CSK clinch a humdinger

Pacer Ashish Nehra snapped up three wickets to lead a disciplined bowling attack as two-time champions Chennai Super Kings defeated Delhi Daredevils by one run in a last-over thriller of the Indian Premier League in Chennai on Thursday.

Needing 19 runs off the last over, Albie Morkel blasted two fours and a six off Dwayne Bravo but Delhi still fell short by one run at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Earlier put into bat, Chennai were caught in a spin web and could only manage a modest 150 for 7, courtesy contributions by Dwayne Smith (34), middle-order batsman Faf du Plessis (32) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (30).

Defending the total, Nehra produced a fiery spell of fast bowling, dismissing Chidhambaram Gautam (4), Mayank Agarwal (15) and Shreyas Iyer (7) early on to put Delhi on the backfoot.

Morkel anchored the chase with a 55-ball 73 but he didn't get the much-needed support at the other end as Chennai eventually restricted them to 149 in their stipulated 20 overs to launch their IPL-8 campaign on a positive note.

SCORES IN BRIEF

CHENNAI: 150 for 7 in 20 overs (D Smith 34, du Plessis 32, Dhoni 30, Jadeja 17; Coulter-Nile 3-30, Duminy 1-15)

DELHI: 149 for 9 in 20 overs (Morkel 73 not out, Jadhav 20, Agarwal 15; Nehra 3-25, D Bravo 2-36)

Result: Chennai won by 1 run.

Player-of-the-match: Ashish Nehra.