Photographs: BCCI
Suresh Raina and Michael Hussey blasted quickfire half-centuries to lift Chennai to a huge 223 for three against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, in Hyderabad, on Wednesday.
Chennai crushed Hyderabad by 77 runs for their 10th victory in this year's tournament.
Opener Vijay sets the tone
Image: Murali VijayPhotographs: BCCI
Murali Vijay set the tone with a fluent innings of 29, hitting three successive sixes off Ishant Sharma's second over with a hook followed by a heave over deep midwicket and another one over deep square leg.
Hussey hits fifth half-century in IPL 6
Image: Michael HusseyPhotographs: BCCI
Michael Hussey, who again took the 'Orange Cap' back from Chris Gayle, struck his fifth half-century of the tournament as he hit 67 off 42 balls with five boundaries and four huge sixes.
He and Raina added a whopping 133 runs in 12 overs to provide the Chennai innings with the momentum in the middle overs.
Raina flattens Hyderabad's bowlers
Image: Suresh RainaPhotographs: BCCI
Raina went on the attack right from the start and brought up his half-century from just 35 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes.
Ishant records worst bowling figures in IPL
Image: Ishant SharmaPhotographs: BCCI
Ishant Sharma had a forgettable performance with the ball as he conceded 66 runs in his four overs, to register the worst figures by a bowler in the history of IPL, eclipsing the joint record held by Ashoke Dinda and Varun Aaron (0/63 in 4 overs).
Raina finishes unbeaten on 99
Image: Suresh RainaPhotographs: BCCI
Needing five runs of the final delivery of the innings to complete his century, Raina hit his trademark uppish cover-drive to reach 99 off 52 balls with 11 fours and three sixes.
Raina took his tally to 458 runs in the ongoing IPL, becoming the only batsman to tally 400 runs or more in every season of the T20 tournament.
Dhawan perishes cheaply
Image: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (centre) celebrates the wicket of Shikhar DhawanPhotographs: BCCI
Hyderabad lost an early wicket when the in-form Shikhar Dhawan was run out for three in the second over.
Captain Kumar Sangakkara also failed to make an impression with the bat and was caught by Chris Morris off R Ashwin for three.
Patel provides lone resistance
Image: Parthiv PatelPhotographs: BCCI
Parthiv Patel provided the lone resistance with the bat as he hit a quickfire 44 from 30 balls.
Wickets kept falling from the other end as four of the top five batsmen were dismissed for single digit scores.
Parthiv was eventually caught by Murali Vijay off Mohit Sharma in the ninth over as Hyderabad were left reeling at 64 for five.
Mohit shines with the ball again
Image: Mohit SharmaPhotographs: BCCI
Young pacer Mohit Sharma impressed with the ball again as he took two for 28 in four overs.
Thisara Perera (23 from 13 balls) and Karan Sharma (39 from 33 balls) scored some quick runs towards the end before Hyderabad finished on 146 for eight in their 20 overs to lose by 77 runs.
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