TNPL 2018: Defending champs Chepauk Super Gillies knocked out after losing to Tuti Patriots

Defending champions Chepauk Super Gillies are knocked out of the 2018 Tamil Nadu Premier League after they lost their fifth consecutive game this season. In a clash between two former champions, Jones Tuti Patriots got the better of Chepauk Super Gillies by seven wickets at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.

With this loss, Chepauk have lost all their five matches and cannot get more than four points even if they win their remaining two matches and there are already four teams that have more than four points. With this, this will be the first time, a defending champion will get knocked out from TNPL after the league stage.

After choosing to bat first, Chepauk were off to a good start for the first time this season as their top-order batsmen S Karthik (43), Ganga Sridhar Raju (23) and skipper KH Gopinath (40*) played well to put their side in command and a cameo towards the end from Harish Kumar, who scored a 12-ball 27 threatened to game away from Tuti.

But, R Jesuraj and Athisayaraj Davidson conceded just nine runs off the last two overs and restricted Chepauk to just 167/6 in 20 overs, which is easily 15-20 short of what they should have got after the start they had.

Athisayaraj Davidson, R Sai Kishore and R Jesuraj picked up two wickets apiece for Tuti. Chasing 168 to win, Tuti were off to a great start, thanks to S Dinesh's 13-ball 25. Skipper Kaushik Gandhi and S Anand kept their team in the chase by sharing a 49-run partnership for the second wicket before Kaushik holed out for 45 off 37 balls.

But, Anand stayed till the end and won the match for his team by sharing two crucial partnerships, first with S Abishek, who scored 17 off eight balls and then with R Sathish, who remained unbeaten on 30 off 12 balls.

Turning point: Chepauk Super Gillies' inability to finish the innings with a flourish after getting a very good start proved costly for the hosts.

Brief scores: Jones Tuti Patriots 169/3 after 17.2 overs (S Anand 48, Kaushik Gandhi 45, R Sathish 30*, S Harish Kumar 2/27) beat Chepauk Super Gillies 167/6 after 20 overs (S Karthik 43, KH Gopinath 40, R Sai Kishore 2/28) by seven wickets.

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