IPL: Vijay, Hussey power Chennai to big total

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CHENNAI: Murali Vijay carted 95 off just 52 balls to help Chennai Super Kings pile up an imposing 205-5 in the Indian Premier League final against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Saturday.

The dimunitive opener also put on a record 159-run stand for the first wicket with Michael Hussey (63) after skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat at a packed Chidambaram Stadium.

Their stand surpassed the 155-run partnership between Adam Gilchrist and Venkatsai Laxman against Mumbai in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008.

Vijay, pointed out as the weak link in the Chennai line-up after an indifferent run with the bat in the tournament, decided to make amends at the big stage, unleashing six sixes and four fours in his blazing knock.

Hussey was equally aggresssive, hitting three sixes and as many boundaries in his 45-ball innings before holing out to Abhimanyu Mithun near the boundary ropes off left-arm spinner Syed Mohammad.

Vijay, who seemed to struggle in hot and humid conditions during the later part of his innings, missed out on a well-deserved century when he offered a simple catch to captain Daniel Vettori off left-arm paceman Sreenath Aravind.

Aravind struck again off the very next ball to remove Dhoni, caught off a full toss by Virat Kohli after making 22 which included two sixes in one over by Chris Gayle.

Gayle also picked up two wickets in two balls, sending back Albie Morkel and Suresh Raina in the 20th over with his wily off-breaks.