Chennai Super Kings Hold Nerve For Two-Run Win

Chennai Super Kings 153-4 (Srikkanth 64) beat
Kolkata Knight Riders 151-7 (Kallis 54) by 2 runs
Indian Premier League, ChennaiScorecard

The 2011 Indian Premier League got off to an exciting start as reigning champions Chennai Super Kings held on to beat Kolkata Knight Riders by two runs.

Having posted 153 for four, they left the Knight Riders nine to win from the final over, which was subsequently expertly delivered by Tim Southee with the result that the Kolkata side closed on 151 for seven.

An aggressive half-century at the top of the order from Anirudha Srikkanth, who made 64, underpinned Chennai's score before a classy knock of 54 from Jacques Kallis put the Knight Riders seemingly on track for victory.

He hit seven fours in 42 balls before steering Ravi Ashwin to Subramaniam Badrinath at short fine leg and although they appeared to have recovered with Manoj Tiwary hitting 27 in 15 balls and Laxmi Shukla making 14 in ten, Chennai held their nerve to close out victory.

Tiwary and Shukla fell within three balls of each other towards the end and Kallis, Gautam Gambhir (1) and Eoin Morgan had previously all fell within nine balls of one another.

Srikkanth had earlier excited the home crowd with some fine shots, blasting six fours and two sixes while he was given good support from Suresh Raina (33) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (29).

A couple of late boundaries from Albie Morkel, who made 15 in nine balls, would later prove crucial and despite Kallis taking two wickets and enjoying a fine game, Chennai got their title defence off to the perfect start.