CHENNAI: Chennai Super Kings won a second successive Indian Premier League (IPL) title after thrashing Royal Challengers Bangalore by 58 runs in Saturday's final as openers Murali Vijay and Mike Hussey smashed half centuries. Vijay (52-ball 95) and Australian Hussey (45-ball 63) vindicated captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's decision to bat first with an opening stand of 159 runs in just 14.5 overs in hot and humid conditions at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. Egged on by a capacity crowd at home the openers hit nine sixes and seven boundaries between them as Bangalore's bowling completely fell apart. Chennai lost quick wickets toward the end but still managed to reach a mammoth total of 205 for the loss of five wickets. Bangalore's only hope of pulling off an unlikely victory rested on big-hitting West Indian Chris Gayle but the tournament's top scorer fell in the first over for a duck to off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin picked up three wickets for just 16 runs off his four overs as the Chennai spinners picked up six out of the eight wickets that fell for the side led by Daniel Vettori. Bangalore limped to 147-8 wickets at the end of its 20 overs after being reduced to 70 for six at one stage.
