IPL: CSK win run-fest despite Maxwell, du Plessis fireworks
Chennai Super Kings 226 for 6 (Conway 83, Dube 52, Siraj 1-30) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 218 for 8 (Maxwell, 76, du Plessis 62, Deshpande 3-45, Pathirana 2-42) by eight runs
Devon Conway made a blistering half-century as Chennai Super Kings beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by eight runs in an Indian Premier League thriller on Monday.
Conway blasted top scored with 83 off 45 balls as CSK posted 226-6 in the southern derby at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where Shivam Dube (52 from 27) also made a half-century.
A brutal onslaught from Glenn Maxwell (76 off 36) and Faf du Plessis (62 from 33) had RCB scenting an incredible victory, but they came up just short on 218-8 as CSK secured a third win.
Conway and Ajinkya Rahane (37) laid the platform for CSK by putting on 74 for the second wicket in quick time before the latter was bowled by Wanindu Hasaranga.
The in-form Conway faced only 31 balls to make it back-to-back half-centuries but missed out on three figures when he was cleaned up by Harshal Patel.
Dube and Moeen Ali ensured the runs continued to flow, before Virat Kohli fell in the first over of the run chase.
RCB were 15-2 when Maxwell joined Du Plessis in the middle and they produced an incredible exhibition of clean striking to put the game in the balance.
Their 126-run partnership was a franchise record for the third wicket and came in just over 10 overs, Maxwell blasting eight sixes and his skipper striking four.
Maheesh Theekshana was guilty of two of CSK’s four dropped catches, but he removed Maxwell and Ali dismissed Du Plessis.
Dinesh Karthik (28) and Suyash Prabhudessai kept RCB in the hunt, but Tushar Deshpande took 3-45 as the Super Kings took the derby honours.
Conway leads the way
New Zealand opener Conway took the RCB attack to all parts, following his 50 against Rajasthan Royals with another explosive knock.
The left-hander struck six sixes and as many fours, laying the platform for a big CSK total.
As many as 72% of Conway’s runs came from boundaries in what was his fifth IPL half-century.
Du Plessis and Maxwell go berserk
They were certainly not queueing up to bowl when Du Plessis and Maxwell were cutting loose.
Du Plessis took over from Venkatesh Iyer as the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 259 at an average of 64.75, while Maxwell’s explosive half-century was his second of the IPL season. (SportsMax)
