ALBIE Morkel and Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed seven wickets between them to help Chennai to a lop-sided 97-run victory over Wayamba in the Champions League Twenty20 in Pretoria.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) champions were on top from the outset after posting a mammoth 201 target, built around Murali Vijay (68) and Suresh Raina (87), who shared a 137-run second-wicket stand.
The Sri Lankan Interprovincial Twenty20 winners seemed overawed by the occasion with all their star names, amongst them Mahela Jayawardene, flopping as they were bundled out for 103 in 17.1 overs. Only Shalika Karunanayake (25) put up any resistance, with the winners now moving top of Group A alongside the South African side Warriors.
The Super Kings made a cagey start to the game, taking just 20 after four overs, before Vijay exploded to life by helping himself to 25 from the fifth over.
The loss of Matthew Hayden (10) at the other end failed to stifle the Indian side, with Raina slotting in comfortably alongside his international team-mate.
They reached the 10-over mark with 92 on the board, before Vijay reached his 50 from 32 deliveries followed by his partner from 31.
After raising the century stand, Raina then cut loose and smashed an Ajantha Mendis over for 28, including four sixes.
But more controlled closing overs from Chanaka Welegedara (two for 47) and Isuru Udana (none for 30) restricted Chennai to 200 for three, still a daunting total.
Wayamba made the worst possible start to their innings losing Jeevantha Kulatunga for a second-ball duck to Morkel, a wicket that seemed to set the tone for what was to come.
All their senior players, including captain Jehan Mubarak (seven), Jayawardene (10) and Kaushal Lokuarachchi (six) fell cheaply with the knowledge of local boy Morkel (three for 22) and skilful spin of Ashwin (four for 18) reducing Wayamba opponents to 35 for six.
It left Karunanayake chasing a lost cause, which now leaves the islanders needing to win their final two matches in Group A and hope other results work in their favour if they are to qualify for the play-offs. (Eurosport)