Chennai Super Kings have kicked off their 2015 IPL campaign with a one-run victory over Delhi Daredevils this evening.
The hosts were first in to bat and made a blistering start with 16 from the opening over, but Brendon McCullum was soon on his way back having been caught by Yuvraj Singh off the bowling of Nathan Coulter-Nile.
Suresh Raina joined Dwayne Smith at the crease but also went for four off the bowling of Coulter-Nile, who then ended Smith's innings on 34 with a catch from Imran Tahir's delivery.
Chennai continued to up the target despite regular wickets, however, with Faf du Plessis, Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni all reaching double figures on the way to a total of 150-7 from their 20 overs.
Faced with 151 to win, Delhi made a comparatively slow start to their innings and were left on 20-2 having lost two batsmen to the bowling of Ashish Nehra in the opening five overs.
Shreyas Iyer soon joined them in the pavilion, but Delhi raised hopes of a victory with a solid stand between Albie Morkel and Kedar Jadhav.
Jadhav eventually fell for 20, however, and the wickets began to come at regular intervals once again as Yuvraj, JP Duminy, Coulter-Nile, Amit Mishra and Tahir were all dismissed for single-figure totals.
In the midst of all that, however, Morkel raced past his half-century and got his side into a position where they needed a six off the final ball to clinch victory.
Morkel was the man facing Dwayne Bravo's delivery and he managed to reach the boundary, but it took one bounce on the way as Chennai held out for a one-run triumph.
Barney Corkhill
