch and T Suman. He missed the hat-trick, but got Yuvraj Singh to edge behind, making it 43 for 4 in the fifth over.