Chennai: Matthew Hayden may have scripted Chennai Super Kings’ victory with a masterly unbeaten 70 but it was Jacob Oram who set it up at the start with consecutive wickets of Brendon McCullum and Ricky Ponting.

McCullum was going great guns and his dismissal took the momentum out of the Kolkata Knight Riders innings.

“I’m happy with my bowling… I wasn’t perfect in the previous games. I didn’t too well in the last game. I was bowling too wide and short. Today’s performance has left me pleased. I have to continue this way in the remaining matches,” said Man of the Match Oram after the match.

The New Zealander was all praise for Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s captaincy. “Dhoni is brilliant. He’s very relaxed and calm. I now understand why India have been so successful under his leadership,” Oram said.

Does he have a plan against the scoop shot the batsmen have been attempting against the bowlers so often? “You can’t plan too many things against such a shot. It’s a high risk shot. It takes a good player to time it well. You’ve got to wait for luck to smile your way.”

“We’re a very strong side on paper. We have an amazing team. It’s too early to talk about who are the favourites.”