the Super Kings win! Balaji ends the game with a slower ball on a good length which Uday Kaul misses
CSK vs Kings XI, 31st match at Chennai, IPL, May 10 2008 - Ball by Ball Commentary
11.28 pm local time: The Chennai Super Kings are back! They lost three in a row but have ended Punjab's five-match winning streak to move level with Rajasthan on 12 points at the top of the table. There were several terrific performances in thsi match: Badrinath's 64, Dhoni's 61, Punjab's death bowling that restricted Chennai to 181 when they looked like getting 200 plus.
Marsh played an excellent innings but no other Punjab batsman got going and Lakshmipathy Balaji spearheaded Chennai's defence. He took 5 for 24 off his four overs, including the key wickets of Marsh, Sarwan and a hat-trick - the first of the IPL - in the final over of the match. Pathan struck an 18-ball 40 to bring Punjab close but the game was virtually up by then.
The Chennai crowd cheers itself hoarse as the local boy Balaji is named the Man of the Match for his 5 for 24 including a hat-trick. He mixed up his pace superbly, bowling sharp bouncers and slower balls off the same ambling run-up.
That's it from us at Cricinfo for today. Thank you for your emails. This is George Binoy signing off.
That's the first hat-trick of the IPL. Can Balaji get six?
he's got the hat-trick!!! Balaji bowls a short ball outside off stump, VRV backs away and throws his bat at it, the top edge goes straight to Dhoni and the Super Kings mob Balaji! He's thrilled and everyone's gathered around him, amazing scenes and Chennai are roaring on their local lad
Balaji's on a hat-trick!
Balaji's got another one! Chawla backs away and lofts a full ball in the air towards long-off where Kapugedera takes an easy catch, Balaji has four, can he take five?
caught! and that is that! Balaji bowls a slower ball just short of a length, Pathan pulls off the front foot and lofts the ball straight to Raina at deep square leg, he's gone and taken Punjab's hopes with him
19 needed off four balls.
that's a slower ball and Pathan has pulled it towards deep midwicket where Raina dives to save the boundary
that's a huge hit! Balaji bowls a full toss which Pathan has pulled over deep square leg for a six!
Punjab need 27 off the final over, Balaji will bowl it.
Chawla tries to move outside the off stump and paddle the ball to the fine leg boudnary, Morkel bowls a slower one and Chawla gets beaten
fantastic bowling, right up there in the block hole, Pathan drives off the front foot towards long off, Punjab need a boudnary a ball now
Chawla makes room and drives another ball from the block hole towards cover for just the single
excellent ball, in the block hole on middle stump, Chawla digs it out back to the bowler
full ball on middle and off, pushed towards midwicket for one
he's smashed it! Pathan gets under a length ball and lofts it high and far over long-on, they need 16 an over and Pathan's already got six of them.
Chennai need 36 off the final two overs. Morkel will bowl the 19th over.
full ball on off stump, Chawla backs away and lofts the ball expertly over extra cover, four more to end the over
Chawla backs away towards leg to make room and cuts the short ball hard and over point, the ball bounces on the rope and the third umpire tells the on-field umpire that it's six
short of a length delivery outside off stump, Pathan pulls once again but hits it along the ground to midwicket
Pathan aims for the fans at deep midwicket but mis-times the slog, he manages to clear the in-field though but gets only two
short of a length delivery slants across Pathan who slashes hard but misses
Pathan lofts Gony straight back over his head, he's hit it cleanly and the ball clears the boundary with ease
Gony's back into the attack, bowling from
tossed up on middle stump, Chawla drives hard and straight and Murali dives to his right to cut it off, he's finished his spell and it's been a brilliant one for Chennai
defended on the front foot towards point
Punjab need 56 off 20 balls, nearly impossible.
Over 20 • KXIP 163/9