Naman Ojha hammered a 49-ball 80 before his bowling colleagues produced a disciplined performance to help Rajasthan Royals to a thumping 17-run victory over Chennai Super Kings in an Indian Premier League match in Ahmedabad on Sunday .
Electing to bat, Rajasthan Royals scored a challenging 177 for eight, thanks mainly to wicketkepeer-batsman Ojha's blistering 49-ball 80 which was laced with six fours and five sixes and then restricted CSK to 160 for six to notch up their fourth win on the trot and fourth out of seven matches in IPL III.
Chasing 178 in front of a packed crowd at Sardar Patel Stadium at Motera here, CSK lost wickets in regular intervals and none could come up with a big score. They also failed to take advantage of the largess given by butter-fingered Royals fielders who dropped three catches.
Opener Murali Vijay, who was dropped on 15, top-scored with 42 while Albie Morkel made a cameo of 12-ball 28 which had one four and three sixes.
Other CSK batsmen got the starts but failed to play a big innings. Matthew Hayden (19), Suresh Raina (14), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (21) and S Badrinath (25) all looked good for a big score before fizzling out.
Fast bowler Shaun Tait, who generated a lot of pace with some of his deliveries clocking above 150kmph, continued his good form and he was the pick of the Royals bowler, taking two wickets for 22.
Yusuf Pathan also bowled a tight line and length, picking one wicket and conceding 26 from his four overs.
Warne, who produced a gem of a delivery to remove Suresh Raina -- who was dropped twice, returned with figures of one for 34. He was impressive till he bled 20 runs in the 18th over with Morkel hitting three consecutive sixes.
Today's loss was CSK's fourth on the trot and they have now won just two of their seven matches. PTI
