TNPL 2019, Match 10: Jagadeesan, Ashwin revel with the bat for Dindigul Dragons

The ever-consistent Narayan Jagadeesan and India star Ravichandran Ashwin excelled with the bat as Dindigul Dragons downed Tuti Patriots by 40 runs to notch their third successive victory in the 4th Sankar Cement Tamil Nadu Twenty20 Premier League (TNPL) at the India Cements Ltd-Sankar Nagar Ground, Tirunelveli here on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Jagadeesan scored 53 off 41 balls (1 four, 3 sixes) and Ashwin hit 52 off 28 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes) to help DD pile 173-7 in 20 overs. In reply, the DD fast bowlers Rohit Ramalingam (3-16), Jagannathan Kaushik (2-13) and Trilok Nag (2-25) inflicted heavy damage early in the innings to stifle the opposition, that could only muster 133-9 in 20 overs.

Such was the dominance of the DD bowlers that half of the TP side was inside the hut (29-5 in 5.2 overs) before the Powerplay overs ended.

No.8 SP Nathan (38 not out off 30 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) and No.9 Ganesh Moorthi (35 off 32 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) provided some respectability to the TP total by recording the highest partnership of the match – 76 runs in 61 balls – but it did little to alter the result of the game, which was always heading DD’s way. Ashwin, who came into bowl only in the 17th over, broke the 8th wicket partnership by dismissing Ganesh in the final over of the match and claimed Tamil Kumaran (0) off the next ball to complete a fruitful day.

SP Nathan admitted poor batsmanship in the Powerplay led to TP’s defeat. “We lost early wickets in the Powerplay which cost us the game. If we had prevented those early wickets, we could have taken the game away from them,” he said.

Earlier, DD’s top two players stepped up to ensure a healthy total on board. Opener Jagadeesan batted for 14.5 overs, adding on to the three league records he holds – most runs (1061), most fifties (12) and most fours (115). Ravichandran Ashwin was not far behind notching his maiden fifty of the league.

Together they also raised the highest partnership of the innings worth 47 runs off 35 balls for the fourth wicket. Ashwin also put on a quickfire 38-run alliance off 19 balls with Sumant Jain (26 off 16  balls).

The India international, who had hit three successive fours off medium-pacer Nidhish Rajagopal, brought up his fifty with a six over fine leg off Tamil Kumaran. It required a brilliant diving catch at mid-off by Rajagopal off the next ball to bring an end to Ashwin’s innings.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, DD openers Jagadeesan and C Hari Nishaanth (17 off 14 balls) put on 41 runs in 28 balls.  Jagadeesan, who hit one four and three sixes in the Powerplay was kept quiet for nearly seven overs by the TP bowlers, especially left-arm spinner Ganesh Moorthi (2-23) and medium-pacer S Senthil Nathan (2-22).

Jagadeesan felt it was prudent to be patient and wait for the right opportunity to go after the bowling. “You do have to give it to the way they bowled. It was also because we lost a wicket at that time. So we needed some time to consolidate and wait for loose balls,” he said about the phase when he did not score a boundary for almost 5 overs.

However, Ashwin who came in to bat in the 10th over hastened the scoring rate for DD, who added 100 runs in the last 10 overs.

Both teams will continue to play their next matches in Tirunelveli. DD take on iDream Karaikudi Kaalai on Monday (July 29) while Tuti Patriots meet VB Kanchi Veerans on Tuesday (July 30). 

Brief scores:

Dindigul Dragons 173-7 in 20 overs(Narayan Jagadeesan 53, Ravichandran Ashwin 52, Sumant Jain 26 not out; Tamil Kumaran 2-44, Ganesh Moorthi 2-23, S Senthil Nathan 2-22) beat Tuti Patriots 133-9 in 20 overs(SP Nathan 38 not out, Ganesh Moorthi 32; Ramalingam Rohit 3-16, Jagannathan Kaushik 2-13, Trilok Nag 2-25, R Ashwin 2-5) by 40 runs.

Toss: DD, chose to bat

Points: Dindigul Dragons 2; Tuti Patriots 0

Umpires: GR Sadashiv Iyer, Mohd Rafi. TV umpire: K Srinivasan.

Match referee: S Srinivason. 

MATCH AWARDS:

Sankar Cement Man of the Match: Ramalingam Rohit (DD)

Sankar Cement Maximum 6s: Ravichandran Ashwin and Narayan Jagadeesan (DD)

TCM-Nippon Paint Atom Best All-rounder: Ganesh Moorthi (TP)

SNJ VSOP Adhiradhi Four: R Ashwin (DD) and Ganesh Moorthi (TP)

BKT Tyres Commander of the Match: Narayan Jagadeesan (DD)

Sprite Juicy+ Refreshing Player: Sumant Jain (DD)

TVS Most Valuable Player of the Match: Ravichandran Ashwin (DD)

Sharon Ply Strong Performer of the Match: Nidhish Rajagopal (TP)