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Delhi pacers put Chennai on the backfoot

Winning the toss and electing to bat against Delhi Daredevils, Chennai were off to a disastrous start, as both Matthew Hayden and MS Dhoni were back in the pavilion early.

Hayden was the first one to go, caught brilliantly by Paul Collingwood off Ashish Nehra for just one. The Australian, who got a reprieve in the first over off Dirk Nannes when he was dropped by Gautam Gambhir, could get just one run to his name.

MS Dhoni, who promoted himself up the order, was hurried by a Nannes bouncer, only to lob an easy catch to Mithun Manhas at square leg.

Chennai further slumped when Nehra picked up the in-form Murali Vijay for 17. The bouncer worked once again, as Vijay went for a pull only to top-edge it to wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik.

Chennai were reduced to 23 for three in the fourth over.

Photographs: IPL/Getty Images

Spinners take control

Mike Hussey and Suresh Raina then put their heads down and slowly started to pick up singles to keep the runs flowing.

Raina broke the shackles, hitting Umesh Yadav for a couple of boundaries in his opening over. Hussey then, at the other end, welcomed Virender Sehwag with a couple of boundaries as Super Kings looked to move on.

But just as things appeared to settle down, Tillakaratne Dilshan snapped the dangerous Raina for 15.

Raina tried to hit an inside-out shot over extra cover, but eventually hit it straight into the hands of Yadav. The duo added 29 runs for the fourth wicket. 

Sehwag then struck twice after the strategic time-out, when he sent both Hussey and Albie Morkel back to the pavilion, reducing the Super Kings to 55 for six.

Sehwag first enticed Hussey to scoop an easy catch to the covers for 15, and then had Morkel caught brilliantly by Collingwood in the slips.

Chennai finish at a disappointing 112/9

The Super Kings continued to lose wicket at regular intervals. Badrinath and Ashwin tried to put up a partnership, but Mishra's brilliance had Ashwin short of his crease.

Mrishra then trapped L Balaji right in front of the stumps for three.

Badrinath was the lone ranger for Chennai, hitting a couple of lusty blows along with Dough Bollinger, to see the score past the 100-run mark.

But Badrinath fell off the last ball off the 20th over as Chennai could only manage a disappointing 112 for nine wickets.

Chennai strike early blows

Defending a paltry total of 113, it was important for the Chennai bowlers to pick early wickets. And off-spinner R Ashwin gave the hosts the perfect start when he snapped the dangerous David Warner.

Warner cut a short of a length delivery from Ashwin, but was brilliantly caught in the covers by Murali Vijay.

Doug Bollinger, at the other end, struck with the first ball of his over, when he sent Virender Sehwag back to the pavilion, having him caught in the slips by Matthew Hayden.

Three balls later, he cleaned up Tillakaratne Dilshan with an inswinger as Daredevils slumped to six for the loss of three wickets.

Karthik-Gambhir steady the innings

With Daredevils' innings reeling, Dinesh Karthik and skipper Gautam Gambhir eased the nervous start with couple of boundaries.

Gambhir first hit Ashwin for a streaky boundary, while Karthik whips Bollinger from outside off stump for a boundary towards midwicket.

Gambhir and Karthik, meanwhile, continued to accumulate singles to keep up with the run-rate.

However, just when things looked up, Jakati struck, dismissing Karthik, who lost his patience and was caught at midwicket by Badrinath for 13 runs.

Gambhir-Manhas see Delhi home

Gambhir then joined hands with Mithun Manhas and saw the visitors home. Manhas first picked up his game, taking singles and doubles before opening up.

Ashwin's second spell was not a good one as he was first hit for a boundary by Manhas and then by Gambhir.

Dhoni brought Suresh Raina on, but even he was put to sword, hit for a couple of boundary, this time by Gambhir.

Gambhir brought up his half-century, leading the team to a convincing six-wicket win over the Super Kings.

The Manhas-Gambhir duo finished with an unbeaten 75-run stand.