Vijay ton sets up Chennai's win

M Vijay played a hurricane knock that lifted Chennai Super Kings to the highest IPL score ever. On a scorching, smouldering Saturday afternoon, Chennai bolted out of the stables. Shane Warne's opening with Yusuf Pathan has become predictable, and Vijay took full toll to send him off after two expensive overs. Sumit Narwal's length deliveries were fodder for a trigger-happy Vijay, again timing the ball so sweetly on the leg-side.

Later, having been denied strike as Albie Morkel took time to settle against spin, Vijay launched Warne for six to raise his fifty. Chennai's run rate went past 10.00 the first ball of the next over, as Vijay late cut Yusuf for four and charged him for six, and then nearly touched 11 when Morkel slogged four and six off successive deliveries.

Two more incredible shots flowed in the next over, bowled by Shaun Tait. Vijay made room and used the pace on the ball to steer a six over third man, and then pull the ball out of the ground. After 15 overs, Chennai were 170 for 2.

Upon the conclusion of the 16th over, they were 196 for 2. Vijay's seventh six came promptly on resumption after the time-out, with Narwal starting off by bowling length. Morkel didn't want to be left out and drove a straight six to raise the century stand in 43 balls, but was left marvelling at his partner's strokeplay when two more sixes flew off Vijay's bat in a 26-run over. Narwal went for 41 in two overs and it was left to Warne, Shane Watson and Tait to rein in the rampant batsmen. A hammered straight-drive down the ground for four got Vijay to three figures from just 46 balls, and he celebrated with more devastating batting down the ground as Rajasthan's bowling threatened to implode.