Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) became the first away team to register a win at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League on Tuesday.
Marcus Stoinis, who scored a blistering 63-ball 124, held his nerve at the death to take his team over the finish line as LSG won by six wickets against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
With 74 runs needed off the final six overs, the match was slipping away from LSG, but Stoinis’ brute force and sub-standard bowling from the CSK bowlers helped LSG pull off a heist.
Speaking to the media after the game, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming rued missed opportunities and said that the toss played a part in his side’s loss.
“There’s nothing typical these days. These wickets are pretty hard to read, but not like the turning wickets that we used to have earlier. The wicket was slow, maybe for the first 20–25 overs, and then the dew started to settle. We knew that was going to happen. We knew that there was some value in the toss. We just tried to post a total that was going to keep us in the game, and we did,” he said.
Ruturaj Gaikwad (108, 60b), the first CSK skipper to score a century, was on the receiving end. The opener has two tons in the IPL, both coming in losing causes. Fleming praised Gaikwad’s stroke-making abilities while also recognising Stoinis’ counter-attacking knock.
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“Ruturaj scored a great 100 and played with incredible power to take us to 210. We weren’t comfortable with the score, but we knew we were in the game. However, it was a great 100 from Marcus (Stoinis) as well; they answered pretty well. It was a good game of cricket, and I felt we competed well, but under pressure, we let the little things slip,” Fleming said.
Unlike earlier seasons, CSK has had an array of changes to the line-up this time around. Fleming explained that Super Kings have been trying to find a stable playing 12 for the long term.
“We’re still a bit uncomfortable in some areas, and we’re not trying to find a quick fix but the right combination. We’ve got another change coming up with Mustafizur [Rahman] in a couple of games, and we’re trying to fix a side that will give us a run home,” said the 51-year-old.
Promoting Stoinis up the order has provided dividends for LSG this season. The all-rounder has amassed 254 runs so far this season, averaging 42.33 while also maintaining a healthy strike rate of 159.75. Adam Voges, LSG’s consultant, was all praise for the 34-year-old.
“We’ve had problems with the number three position, and Justin (Langer) gave Stoinis the opportunity since he’s performed particularly well at the top order in the Big Bash League. He’s scored some match-winning 100s there, and he’s certainly made the most of it here as well,” said Voges.
“I thought the first cover-drive that he played tonight showed that he’s been hitting the ball well throughout the tournament, and he’s been threatening to do something like he did tonight. He was outstanding,” he added.
Fleming echoed Voges’ thoughts as well. “He’s got power, but he’s also got good batsmanship, and at the Melbourne Stars, we saw him open the batting, and he was quite prolific. I’ve seen the way he can control an innings, and today he quietly went about his work. His fifty happened in 20-odd balls, and then he just controlled the innings,” he said.
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