JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, CMC – Chennai Super Kings of India are the new Champions League Twenty20 champions, after Murali Vijay and Mike Hussey stroked fluent half-centuries to lead them to an eight-wicket victory over Warriors of South Africa yesterday.
Vijay struck half-dozen fours and a pair of sixes in 58 from 53 balls to earn the Man-of-the-Match award, and Hussey hit three fours in 51 off 46 balls, as Chennai, chasing 129 for victory from their allocation of 20 overs, reached their target with six balls to spare in the Final at the Wanderers.
The two Chennai openers put on 103 for the first wicket, but Vijay and Suresh Raina were dismissed before Chennai captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni fittingly formalised the victory with his second four to the long-on boundary off Rusty Theron.
The result capped a memorable year for the Chennai franchise, after they also won the lucrative Indian Premier League earlier in the year.
Muttiah Muralitharan rolled back the years with three wickets for 16 runs from his allotted four overs, and Ravi Ashwin supported with two for 16 from four overs, as the Warriors, choosing to bat, were restricted to 128 for seven off their 20 overs.
Davy Jacobs hit the top score of 34 from 21 balls, and Craig Thyssen was the only other batsman to pass 20.
After a near half-hour delayed start because of problems with one of the sightscreens, Jacobs typically gave the Warriors a solid start.
When Ashwin trapped him lbw in the sixth over to leave Warriors 45 for two, the South African side lost their way badly.
Muralitharan and Ashwin wheeled away, and tightened the screws on the Warriors’ batting before Thyssen boosted their total with three fours and one six in 25 from 18 balls.
Vijay gave the Super Kings a flying start with typically enterprising stroke-play, and when he was caught at long-off off Nicky Boje in the 15th over, his side was well on their way to victory.
This year’s CLT20 featured 10 teams from Australia, India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, hosts South Africa, and West Indies, whose representative were regional T20 champions Guyana.
