TNPL 2017, Qualifier 2 Review: Chepauk march into second successive final with 27-run win over Kovai

Chepauk Super Gillies defeated Lyca Kovai Kings by 27 runs via the VJD method at the ICL Ground, Sankarnagar, on Friday. Chepauk will face Albert TuTi Patriots for the second year in a row in the final of the India Cements Ltd TNPL at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday.

Chepauk Super Gillies spinners absolutely choked the Lyca Kovai Kings batsmen in Qualifier 2 to put their side on top. Left-arm spinners Sai Kishore, R Alexander and Arun Kumar scalped five of the nine batsmen to put their team in a dominant position.

M Vijay won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat as has been the trend at the ICL Ground against Chepauk. Sai Kishore struck early removing L Surya Prakash and Kovai managed to score 38 runs in the batting powerplay. With the spinners bowling in tandem, Kovai found it difficult to get them away for runs. They finally brought up their fifty in the ninth over. The second wicket partnership yielded 34 runs, the highest of the innings.

Anirudh Sita Ram holed out to a perfectly placed short mid-wicket. Two quick wickets around the halfway mark of the set skipper Murali Vijay who was deceived by R Alexander to be stumped and Akshay Srinivas pegged them back further. There was a short delay but there were no overs lost. Some big hitting from M Mohammed (30) and Harish Kumar (24) helped them get to a decent score of 136. Kovai’s innings only had six sixes and 10 boundaries in total.

Chepauk started the innings with aplomb as KH Gopinath smacked Vignesh for 12 runs in the first over before Vignesh got the better of him as he nicked one through to the keeper. Chepauk remained in control from the get go as S Karthik and Thalaivan Sargunam came together. Never off the pace, Chepauk scored 55 runs in the power-play. The duo shared a 77 run partnership off just 61 balls. They were highly aware of the fact that the rain could play a part in the match and were always well ahead of the required run-rate. Chepauk looked in control all through the match and never gave Kovai a window to get back into the game.

When the heavens opened at the end of the 11th over, according to the VJD method the par score for Chepauk was 63 runs for the loss of a wicket. Chepauk found themselves poised comfortably 27 runs ahead of the required target. The game was officially called off at 10.20 and Chepauk Super Gillies advanced to the finals for the second year in a row.

Brief scores:

Lyca Kovai Kings: 136/9 in 20 overs (Harish Kumar 32 (19b, 2×4, 2×6), M Mohammed 30 (24b, 3×4, 2×6); Sai Kishore 2/16, R Alexander 2/25)

Chepauk Super Gillies: 90/1 in 11 overs (S Karthik 38 (28b, 2×4, 3×6), Thalaivan Sargunam 32 (31b, 3×4, 1×6); K Vignesh 1/16)

Chepauk Super Gillies won by 27 runs (VJD method)