Mumbai win IPL opener
Mumbai Indians clinched a 19-run victory over Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of the Indian Premier League.
Skipper Sachin Tendulkar carried his bat, slamming an unbeaten 59 to help his side post 165 for seven.Chennai made a good fist of the chase thanks to Matthew Hayden's 44, but fell short and eventually ended with 146 for seven.
After Mahendra Singh Dhoni had won the toss and asked Mumbai to bat, Sanath Jayasuriya and Tendulkar began briskly, tucking into opening pair of Manpreet Singh Gony and Thilan Thushara.
The two helped Mumbai reach 27 in just four overs, forcing Dhoni into a bowling change which saw the introduction of Andrew Flintoff.
The England all-rounder almost struck in his first over when Tendulkar looked to have edged the ball, but Hayden at first slip failed to hold on to a straightforward take.
In the next over, though, the Australian made amends when he snapped up Jayasuriya at mid-wicket for 26 after Thushara drew a false stroke from his fellow Sri Lankan.
Play was then held up for more than 15 minutes by a roaming dog but, after it was eventually led off, Mumbai continued to find the boundary at will.
Shikhar Dhawan and Tendulkar added 43 together, before the former top-edged Gony to Dhoni running in from mid-wicket for 22.
The Indian seamer then claimed took a splendid return catch to get rid of JP Duminy (nine) in his next over, followed by the dismissal of Dwayne Bravo (five) - caught by Hayden at deep square leg to leave Mumbai 102 for four.
Abhishek Nayar planted Flintoff for three sixes in an over before he was out for a 14-ball 35, with Tendulkar made to wait for a half-century which he eventually reached in 44 deliveries.
Flintoff finally managed to claim his first IPL wicket off the penultimate ball of the innings when he had Zaheer Khan (two) caught at wide long-off by Thushara as Mumbai posted 166.
Malinga then struck with the second ball of the Chennai response, inducing an edge from Parthiv Patel (nought) that was excellently held by Tendulkar at first slip.
Raina flopped
Suresh Raina came in next, but lasted just nine balls for his eight and was caught by Rohan Raje at deep square leg off Bravo.
Flintoff was promoted up the order and it looked a good call by Chennai as the Englishman plundered Bravo for a four and a six in the same over.
Along with Hayden, they put on 50 in 42 balls, before Flintoff went for a big shot against Harbhajan Singh and skied a return catch to the bowler for 24.
Jayasuriya then accounted for Hayden (44) - caught well by Zaheer at cover - followed by Jacob Oram (eight) and Subramaniam Badrinath (nought) to leave Chennai at 109 for six.
Needing 31 of the last two overs, Dhoni's men were pegged back by Zaheer, who conceded just six runs in the penultimate over.
Malinga's final over then also yielded six, including the wicket of Dhoni (36), as Mumbai ran out convincing winners.
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