TNPL 2019, TP vs CSG: Chepauk Super Gillies seal second spot, will face Dindigul Dragons in Qualifier 1

Tirunelveli, August 9: Chepauk Super Gillies bowlers did a fantastic job of defending a low total by dismissing Tuti Patriots for 95 to script a 32-run victory in the 4thSankar Cement Tamil Nadu Twenty20 Premier League match at the India Cements-Sankar Nagar ground here on Friday.

After being bowled out for 127 in the 20th over, CSG bowlers led by their star all-rounder Vijay Shankar (2-15) and medium-pacer Senathipathy Harish Kumar (3-4) made short work of the opposition to bundle TP out in 18.5 overs.

Harish Kumar maintained his position as the leading wicket-taker of the season (14 wickets) with Friday’s haul. He shares the top spot with Siechem Madurai Panthers’ pacer Kiran Akash, who has got the same number of wickets.

Vijay, who made his TNPL debut, did not fare well with the bat scoring just three runs but he came good with the ball. With his first delivery in the league and the innings, he claimed a wicket dismissing another debutant, S Akash Sivan. The left-handed opener chipped a fuller length delivery straight to Senathipathy Harish Kumar at mid-on. After his first over, which was also a wicket-maiden, Vijay claimed the last wicket of Athiyasayaraj Davidson (0).

CSG (NRR +1.391) thus sealed the second spot ahead of Siechem Madurai Panthers (NRR 0.703) as they had a better net run rate. Both ended the league on 10 points from seven matches.

The 2017 champions will take on league toppers Dindigul Dragons in the first qualifier in a day game here on Sunday.

Tuti Patriots got most of their runs in the season through their captain Venkataraman Subramania Siva and opener Akshay Srinivasan. It was no different on Friday and the 2106 champions’ were in the contest until Akshay (50 off 51 balls, 6 fours) was at the crease. After Siva (13 off 24 balls) was dismissed on the last ball of the Powerplay, Akshay carried the chase on his shoulders before he mistimed a pull off Harish Kumar and was out caught in the deep.

Siva and Akshay were the only two batsmen to get into double figures. Worse, the rest of the 10 batsmen could only muster 35 runs.

Earlier, batting first after winning the toss, CSG failed to capitalise on opener K Hari Gopinath’s superb 53 (35 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) with their last seven wickets falling for just 30 runs. During his innings, the 31-year-old also became the fourth batsman in TNPL to cross the 1,000 mark after Dindigul Dragons’ Narayan Jagadeesan (1265 runs in 30 matches) and Siechem Madurai Panthers‘ KB Arun Karthick (1146 runs in 29 matches) and Kaushik Gandhi (1006 in 32 matches). The CSG captain also crossed the 1000-run milestone during his 14-ball innings of 15 (1 four, 1 six).

From a healthy 90-3 after 10 overs, CSG collapsed to 127 all out in 19.3 overs. The wreckers-in chief were spinners Sekar Boopalan (2-23) and Gandhi Karthick Shanmugam (3-23).

Leg-spinner Shanmugam started the slide by claiming Vijay Shankar (3 off 7 balls), whose lofted drive ended in long-off’s hands. The 20-year-old then took out dangerman and CSG all-rounder Harish Kumar (0) and last man Ramadoss Alexandar (3) for a superb show in his first TNPL match.

Veteran fast bowler Tamil Kumaran also chipped in claiming two wickets for 27 runs. He trapped Gandhi leg before wicket off his second ball but he also conceded 16 runs in that over, including three wides and one no-ball.

However, in his next three he gave away just 11 runs and picked the prized scalp of CSG top-scorer Gopinath. The CSG opener failed to keep his slash off a widish delivery down and the oldest player of the tournament, Vasanth Saravanan (40 years) at point plucked a superb catch diving to his left.

The 25-year-old bowler also bowled the most number of dot balls (14) in the innings.

Once Gopinath departed in the 12thover, CSG lost their way with only Uthiraswamy Sasidev (27 off 28 balls, 3 fours) waging a lone battle.

Tuti Patriots made four changes to the team that last lost against Ruby Trichy Warriors bringing in left-arm spinner Sekar Boopalan, leg-spinner Gandhi Karthik Shanmugham, all-rounder SP Nathan and opener S Akash Sivan by replacing Selvakumaran Abhishiek, Sivagnanan Senthilnathan, A Venkatesh and Shubham Mehta respectively.

Brief scores:Chepauk Super Gillies 127 all out in 19.3 overs (K Hari Gopinath 53, Uthiraswamy Sasidev 27; V Athisayaraj Davidson 2-29, Tamil Kumaran 2-27, Sekar Boopalan 2-23, Gandhi Karthick Shanmugam 3-23) beat Tuti Patriots 95 all out in 18.5 overs (Akshay V Srinivasan 50; Vijay Shankar 2-15, Ganeshan Periyasamy 2-21, Manimaran Siddharth 2-12, Senathipathy Harish Kumar 3-4) by 32 runs.

Toss:CSG, elected to bat

Points:Chepauk Super Gillies 2; Tuti Patriots 0

Debut:Gandhi Karthik Shanmugham, Akash Sivan (TP); Vijay Shankar (CSG)

Umpires:K Srinivasan, JR Madanagopal; TV umpire:MG Saidarshan Kumar.

Match referee:S Sharath.

MATCH AWARDS

Sankar Cement Man of the Match:K Hari Gopinath (CSG)

Sankar Cement Maximum 6s: K Hari Gopinath, Kaushik Gandhi ( both CSG)

TCM-Nippon Paint Atom Best All-rounder:Vijay Shankar (CSG)

SNJ VSOP Adhiradhi Four:K Hari Gopinath (CSG); Akshay Srinivasan (TP)

BKT Tyres Commander of the Match: K Hari Gopinath (CSG)

Sprite Juicy+ Refreshing Player:Manimaran Siddharth (CSG)

TVS Most Valuable Player of the Match:Senathipathy Harish Kumar

Sharon Ply Strong Performer of the Match:Akshay Srinivasan (TP)

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