Gilchrist leads Deccan charge

Adam Gilchrist did all the groundwork

The Chennai Super Kings slumped to their third defeat on the bounce as an Adam Gilchrist-inspired Deccan Chargers eased to a seven-wicket win in their Indian Premier League encounter.

The hosts set the Chargers a victory target of 145 from their 20 overs but that total looked under threat right from the start of the visitors' reply as opener Gilchrist set about the Chennai attack with some sumptuous strokeplay.

The former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman hit 54 off just 36 balls to lay the groundwork for the win, which was clinched thanks to Scott Styris' unbeaten 36 and Shahid Afridi's rapid 20 not out.

The victory for the Chargers is only their second of the competition, and lifts them from the foot of the IPL standings.

The hosts' innings never truly fired, with their top three batsmen falling before the total had passed 33.

Parthiv Patel (four), Stephen Fleming (14) and Srikkanth Anirudha (one) offered little to concern the Chargers attack, although Suresh Raina's 32 from 21 deliveries provided some resistance.

Shahid Afridi blasted 20 off just six balls © Getty Images

After Subramaniam Badrinath was dismissed for a four-ball duck, Raina paired with Mahendra Singh Dhoni for a fifth-wicket stand of 39 that took the Super Kings towards 100.

Raina departed to a soft dismissal when he gifted Rohit Sharma an easy catch at extra cover off Sanjay Bangar, while new man Albie Morkel combined with Dhoni for just four runs before the skipper fell for 23 when a mistimed sweep off Pragyan Ojha's found Afridi at gully.

Morkel and Joginder Sharma took the total to 124 for six before the latter was bowled by RP Singh, and although no further wickets fell, Morkel (29 not out) and Manpreet Gony (19 not out) could not crack the 150-run barrier in what overs remained.

The Chargers made a solid start to their reply, Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs together for 24 runs before the latter was caught and bowled by Gony.

Gilchrist reached his fifty off 34 balls, including six fours and two sixes, but his knock was ended moments later when Badrinath did well to hold on at backward point off Morkel.

Styris picked up where Gilchrist left off, hitting three fours and a six, and the loss of Rohit Sharma (23) did not derail the visitors as Afridi stepped in with 20 runs in just six deliveries to seal victory with two overs to spare.