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Raina, Vijay script Chennai win
Suresh Raina and Murali Vijay scored breezy half centuries as Chennai Super Kings crushed Wayamba by 97 runs to register their second consecutive win in the Champions League Twenty20 cricket tournament in Centurion on Wednesday.
Sent into bat, Raina scored a blistering 44-ball 87 while Vijay made 68 off 48 deliveries to enable Chennai post a formidable 200 for three in their alloted 20 overs.
Raina and Vijay complimented each other well and shared a 137-run second wicket stand that came off just 72 deliveries.
Raina's innings was studded with six boundaries and as many sixes, while Vijay found the fence nine times and also added a six to his name.
Vijay was at his elegant best
Chennai were cautious in the beginning as openers Mathew Hayden and Vijay found it difficult to gauge the spin of Mendis, who opened the bowling along with left-arm pacer Udana.
However, Mubarak's ploy to introduce Welegedara in the fifth over backfired as Vijay took the left-arm pacer to the task, hitting him for one six and three fours, to pick up 23 runs of that over.
But Mendis kept his captain's faith and gave Wayamaba the breakthrough, trapping big-hitting Hayden plumb in front of the wicket in the next over.
Thisara Perera was at the receiving end of Vijay and Raina's brilliant batting display off his second over.
Raina matched Vijay stroke-for-stroke
Raina came out of his shell and hammered Perera for a boundary and a six over extra cover and then Vijay finished off the over with an elegant flick over midwicket.
After an initial hiccup, Raina opened up and matched his partner stroke-for-stroke. Karunanayake also had to face the left-hander's ire as he clobbered the right-arm medium pacer for a boundary and a six in the 12th over to up the Chennai tempo.
Once set, the duo used their long handle to great effect towards the end and smashed Wayamba bowlers to all parts of the ground to help Chennai pile up a massive total of 200.
For Wayamba, Chanaka Welegadara picked up two wickets for 47 runs off his four overs.
Wayamba couldn't find their footing
Chasing the huge target, Wayamba never got off their hooks and were finally bundled out for 103 in 17.1 overs.
Wayamba's struggle can be gauged from the fact that only four of their batsmen - Shalika Karunanayake (25 not out), Ajantha Mendis (15), Isuru Udana (14) and Mahela Jayawardene (10) - got double figures.
R Aswin (4 for 18) and Albie Morkel (3 for 22) were the wreckers-in-chief for Chennai.
Wayamba had a horrible start to their run chase as they lost two of their top-order batsmen inside the third over with just 18 runs on the board.
None of Wayamba's batsmen put up a fight and even their most experienced player, Mahela Jayawardene, failed to lift the Wayamba team out of their misery.
Finch stars for Bushrangers
In the other match of the day, Aaron Finch stole the show with a breezy unbeaten 93 and single-handely powered Victoria to a sensational seven-wicket win over Central District in their second Group A match of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament in Centurion.
He clobbered the opposition bowlers for 11 fours and three sixes en route his 60-ball match-winning innings.
Earlier, riding on captain Jamie How's unbeaten 77, Central District overcame a scratchy start to post a competitive 165 for five.
How decorated his 55-ball unconquered stay at the crease with 10 fours and three sixes.
Hussey partnered Finch in successful run-chase
Chasing Central District's challenging 166-run target, Victoria rode on Finch's brilliance to romp home in 19.4 overs and bring their campaign on track after the opening 28-run loss against Warriors in the Twenty20 event.
Victoria started their chase on a steady fashion with Rob Quiney and Aaron Finch adding 40 runs in 4.3 overs. Later, Central District managed to pick a couple of wickets but their happiness didn't last long as Finch and captain David Hussey got stuck into District's bowlers. They clobbered the bowlers to all parts of the ground and stitched up a 51-run third wicket stand to keep the Australian side in the reckoning.
After the dismissal of Hussey, off the bowling of Doug Bracewell, Andrew McDonald joined Finch at the crease. The duo used the long handle to great effect to seal the victory in the last over.