TNPL 2017, Eliminator Review: Rohith smashes the fastest ton as Kovai eliminate Karaikudi

R Rohith scored the fastest century in TNPL history to help Lyca Kovai Kings defeat Karaikudi Kaalai by four wickets in the Eliminator of the India Cements Ltd TNPL 2017 on Wednesday. The victory, achieved with an over to spare at the NPR College Ground in Natham, means Kovai will meet the Chepauk Super Gillies in Qualifier 2 at Tirunelveli on Friday.

Rohith scored an unbeaten 102 runs off 46 balls that included eight sixes and six boundaries. In the first innings, a missed catch almost cost Kovai the game. After winning the toss and putting Karaikudi in to bat, Kovai could have gotten off to the perfect start. An in-form S Anirudha was gifted a life as M Vijay dropped an absolute sitter while he was just on 15. Anirudha made Kovai pay for that and how. In the following over he smacked K Vignesh for four boundaries.

Thamarai Kannan did pick up Vishal Vaidhya early but V Aadithya and Aniruddha combined together and added 82 runs off 51 balls. Anirudha scored 79 runs which included five huge hits and 10 boundaries. Kannan finally got Kovai a much-needed breakthrough as he picked up Anirudha’s wicket. Aditya followed suit in the next over as holed out to long-on. Karaikudi had another great partnership as Badrinath and Shajahan had an unbeaten partnership of 74 runs that just came off 48 runs. Karaikudi set Kovai a mammoth target of 194 runs to win.

Mohan Prasath put Karaikudi on top early in the game as he removed the in-form Suryapprakash and Anirudh Sita Ram cheaply. Vijay and R Rohith steadied the ship with a 68-run partnership off just 38 balls. An absolutely brilliant direct hit from Vaidhya at cover saw him remove the dangerous Vijay.

A few quick wickets saw Karaikudi get back into the game but Rohith played a blinder of a knock and kept his siding within touching distance through the game. He brought up his 50 off 23 balls and kept rotating the strike. With an absolute steady head, he guided his side to the next round while smashing back to back sixes to seal a berth in Qualifier 2 and register the quickest century in TNPL history.

Brief scores:

Karaikudi Kaalai 193/3 in 20 overs (S Anirudha 79 (36b, 10×4, 5×6); S Badrinath 42* (25b, 5×4, 1×6); Gowtham Thamarai Kannan 2/31, B Arun 1/26)

Lyca Kovai Kings 194/6 in 19 overs (R Rohith 102* (46b, 6×4, 8×6), M Vijay 34 (27b, 4×4); Mohan Prasath 2/18, Sonu Yadav 2/28)

Lyca Kovai Kings won by 4 wickets