BANGALORE, India, CMC – West Indies one-day captain Dwayne Bravo played a minor role while opener Dwayne Smith failed again, but Chennai Super Kings did just enough to beat Perth Scorchers by 13 runs and edge closer to a semi-final spot in the Champions League Twenty20 here yesterday.
Sent in, Chennai overcame a terrible start to post 155 for six off their 20 overs and then produced a clinical bowling performance to restrict Scorchers to 142 for seven at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
With the victory, Chennai moved to ten points from their full complement of matches and into second spot behind Kolkata Knight Riders who have already qualified for the semis.
Chennai can only be caught by Lahore Lions who have six points and play Scorchers in their final game on Tuesday.
Hunting a crucial win, Chennai stumbled to 56 for four in the 12th over before being rescued by a 64-run, sixth wicket stand between Ravi Jadeja (44 not out) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (35).
Brendon McCullum (11) and Suresh Raina perished within the space of three balls in the third over to leave Chennai on 16 for two.
Smith, recently named in West Indies one-day team for the tour of India, continued his struggles with the bat when he struck two fours in scoring in 11 from 13 balls before he was bowled by seamer Yasir Arafat with the score on 33 for three.
When Mithun Manhas fell for 18, Chennai were 56 for four but Bravo combined with Jadeja to add 23 for the fifth wicket and stem the haemorrhaging.
Bravo scored a patient 27 from 26 balls with a four and a six and was threatening to explode when he missed a prod at one from off-spinner Ashton Turner and was bowled off stump in the 15th over.
However, Jadeja smashed four fours and two sixes in his 28-ball knock while Dhoni thumped four massive sixes in his 16-ball stay, to rally the innings.
Scorchers were never really in the hunt, losing wickets steadily, as off-spinner Ravi Ashwin with three for 20 from his four overs, crippled the innings.
