Chennai Stupor Kings

Despite the temptation to credit Adam Gilchrist — also the stand-in skipper after VVS Laxman was ruled out due to hand injury — for this victory for his initial blaze, his contribution of 54 from 36 balls was just the icing on the cake for a team that showed great reflexes in the field, presence of mind while bowling, and brute power with the willow.

When Shahid Afridi slammed 21 runs in Joginder’s 18th over to seal the seven-wicket win as Scott Styris (36) watched from the other end, it was a perfect culmination of a team effort that has started with RP Singh and P Vijay Kumar getting the white Kookaburra to shape in and out. Later, the middle-and-leg line of left-arm spinner Pragyan Ohja was complemented in the field by Rohit Sharma and Herschelle Gibbs.

On a MA Chidambaram wicket that afforded good bounce on hitting the deck, there were some huge shots played, including the one by Chennai’s Albie Morkel that sailed out of the ground. But his team’s boundaries were surrounded by too many dot balls — as many as 53 overall — and Morkel was all alone when the big hits were a premium.

The Deccan batsmen, on the other hand, were never in trouble. Once Gilchrist and Rohit had done their jobs, they had the right man in the middle — Afridi — with 18 needed from 18.

While the Deccan Chargers are finally looking to make progress in the tournament, Chennai are steadily slipping down the ladder.