KOCHI – Brendon McCullum smashed a rapidfire 47 to power Kochi Tuskers Kerala to a seven-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings in an Indian Premier League match on Monday.
The New Zealander hit three sixes and four boundaries in his 33-ball knock as Kochi achieved a rain-revised target of 135 with two overs to spare in a match reduced to 17-overs-a-side.
It was Kochi’s second win and Chennai’s second defeat in four matches.
McCullum, who hit two sixes off South African paceman Albie Morkel early in his innings, added 51 off just six overs for the second wicket with Parthiv Patel, who scored a 26-ball 34.
The New Zealander eventually fell attempting a big shot as he was caught at long-off by Morkel off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who also dismissed skipper Mahela Jayawardene (16) to finish with 2-31.
Australian Brad Hodge (19 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja (16 not out) completed the victory with a 25-run stand for the unfinished fourth wicket off just two overs.
Chennai’s Suresh Raina earlier cracked a brisk 40-ball 50 with the help of one six and five fours to prop up the innings after the early dismissal of Australian Michael Hussey (eight).
Hussey was caught behind off paceman Rudra Pratap Singh, but Raina steadied the innings with two useful stands as he added 37 for the second wicket with Murali Vijay (28) and 48 for the next with Subramaniam Badrinath (19).
Opener Vijay hit six fours in his 18-ball knock before skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni made a 13-ball 14 not out, including a six off the last ball of the innings.
Brief scores:
Chennai Super Kings 131-4 in 17 overs (S. Raina 50, M. Vijay 28) lost to Kochi Tuskers Kerala 135-3 in 15 overs (B. McCullum 47, P. Patel 34; R. Ashwin 2-31) by seven wickets (D/L method).
