Chennai enter T20 Champions final

CRICKET: DURBAN, South Africa, Sept 25 (AFP) - Suresh Raina slammed an unbeaten 94 off 48 balls as the Chennai Super Kings stormed past the Royal Challengers in the Champions League Twenty20 semi-final at Kingsmead on Friday.

Raina propelled Chennai to 174 for four after rain reduced the match to 17 overs a side.

Facing an adjusted target of 176, Bangalore crumbled to 123 all out after losing their first three wickets for 12 runs.

Chennai won by 52 runs according to the Duckworth/Lewis method.

Chennai will meet the winners of Saturday's second semi-final between the South Australian Redbacks and the Eastern Cape Warriors in Centurion. The final is in Johannesburg on Sunday.

The left-handed Raina hit six sixes and five fours as he made the highest score of the tournament.

Raina took advantage of a weakened Bangalore attack after fast bowler Dale Steyn was injured while taking a catch to dismiss Mike Hussey. Steyn ran backwards at speed after Hussey hit the ball over mid-off. He jumped to take the catch but landed heavily on his back and his head banged into the turf.

He had to go to hospital to be checked for back and head damage. Steyn had been expected to be a key bowler for Bangalore on a pitch which suited fast bowling.

"They put too many runs on the board," admitted Bangalore captain Anil Kumble. "But when Dale Steyn was injured was critical for us."

Faced with a daunting target, Bangalore's hopes were snuffed out by Chennai opening bowlers Albie Morkel and Doug Bollinger, who dismissed first three batsmen within the first 3.3 overs.

Chennai captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni praised Raina's innings.

"He made it look easy," he said. But Dhoni agreed with Kumble that Steyn's injury was a blow to Bangalore.

"On this wicket raw pace can make a big difference and they were short of a bowler."

The overs were reduced after a rain break of two-and-a-half hours when Chennai were 15 for one after 2.5 overs.

Kumble said it had been a good campaign by his team.

"We did really well to get to the semi-finals but it was a disappointing finish," he said.