TNPL 2022 Updated Points Table: Salem in deep trouble as spinners power the Tiruppur Tamizhans to a win - Updated after Match 18

The Salem Spartans' TNPL 2022 campaign went from bad to worse as they lost their fourth game in a row. They took on the IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans in match 18 of TNPL 2022 on Wednesday, at the SNR College Ground in Coimbatore.

On a more spinner-friendly surface, Salem captain Murugan Ashwin elected to bowl first. The Tiruppur openers responded well to being put in to bat, with the openers getting them to 45/0 in the first six overs. However, a short rain-induced break allowed the Salem bowlers to pull things back.

Daryl Ferrario picked up the big wicket of Anirudha Srikkanth after a 22-ball 32, which brought Salem back into the game. The spinners kept things tight from that point onwards, with none of the Tiruppur batters able to accelerate much.

Maan Bafna's run-a-ball 29 was the second highest score, and that took the IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans to a below-par total of 135/5 in 20 overs.

However, the Salem batters couldn't back up the bowling effort in their bid to get their first win of the campaign. They lost opener Gopinath early and due to some tight bowling from Tiruppur, could only manage 32 runs in the powerplay. The spinners soon got into the act and stifled the Salem batters.

Barring a fluent essay from Ravi Karthikeyan, the rest of the Salem batting order looked all at sea against the Tiruppur spinners. They folded cheaply for 104 runs in 19.3 overs, with Mohan Prasath (3/11 in 4 overs) and S Aravind (2/12 in 4 overs) the pick of the bowlers.

Click here to view the TNPL 2022 points table.

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TNPL 2022 Updated Points Table

TNPL 2022 Updated points table after ITT vs SLST match

This latest defeat puts Salem's chances of qualifying for the playoffs in serious trouble. With only six points mathematically available for them to take, it's unlikely that they will get to the playoffs from this point.

As for the Tiruppur Tamizhans, their second win in four matches gets them up to the fifth place on the points table, ahead of Dindigul on NRR.