Champions League T20: Chennai Super Kings won the Title

The Chennai Super Kings are now the Emperors of the T20 world. Nothing went wrong for CSK as Hussey and Vijay got the team off to an extraordinary start with a superb 103 run opening stand. It was a golden night for Vijay as he stroked a half century and he also became the proud owner of the Golden Bat for the most number of runs scored in this tournament. Hussey also went past his fifty as Chennai reached home by eight wickets and are now proud champions of this Champions League T20.

Murali Vijay (58 off 53 balls), smashed his 3rd half-century of the Champions League 2010 while the other opener Mike Hussey played sheet anchor and remained not out on 51 as Chennai chased down the easy target of 129 with one over to spare.

Muttiah Muralitharan (3/16) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/16) divided 5 wickets as Chennai controlled Warriors to 128 for 7 after the South African champion side won the toss and elected to bat first at the New Wanderers Stadium. Vijay underlined his emergence as a fine T20 batsman by becoming the highest run getter of the tournament with 294 runs from six matches.

Vijay's 53-ball innings was studded with 6 fours and 2 sixes while Hussey hit only 3 fours from 46 balls in his winning knock. CSK were richer by $2.500000 for winning the 2nd edition of Champions League T20 2010 tournament, their 2nd crown in 5 months after their IPL victory in April.

The total of 128 was too easy to defend and Chennai was always in control of the run chase though it got a bit tight with Suresh Raina, who was mainly responsible for CSK's semi-final win against Royal Challengers Bangalore with an aggressive 94, out cheaply for just two.

Hussey and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (17 not out), however, held on their nerves to pull off the win with a 25-run partnership for the unbroken 3rd wicket. Dhoni hit the winning runs - a four off Juan Theron - as Chennai scored 132 for two in 19 overs to lift the title.

Redbacks conformed semi final berth

Southern Redbacks first came out with a disciplined bowling display to control the Bangalore side to 154 in 19.5 over on a little slow Kingsmead pitch and then achieved the target with 9 balls to spare in the Group B in CL 2010.

Skipper Klinger scored 69 off 57 balls with the help of 9 fours and a six, while Harris came out with a sparkling 57 off 38 balls. Redbacks scored 155 for two in 18.3 overs, with Callum Ferguson giving company to Klinger.

Chasing 155 to win, both the openers started on an attacking note. Neither Klinger nor Harris faced any problem in tackling the Bangalore bowling attack and kept sending the ball to the hedge in regular intervals.

Klinger cracked a four in the second ball of the innings off medium pacer Praveen Kumar, while Harris cracked three fours in the sixth over off Dillon du Preez to add to the frustration of RCB skipper Anil Kumble. Kumble tried out five bowlers, including himself, but all his efforts went in vain as the bowlers, including pacer Dale Steyn, proved quite ineffective and expensive on the Kingsmead pitch.

Southern Redbacks reached 50-run mark in the 6th over and then riding on the rampaging form of the two openers they crossed 100-run mark in the 12th over. To the end of the match, the Australian side lost two quick wickets in the form of Harris, who adorned his innings with 7 fours and two sixes.

Harris returned after a misunderstanding with his skipper while Manou feel to Kumble after facing three balls but that could not stop them from registering their third successive win in the tournament. Earlier, Preez and Ross Taylor scored an identical 46 to help Bangalore overcome a mid-innings slump and post 154 after Kumble opted to bat first.

Taylor, who cracked eight fours and a huge six during his 28-ball stay, steadied the RCB innings in middle overs while Preez capitalised on his home condition when the team was struggling at 76 for five in 10.5 overs. Preez struck one four and four sixes during his 25-ball innings and with Cameron White (25) produced a crucial 58-run partnership to pull the team out of the pit.

AirTel CLT20 2010 will bring focus back on cricket

The CLT20 which is planned to start on Friday will let cricket aficionados move the focus back to cricket and move away from the ongoing spot fixing saga.

Australian Faster Shaun Tait who will represent the South Australian Redbacks said the 'spot-fixing' damaged the repute of the game and CLT20 2010 will be welcomed by fans as a much needed break.

"It is good time for this tournament to happen because cricket will be moving forward. People will at last get to see a spirited tournament rather than look at the garbage going on in England," he said on Tuesday referring to the 'spot-fixing' reports.

"The tournament is happening at the perfect time because it will shift the focus back on cricket," added Tait.

West Indian all-rounder Kieron Pollard also seconded taits view that CLT20 brings chance to regain spectators' faith in the game.

"I don't want to speak on the topic because I am not involved in it and so far in my career nothing like this happened. The most we can do at this moment is play competitive, hard and fair cricket whenever we get on to the field be it CLT20 or in international matches," said Pollard.

JP Duminy expressed sympathy for promising left-arm pacer Mohamad Aamir but also added that players should be very careful and aware when it comes to match-fixing.

"It is a pity that such serious and big allegations have come into cricket. But personally, I always try to keep myself miles away from all these things. For a cricketer it's about saying right things at the right time and remaining extra careful," the left-hander said.

"I feel for Aamir. It is a pity to be in this position, especially in this young age. I hope he comes out clean and enjoy a long career," added Duminy, who will turn out for Mumbai Indians in CLT20.

JP Duminy and Kieron Pollard of Mumbai Indians will face Tait of the Redbacks on the 14th.

Champions League Twenty20, 2010 Schedule

Date	Match Details	Time ISD	Place
Sep 10	MI v Lions, 1st Match, Group B Lions won by 9 runs	21:00	Johannesburg*
Sep 11	Warriors v Wayamba, 2nd Mat, Group A Warriors won by 7 wkts	17:00	Port Elizabeth
Sep 11	Central Districts v CSK, 3rd Mat, Group A CSK won by 57 runs	21:00	Durban*
Sep 12	Lions v South Australia, 4th Mat, Group B South Aus won by 11 runs	17:00	Centurion
Sep 12	RCB v Guyana, 5th Mat, Group B RCB won by 9 Wickets	21:00	Centurion*
Sep 13	Victoria v Warriors, 6th Mat, Group A Warriors won by 28 runs	21:00	Port Elizabeth*
Sep 14	MI v South Australia, 7th Mat, Group A S.Aus won by 5 wickets	21:00	Durban*
Sep 15	Central Districts v Victoria, 8th Mat, Group A Victoria won by 7 wickets	17:00	Centurion
Sep 15	CSK v Wayamba, 9th Mat, Group A CSK won by 97 runs	21:00	Centurion*
Sep 16	MI v Guyana, 10th Mat, Group B MI won by 31 runs	21:00	Durban*
Sep 17	RCB v South Australia, 11th Mat, Group B S.Aus won by 8 wickets	21:00	Durban*
Sep 18	Central Districts v Warriors, 12th Mat, Group A Warriors won by 6 wickets	17:00	Port Elizabeth
Sep 18	CSK v Victoria, 13th Mat, Group A Victoria won in super over	21:00	Port Elizabeth*
Sep 19	Lions v Guyana, 14th Mat, Group B Lions won by 9 wickets	17:00	Johannesburg
Sep 19	MI v RCB, 15th Mat, Group B MI won by 2 runs	21:00	Durban*
Sep 20	Victoria v Wayamba, 16th Mat, Group A Victoria won by 8 wickets	21:00	Centurion*
Sep 21	South Australia v Guyana, 17th Mat, Group B S.Aus won by 15 runs	17:00	Johannesburg
Sep 21	Lions v RCB, 18th Match, Group B RCB won by 6 wickets	21:00	Johannesburg*
Sep 22	Central Districts v Wayamba, 19th Mat, Group A Wayamba won by 74 runs	17:00	Port Elizabeth
Sep 22	CSK v Warriors, 20th Match, Group A CSK won by 10 runs	21:00	Port Elizabeth*
Sep 24	CSK v RCB, 1st semi-final	21:00	Durban*
Sep 25	South Australia v Warriors, 2nd semi-final	21:00	Centurion*
Sep 26	TBC v TBC, Final	21:00	Johannesburg*

* - Day Night Match