The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That's it from me, Rajarshi, and my co-commentator Sooryanarayanan, as we conclude our coverage of the Tamil Nadu Premier League for today. There's plenty of cricketing action still to come, with England taking on India in the first of the 3-match T20I series. Sooryanarayanan has switched his tabs and joined Shashwat to cover all the action from that game, so hop on here to enjoy our coverage of the same. West Indies also take on Bangladesh in the third and final T20I a few minutes later, and it'll be Pradeep and Pragadeesh who'll bring you the coverage from that game. For the time being, though, this is me, Rajarshi, signing off, wishing you a very good night!
Match summary: Siechem Madurai Panthers won the toss and opted to bowl
Siechem Madurai Panthers win by 7 wickets with 27 balls to spare.
A swift start from the opening duo of Arun Karthik and Vignesh Iyer doused any threat of the Dindigul Dragons making inroads early on in the chase. Unlike in the first innings, there were too many bad balls to start off, and they were capitalized upon fully. The Madurai Panthers had a run rate of over 10 in the first two overs itself. Vignesh Iyer's stay in the crease was short though, he had to depart trying to guide M Silambarasan's spin down to third man and was brilliantly pouched by Manibharathy behind the stumps.
It was the opening pair from the Panthers' last game that proceeded to take control of the game. Balchander Anirudh and Arun Karthik found life far too easy in the middle, picking up singles at will and finding the fence frequently. The pattern of play continued from the pair even after the partnership; Anirudh took a liking to the left-arm spin of Monish Sathish. Arun Karthik perished against the run of play in the 11th over, with Manibharathy claiming his second dismissal of the night.
NS Chaturved, the Panthers skipper joined Anirudh in the middle, and the duo took their side to the cusp of the win. Anirudh was the one who did the bulk of the scoring as Chaturved merely tagged along. With 11 left to get, Chaturved picked out the man at backward point, and Jagatheesan Kousik ended up accompanying Anirudh as the left-hander proceeded to hit the winning runs, in the process bringing up his own half-century as well.
NS Chaturved (Siechem Madurai Panthers Captain): We were hurt by what happened in the last game and we wanted to come out here and make a statement to prove what we're capable of doing. I was lucky to win the toss and bowl when the wicket was damp. It helps to have a bowling lineup like this because whoever I turn to, they are match-winners on a particular day. We wanted to ensure that we don't leak runs. Still early days in the tournament, we cannot be complacent. We have three more games and we have to be clinical.
B Anirudh Sita Ram is the Player of the Match for his unbeaten 34-ball 51. Here's what he has to say: We bowled really well. Initially the wicket was really damp and we made full use of it. It's our fourth game and we've bowled really well throughout the tournament. Full credit goes to the bowlers. It was a little difficult initially but it came onto the bat a lot better later on.
Hari Nishaanth (Dindigul Dragons Captain): Definitely (a night to forget). As a batting unit we should improve. Myself and Manibharathy saw through the overs but we lost wickets in clusters. There's no point blaming the bowlers - they didn't have a score to work with but as a batting unit we must work better. As a unit we have to stick together. There are two more games which are must-win games for us. We have to stick together, practice a lot and come back stronger.
There's the winning run! Fittingly, it is Anirudh who finishes it off, with a lap scoop as well, a shot that he certainly has't shied away from using today! And with that, the Siechem Madurai Panthers topple the Dindigul Dragons from the 2nd spot in the points table!
16.0
15.3 Rangaraj Suthesh to B Anirudh Sita Ram, FOUR! GETS TO HIS FIFTY AND SEALS THE WIN! Slower delivery on a full length around off stump, Anirudh shuffles inside the line of it and laps it fine of the keeper with nobody in that region to come in the way of it. He waits and watches as it trickles to the ropes and it brings up a superb half-century to boot. Siechem Madurai Panthers beat Dindigul Dragons by 7 wickets!
15.2 Rangaraj Suthesh to Jagatheesan Kousik, off-cutter on a full length on off stump, Kousik jabs forward towards long off and crosses over to level the scores!
15.1 Rangaraj Suthesh to Jagatheesan Kousik, full length slower delivery just outside off, Kousik leans forward and can only toe-end his push back to the bowler.
Rangaraj Suthesh (2-0-16-0) is back into the attack
15
overs
121/3score
W
4
0
1
0
4
runs
B Anirudh Sita Ram*
47(33)
Jagatheesan Kousik
5(3)
Lakshminarayanan Vignesh
1/23
14.6 Lakshminarayanan Vignesh to B Anirudh Sita Ram, FOUR! JUST SHORT! Right in the slot on middle and leg, Anirudh sits on one knee and mousses this slower delivery over mid-wicket before it clears the ropes on the bounce. They're nearly there now!
14.5 Lakshminarayanan Vignesh to B Anirudh Sita Ram, dipping slower yorker just outside off. Squeezed out towards the fielder at short cover.
14.4 Lakshminarayanan Vignesh to Jagatheesan Kousik, full length delivery on off stump, Kousik stands tall and powers it down the ground to long on for one.
14.3 Lakshminarayanan Vignesh to Jagatheesan Kousik, pitched up outside off, Kousik gets half-forward to ease his drive along the carpet to mid-off.
14.2 Lakshminarayanan Vignesh to Jagatheesan Kousik, EDGED FOR FOUR! Length delivery with pace off outside off, Kousik has a waft away from his body with the edge flying through the vacant slip cordon for four.
Jagatheesan Kousik, right-handed bat, comes to the crease
14.1 Lakshminarayanan Vignesh to NS Chaturved, OUT! AGAINST THE RUN OF PLAY! Slower short of a length delivery with width on offer but it's the extra bounce that does the trick for Vignesh. Chaturved's bottom hand comes off the handle as he stands on his toes looking to scythe it over point and he picks out Silambarasan's reverse-cupped palms as he times his hop to perfection.
N Sarangarajan Chaturved c N Silambarasan b Lakshminarayanan Vignesh 10 (12b 1x4)
Lakshminarayanan Vignesh (2-0-14-0) is back into the attack
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NPR College Ground, Dindigul
B Anirudh Sita Ram
*
Lakshminarayanan Vignesh
Video
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