Mike Hussey struck an unbeaten half-century while skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni cashed in on a dropped chance to smash his way to a 23-ball 44 as Chennai Super Kings amassed 169 for four against Delhi Daredevils in the Pepsi Indian Premier League here today.
Hussey carried his bat through the innings with a well-crafted 50-ball 66, which was laced with six fours and two sixes, while Suresh Raina (30) contributed up front as the CSK top-order entertained the packed crowd at the Feroze Shah Kotla Stadium.
The last five overs yielded 54 runs as Delhi skipper Mahela Jayawardene's ploy to keep rotating his bowlers failed.
Electing to bat, Chennai Super Kings were off to a good start, courtesy openers Murali Vijay and Hussey. Both went about their business in style with Vijay smacking two fours off Umesh Yadav in his first over.
South African pacer Morne Morkel broke the 30-run opening wicket stand when he had Vijay trapped in front for 18.
Raina made his intentions clear from the outset, driving the very first delivery he faced from Morkel through the covers.
Chennai Super Kings raced to 39 for one at the end of mandatory power play.
But what followed, to the surprise of many, was Jayawardene's decision to bring Virender Sehwag into the attack.
Sehwag, rolling his arms over for the first time in a long while, drew the loudest applause from the crowd as he looked at ease while bowling his off-breaks.
The Delhi pacers kept it quiet for a while before Raina broke the shackles with two consecutive fours off Yadav, who returned for his second spell, in the 11th over.
Hussey, too, followed suit as he clobbered Ajit Agarkar for a four and a six over mid-wicket to raise the 50-run partnership for the second wicket.
