Andrew Flintoff’s Chennai Super Kings comprehensively outpointed Kevin Pietersen’s Bangalore Royal Challengers in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.
The head-to-head never materialised, as Pietersen fell for a first-ball duck as Bangalore failed to chase down Chennai’s target of 180.
Chennai’s total was founded on a superb 65 from Matthew Hayden, 30 from Parthiv Patel and rapid 22 not out from Flintoff.
In reply, Bangalore had no answer to the quality bowling of Flintoff, Muttiah Muralitharan and Manpreet Gony as Chennai wrapped up a 92-run win for their first points of the tournament.
Ms Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat and it was a decision that Patel and Hayden relished as they smashed the ball to all parts in a century partnership.
Hayden in particular was in a mood to dominate as he was particularly severe on Jacques Kallis and Virat Kohli.
Chennai’s momentum was checked by the strategy break and its critics were given ammunition, as The Super Kings lost two wickets in the over immediately after the interval.
Pietersen bowled Patel even though the batsman did not look ready and the very next ball Hayden’s innings was cut short by a suicidal run out.
The momentum was certainly checked, but Raina (28) and Dhoni (16) scored at a run a ball and a quickfire 22 not out from Flintoff enabled them to post 179.
Bangalore got off to a horrid start as Manpreet Gony knocked over Praveen Kumar’s leg stump with the third ball of the innings.
Jacques Kallis adopted a positive stance from the off and made a rapid 24, before walking in front of middle stump and being trapped lbw by fellow countryman Albie Morkel.
This brought Pietersen to the crease, but the anticipated battle between Flintoff and KP never materialised as he was trapped plumb in front by Muttiah Muralitharan first ball.
Muralitharan sent Robin Uthappa back to the pavilion in the same over after completely flummoxing him with a doosra.
Dravid (20) stood firm surrounded by the carnage, but he simply had no support as Chennai wrapped up a 92-run victory.
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