Wily Vaas does the job for Chargers

His mind ticking, Chaminda Vaas changes his pace, length and angles. And he can roll back the years.

The unsuspecting batsman is often sold the dummy. M. Vijay walked down the track, heaved and lost his leg stump. The Old Fox had struck. Vaas was the hero under the lights at Chepauk on Sunday as Deccan Chargers, defending 190 after winning the toss, defeated Chennai Super Kings by 31 runs in a key Indian Premier League duel.

Vijay was done in by extra pace and a hint of movement, the left-handed Suresh Raina was prised out by one that bounced a little more and Matthew Hayden paid the price for an audacious scoop shot as Vaas altered his speed again.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (42) and Albie Morkel (42 not out) fought hard but Vaas' three early strikes decided the contest.

Earlier, the CSK bowling bled towards the end – the last five overs cost the host 63 runs. Paceman Sudip Tyagi had to be taken off in the final over after unleashing two beamers; Justin Kemp bowled the last delivery.

For the Chargers, Andrew Symonds (50) and the wristy Herschelle Gibbs (45) – the two added 95 – rebuilt the innings with tact before exploding into more productive strokes. Towards the end, Rohit Sharma delighted with a cameo.

Earlier, Gilchrist sizzled. The southpaw might be getting on in years but his bat-speed remains incredible. This aspect of the Australian's batting along with his ability to pick the length early provides him heaps of time to strike even those deliveries that are not lacking in length. The CSK pacemen suffered.

Gilchrist became the first cricketer to cross the 1000-run mark in the IPL and Chargers was galloping at 41 without loss in three overs.

Dhoni, realising his folly, introduced off-spinning wizard Muralitharan in the fourth over when the field restrictions were still on.

Muralitharan, getting the ball to fizz off the surface and varying his trajectory, broke Gilchrist's rhythm. And the lanky R. Ashwin - CSK decided to field two off-spinners - dismissed a charging Gilchrist with a delivery that pitched on leg and hit the off stump. The Aussie had blitzed a 17-ball 38.

Ashwin, used in four spells by Dhoni, bowled well. The tall spinner, releasing from a high-arm action, turned the ball. Vaas, though, had the final say.