Abdullah Shahzad
Chennai: 
The focus finally shifted to the cricket in the IPL after a year of legal battles and a Bollywood-filled opening ceremony. A partying crowd filled the MA Chidambaram Stadium, but the Chennai Super Kings batting didn't quite give them enough to cheer. Chennai's strong batting didn't make the most of a generous Kolkata Knight Riders' fielding performance and an innocuous bowling line-up, finishing on a just-about-adequate 153.
Live Scorecard
Despite losing Murali Vijay in the first over, Chennai made rapid progress as Suresh Raina and S Anirudha toyed with the Kolkata attack, which didn't have a single world-class bowler. To add to Kolkata's worries, three catches were put down - two by Yusuf Pathan and a simple one by Eoin Morgan at deep midwicket.
Anirudha greeted Jacques Kallis with three boundaries in an over, and Raina continued to be in the fluent touch he was in the World Cup. The pair took Chennai to a strong 78 for 1 after 10 overs, before Raina fell attempting a slog sweep. That slowed the pace down, and despite a six each from Dhoni and Anirudha off an over from legspinner Sarajbit Ladda, only 43 came off six overs.
Chennai needed some big hits towards the end, but a series of slower bouncers from L Balaji and Kallis kept the runs in check. Albie Morkel showed off his strength hitting down the ground, slamming a four and a six off the final two deliveries to lift the score past 150.
The focus finally shifted to the cricket in the IPL after a year of legal battles and a Bollywood-filled opening ceremony. A partying crowd filled the MA Chidambaram Stadium, but the Chennai Super Kings batting didn't quite give them enough to cheer. Chennai's strong batting didn't make the most of a generous Kolkata Knight Riders' fielding performance and an innocuous bowling line-up, finishing on a just-about-adequate 153.Live Scorecard
Despite losing Murali Vijay in the first over, Chennai made rapid progress as Suresh Raina and S Anirudha toyed with the Kolkata attack, which didn't have a single world-class bowler. To add to Kolkata's worries, three catches were put down - two by Yusuf Pathan and a simple one by Eoin Morgan at deep midwicket.
Anirudha greeted Jacques Kallis with three boundaries in an over, and Raina continued to be in the fluent touch he was in the World Cup. The pair took Chennai to a strong 78 for 1 after 10 overs, before Raina fell attempting a slog sweep. That slowed the pace down, and despite a six each from Dhoni and Anirudha off an over from legspinner Sarajbit Ladda, only 43 came off six overs.
Chennai needed some big hits towards the end, but a series of slower bouncers from L Balaji and Kallis kept the runs in check. Albie Morkel showed off his strength hitting down the ground, slamming a four and a six off the final two deliveries to lift the score past 150.
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