Super Kings crowned T20 champions!

Johannesburg: The Chennai Super Kings ascended the World T20 throne and the coronation took place at the Wanderers here tonight when they rode high, mighty and handsome while demolishing the Eastern Cape Warriors by eight wickets in the final of the Airtel Champions League.

The Super Kings, winners of the 2010 IPL, thus achieved a unique double as they picked up the cash prize of US Dollars 2.5 Million while the Warriors who looked out of depth, went home richer by USD 1.3 Million.

For bonus, the Super Kings picked up both the Golden Bat and Golden Wicket awards as Murali Vijay (294) and Ravichandran Ashwin (13), who turned 24 only last week, topped for most runs and wickets, respectively. Ashwin also won the Man of the Series award while Vijay was adjudged Man of the Match.

Batting first on winning the toss, the Warriors, after a rollicking start, were all at sea against the “Spin Twins” Muttiah Muralitharan (3 for 16) and Ashwin (2 for 16) and managed just 128 for seven.

In reply, the Super Kings had few problems in chasing down the total. Openers Michael Hussey (51 not out) and Murali Vijay (58), pacing themselves brilliantly, made light of the target with a 103-run partnership as the Super Kings made 132 for two in 19 overs.

The Warriors lost the plot after the exit of skipper David Jacobs who blasted a 21-ball 34. The rest of the batsmen were far too circumspect, especially against the spinners who, on their part, teased and tormented the willow-wielders.

In the event, while the first five overs saw eight boundaries, all by Jacobs, the next 15 had mere five hits to the fence and a six as the Warriors crumbled after a promising start.

Like the proverbial cat on the hot tin roof, Jacobs danced about the crease, hitting fours as if there was no tomorrow. He was severe on the two new ball bowlers, Doug Bollinger and Albie Morkel to set a scorching pace for the innings.

However, it was too good to last and Bollinger struck with a low full toss that Ashwell Prince missed to lose his off-stump, in the fifth over.

Dhoni, shrewd as ever, brought on Ashwin for the next over and the tall offie obliged, courtesy a rash attempt by Jacobs who was caught plumb in front missing a reverse sweep.

The two wickets turned the game around and the Super Kings then cut through the line-up that appeared clueless against the spin of Ashwin and Muralitharan as wickets fell at regular intervals.

The only solace for the Warriors came in the form of the 18 runs that they scored off Balaji’s final over and innings’ 17th with Craig Thyssen belting a six and two boundaries.

Such was the grip that the Super Kings bowlers exerted that the 20th over, bowled by Muralitharan saw only four runs scored for the loss of one wicket, leaving the Warriors floundering at 128 for seven, a total that looked well within the reach of the Chennai outfit.

The Super Kings, as usual, began sedately with Vijay doing most of the scoring. A couple of boundaries off Makhaya Ntini provided the chase an early acceleration as the openers bided their time.

The focus of the openers was to play safe, running the singles hard and an occasional boundary breaking the pattern. The runs came at a steady pace while the Warriors missed out on two opportunities to take a wicket.

Vijay, on 15 in 27 for no loss, was lucky when he edged Juan Theron between the lone slip Justin Kreusch and wicket-keeper Mark Boucher to the third man fence. And when on 35 in a total of 61), he had another reprieve when Boucher fumbled with a collection with the batsman lured out of the crease by Johan Botha.

A quiet word from Hussey apparently steadied Vijay and the pair batted most sensibly while looking to be on a Sunday evening stroll in the park. However, Vijay opened up soon after with two towering sixes before holing out in the deep, before holing out in the deep attempting another off Boje.

In the next over, Suresh Raina got out for a slog shot to provide a little twist to the match as the Super Kings needed run a ball to get to the target which Hussey and Dhoni did quite comfortably.

Quite fittingly, Dhoni delivered the decisive blows with a massive six followed by two boundaries off Theron, bowling the 19th over, to set off the celebrations.

SOCRE-BOARD

Eastern Cape Warriors Innings:

David Jacobs lbw Ashwin 34 (21b, 8 x 4)

Ashwell Prince b Bollinger 06 (9b)

Colin Ingram c Raina b Morkel 16 (23b, 1 x 4)

Justin Kreusch c Raina b Muralitharan 17 (17b, 1 x 4)

Mark Boucher b Muralitharan 05 (11b)

Johan Botha c Srikkanth b Ashwin 07 (10b)

Craig Thyssen c Srikkanth b Muralitharan 25 (18b, 1 x 6, 3 x 4)

Nicky Boje (not out) 08 (10b)

Juan Theron (not out) 02 (1b)

Extras (lb-4, w-4): 08

Total (for 7 wkts, 20 overs): 128.

Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Prince, 4.1); 2-45 (Jacobs, 5.4); 3-73 (Ingram, 10.5); 4-81 (Boucher, 13.1); 5-82 (Kreusch, 13.5); 6-111 (Botha, 17.5); 7-125 (Thyssen, 19.4).

Bowling: Doug Bollinger 4-0-33-1; Albie Morkel 4-0-31-1 (2w); Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-16-2 (1w); Lakshmipathy Balaji 4-0-28-0 (1w); Muralitharan 4-0-16-3.

Chennai Super Kings Innings:

Michael Hussey (not out) 51 (46b, 3 x 4)

Murali Vijay c Kreusch b Boje 58 (33b, 2 x 6, 6 x 4)

Suresh Raina c Botha b Ntini 02 (3b)

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (not out) 17 (12b, 1 x 6, 2 x 4)

Extras (lb-1, w-3): 04

Total (for 2 wkts, 19 overs): 132.

Fall of wickets: 1-103 (Vijay, 14.5);

Bowling: Makhaya Ntini 4-0-30-1 (1w); Lonwabo Tsotsobe 3-0-14-0; Juan Theron 4-0-40-0 (2w); Johan Botha 4-0-18-0; Nicky Boje 4-0-29-1.

Umpires:Rudi Koertzen (South Africa) and Aleem Dar (Pakistan)