Chennai, May 10: Josh Inglis played a sensational 85-run knock before Chennai Super Kings rallied to stop Lucknow Super Giants at 203 for eight in their Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
A lot of credit for the CSK comeback must go to Jamie Overton (3/36), who took the big wickets of Inglis and Rishabh Pant in a space of three balls, before Shahbaz Ahmed chipped in with an useful 43 off 25 balls.
Struggling at the bottom of the table and staring at an early exit, LSG came out all guns blazing in the powerplay as Inglis launched a brutal assault on the CSK bowlers to propel the visitors to 77 for no loss after five overs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Inglis was the chief aggressor, racing to a whirlwind half-century off just 17 deliveries, while Mitchell Marsh (10) played the perfect supporting role at the other end as CSK’s bowling attack struggled to contain the early onslaught.
Anshul Kamboj dismissed Marsh inside the powerplay but the assault continued unabated.
Akeal Hosein endured a torrid opening over, conceding 16 runs, with Inglis immediately taking the attack to the left-arm spinner through a couple of boundaries and a six.
Mukesh Choudhary and Anshul too came under severe pressure as the Australian wicketkeeper-batter continued to find the fence with remarkable ease.
With the ball coming nicely onto the bat on a humid Chennai afternoon, LSG maintained a run-rate in excess of 15 an over, putting CSK on the back foot early in a crucial contest for both sides.
CSK were 91 for one at the end of powerplay.
However, Noor Ahmad sent back Nicholas Pooran (1) with a googly and then Jamie Overton got the massive wicket of Inglis as the batter tried play the scoop shot but got a nick for Sanju Samson to take a good catch behind the stumps.
Inglis amassed 85 in just 33 balls, with the help of six maximums and 10 fours.
LSK skipper Rishabh Pant’s woeful run with the bat continued as he perished after a scratchy 12-ball 15, an Overton delivery hitting the stumps after an edge to leave the visitors at 115 for four in the 10th over.
Aiden Markram was run out by Dewald Brevis for 10 as LSG slumped to 130 for five in the beginning of the 13th over.
Shahbaz and Himmat Singh (17) then added 50 runs for the sixth wicket to help LSG go past 200. (PTI)
