Hayden bludgeons Delhi to submission by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
Scorecard:	Delhi Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings
Player:	V Sehwag, ML Hayden
Event:	Indian Premier League 2009/10

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DateLine: 20th March 2010

 

The Mongoose did all the talking at the historic Feroz Shah Kotla ground on Friday night. Cricket’s latest innovation wreaked havoc on the hapless bowlers as the big Mathew Hayden wielded it like a weapon of mass destruction.

 

Mongoose, the shorter, thicker bat with a longer handle, looked a mere extension of Hayden’s forearms as the Australian put to sword the Delhi Daredevil’s bowling attack. Hayden’s 93 (off 43 balls ) was more ferocious and intimidating than Virender Sehwag’s cameo knock (a 38 ball 74) as Delhi was pounded into submission. Hayden, who had a quiet start to this year’s IPL, single-handedly fetched Chennai Super Kings a five-wicket win over Delhi. The methods and manner was typical of Hayden’s whose wont is the slow walk down the pitch which often culminates in a thwack which invariably sends the ball soaring over either midwicket or straight over the bowler’s head.

 

The Mongoose made its entry after Hayden had smashed four boundaries in his first nine balls and looked to be in superb touch. There was no respite for the poor Delhi bowlers as Hayden wielded it like a rapier. Poor Rajat Bhatia got the taste of Mangoose bat as he disappeared for 18 runs off his first over. Dilshan was hit for three powerful sixes by Hayden as the big man raced to his 50 off just 24 balls.

 

There was more carnage as Hayden toyed with the spinners and friendly pace of Bhatia and Sangawan. Amit Mishra also was treated with disdain. Perhaps, Dinesh Karthik missed a trick by holding back his fastest bowler Nannes when Hayden was butchering the slow bowlers. But by the time Nannes came back for his second spell the match was in Chennai’s kitty. Dilshan pulled out a blinder to end Hayden’s innings.

 

Chennai lost two quick wickets but stand in captain Raina played the big shots when it mattered as Chennai cantered home in the last over. Earlier, Virender Sehwag’s merrily hit the ball to all parts of the park as Chennai bowlers looked lost. Sehwag murdered Joginder Sharma and treated Ashwin with contempt. Murali was delicately cut for two boundaries in his first over and big Kemp was sent to the cleaners as Delhi galloped to a big total. Both Warner and Dilshan were reduced to strokeless wonders as Shewag found the range of strokes early. He muscled his way to a 38 ball 74 punctuated with lusty hits over mid wicket and down the ground before Kemp plucked a catch from thin air at long on boundary when the batsman tried to clear Muralitharan. The Sri Lankan also accounted for Dilshan in the same over and the twin strikes in the 12th over restored sanity to the proceedings. Skipper Raina pulled up a smart catch inside the circle to send back Karthik as Delhi appeared to have lost its way. But Mithun Manhas and Rajat Bhatia took the centre stage and creamed boundaries in the last five overs as Delhi posted a challenging total of 185 for six.