rounder Albie Morkel plundered 28 runs off an over from Virat Kohli as Chennai Super Kings scored a thrilling last-ball victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League Thursday. Defending champion Chennai seemed to have been edged out when it needed 43 off the last two overs, but Morkel (28) turned the game around in the 19th over with three sixes and two fours, leaving all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja to complete a five-wicket win. Bangalore had scored a mammoth 205-8 as opener Chris Gayle (68) led a belligerent top-order performance. But Chennai remained in the hunt through South African Faf du Plessis (71 off 46) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (41 off 24) before the allrounders wrapped up the game at 208-5. In the second match, Dimitri Mascarenhas and Shaun Marsh handed Kings XI Punjab, their first win of the season. Mascarenhas picked up his second five-for as Pune Warriors were bundled out for just 115 on a slow track, and Shaun Marsh ensured the chase was on track with a composed half-century. Barring a first-ball setback when Paul Valthaty was cleaned up by Ashok Dinda, Kings XI never really strayed off the track in the chase. Together with Adam Gilchrist, Marsh saw off the early pressure. Marsh, who was reprieved when on 31 and 41, was ruthless when offered width and his adeptness at playing the pull allowed the Warriors bowlers little margin for error. Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 205-8 (Gayle 68, Kohli 57, Bollinger 3-24). Chennai Super Kings 208-5 (Du Plessis 71, Dhoni 41, Murali 3-21). Pune Warriors 115 (Manhas 31, Mascarenhas 5-25). Kings XI Punjab 116-3 (Marsh 64*, Chawla 24*).
