Chennai edge past Kolkata in IPL opener

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Tim Southee comes in to bowl the final over.

It's nine off six.

LR Shukla (14)takes two off the first ball. However, Southee has him caught at third man (Styris) in the next ball.

Abdulla takes two off the third ball. Fourth is a dot ball.

One of the fifth ball. So Kolkata need a boundary off the last ball.

And it is just one off it.

Chennai win by two runs. It is another loss for Kolkata.

Kolkata manage only 151 for seven in their stipulated overs.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Suraj Randiv comes in to bowl the penultimate over, replacing Raina.

And it seals the match in Kolkata's favour in the same, with 17 runs in the first four balls.

Tiwary (27) hits successive sixes, the first over long-on and the second over deep square leg, before being stumped by Dhoni.

Kolkata need nine off the final over.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Kolkata is collapsing now.

Kallis (54) is caught at short fine leg by Badrinath off Ashwin.

Eoin Morgan (6) is stumped by Dhoni off Raina.

And Gautam Gambhir (1) is run out in the same over.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

After 13 overs, Kolkata has made 95 for two, the same as Chennai at that stage.

Kallis reaches another half century with a single off Jakati.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Kallis hits successive sixes off Morkel in the 10th over.

Yusuf has smashed Jakati for a maximum.

12 runs comes off Jakati's third over as Kallis also helps himself to another boundary.

Ashwin bowls a good third over, giving away just three. And Randiv has been brought back to replace Jakati.

Yusuf (1) survives a confident stumping appeal by Dhoni. Brilliant work from the Chennai captain.

But he is run out two balls later.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Shadab Jakati comes in to bowl the seventh over.

Dhoni has now used all of his three spinners.

Jakati concedes four off his opening over and so does Randiv in his second.

And just when it seemed Kolkata was coasting, Jakati has Bisla (27) stumped.

The opening wicket stand yields Kolkata a vital 64 runs. Yusuf Pathan walks in to bat. Timeout now.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Chennai now desperately need a wicket.

After five overs, KKR are 44 without loss, ahead of CSK (32-1) at the stage.

Suraj Randiv comes in to bowl the sixth over and Bisla welcomes him with a boundary right of point.

Dhoni misses a stumping in the second ball.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Tim Southee comes in to bowl the second over for Chennai.

It is the New Zealand youngster's first stint in the IPL. He was impressive in the World Cup to say the least. And concedes just four runs in his first over.

R Ashwin replaces Morkel in the third over. He concedes 11 runs.

Kallis survives a leg before appeal in the over and celebrates with three successive boundaries off Southee.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Jacques Kallis and Manvinder Bisla open for Kolkata.

Strange Gautam Gambhir has preferred not to open himself.

It is Albie Morkel to open the bowling for Chennai.

After two dots, Bisla gets off the mark with a boundary through extra cover. Kallis also opens with a boundary past fine-leg.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Balaji bowls a brilliant fourth over.

He has been impressive against his former team, conceding only 25 runs off his four overs.

Kallis bowls the final over. And he gets Srikkanth's wicket, a reward for his perseverance.

Srikkanth is out for 64, his 55-ball knock inclusive of six boundaries and two maximums.

Scott Styris begins with a boundary to fine-leg. And Morkel (15 not out) also helps himself to a boundary.

And ends with a maximum. 16 runs come off the last over, the best of the innings.

Chennai make 153 for four in their stipulated overs.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Ladda has conceded two maximums in his third over, one each to Dhoni and Srikkanth.

Balaji is back to replace Abdulla.

But Dhoni and Srikkanth seem to be combining well. But Kallis has broken the partnership by accounting for Dhoni (29), caught by keeper Bisla.

Albie Morkel comes in to replace the captain.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

The second wicket partnership yielded Chennai 75 runs in just 57 balls.

Both the batsmen, Raina and Srikkanth, benefitted immensely from Kolkata's poor fielding though.

Srikkanth continues his good show, hitting Bhatia to the fine leg fence.

Abdulla comes back to replace Yusuf and gives away just five runs. Good over this.

The strategic timeout has been taken. And Ladda comes in to bowl thereafter, frustrating Srikkanth with some accurate bowling.

Just three runs come off the over.

However, Srikkanth reaches his maiden fifty with a single off Abdulla, the run also bringing up the Chennai hundred.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Bhatia concedes another six in his second over. He is doing a decent job.

Balaji has again been taken off after an over, Yusuf replaces him in the 11th over.

And Yusuf suffers this time, Morgan drops Srikkanth at midwicket.

But Ladda makes no mistake in the deep in catching Raina (33) the next ball.

Dhoni comes in to bat.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Kallis has been taken off after giving away 13 runs in his first over.

Rajat Bhatia, former Delhi Daredevils player, come in to replace him. He concedes six off his first over.

The strategic time out is taken after the eighth over.

Balaji is back after the break. And Raina sends his fifth delivery to the fence.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Jacques Kallis has conceded three boundaries in his opening over, the sixth of the innings.

And it was Srikkanth who hit all the three boundaries.

Sarabjit Ladda has replaced Balaji in the seventh. Balaji got just one over in his opening spell.

Raina hits the leggie over covers for another four. And follows it up with a six.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Srikkanth, having hit a wonderful cover drive off Abdulla, hits another boundary off Yusuf, this time over mid-off.

Yusuf in unluncky though. He has a leg before appeal turned out and drops a catch off his own bowling, Srikkanth being the beneficiary on both the occasion.

Balaji, Chennai player in each of the first three seasons, comes in to replace Abdulla.

Raina welcomes his former teammate with a boundary to fine leg.

However, Balaji is unfortunate as Yusuf puts down Raina at mid-on.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata
Suresh Raina has come in to replace Vijay.

And he begins with a boundary off Yusuf Pathan to cover.

Abdulla bowls a good second over.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata

Iqbal Abdulla bowled the first ball of IPL IV, with Aniruddh Srikanth facing the same.

However it is Murali Vijay who opened the scoring with a boundary.

But Abdulla had his revenge in the same over, having Vijay caught by Rajat Bhatia.

Live Scorecard: Chennai vs Kolkata
KKR captain Gautam Gambhir has said he would have chased anyway.

Looks like an interesting battle is on the cards.

Teams:

Chennai Super Kings:

MS Dhoni (captain), S Anirudha, S Badrinath, Mike Hussey, Suresh Raina, Scott Styris, R Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, Suraj Randiv, Tim Southee, Albie Morkel

Kolkata Knight Riders:

Gautam Gambhir (captain), Manoj Tiwary, Jacques Kallis, Eoin Morgan, Yusuf Pathan, Manvinder Bisla, LR Shukla, Iqbal Abdulla, Rajat Bhatia, L Balaji, Sarabjit Ladda.

Chennai Super Kings won the toss and opted to bat first against Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening match of the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League at the Chidambaram stadium on Friday.

"As the game progresses the wicket will slow down and help the spinners," reasoned MS Dhoni about his decision.